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CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

AstraZeneca full-year results: where next for the share price?

The British-Swedish pharmaceutical company will unveil its full-year results on Valentine’s Day, with investors hoping its earnings update will beat estimates for a fifth consecutive quarter and push its share price higher.

FTSE 100 Source: Bloomberg

AstraZeneca will unveil its full-year results on Valentine’s Day (14 February), with investors hoping the drug maker will beat estimates for a fifth consecutive quarter and drive its share price higher.

Over the last 12 months, the drug maker’s back-to-back earnings streak has helped its share price soar, with the stock up 33% – outperforming the broader market, with the FTSE 100 up just 5% over the same period.

AstraZeneca’s share price has also outperformed rivals like GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer, with the former up 9% over the last 12 months to £16.98 as of 14:32 (GMT) on Wednesday, while the latter is down close to 9% to $38.06.

AstraZeneca is trading at £76.70 a share.

Looking to trade AstraZeneca? Find out how to buy, sell and short AstraZeneca shares now.

AstraZeneca: technical analysis

Shares in Astrazeneca have been on a relatively consistent rise over the years, with 2019 providing a welcome ramp-up in the rate of growth for the stock, according to senior market analyst at IG, Josh Mahony.

‘That uptrend is something we can utilise for our benefit, with a continuation expected until the price tells us otherwise,’ Mahony said.

‘The rebound seen last week came from a pullback into trendline and Fibonacci (61.8%) support, with that rally providing confidence that the rising channel remains relevant.’

While we are seeing some weakness today, this is likely to be a precursor to further gains,’ he added.

You can go long or short AstraZeneca with IG using derivatives like CFDs.

Chart1
Chart1

The four-hour chart highlights how the rebound seen last week provided a push through the £77.21 resistance level, negating the creation of lower highs that have been playing out since the January peak of £79.48.

This points towards a likely end to that period of weakness and a resumption of the wider bullish trend. With that in mind, any further short-term downside would be deemed a good buying opportunity so long as the price does not break below £73.98.

Investors should watch for whether AstraZeneca breaks below £76.10 to bring about that short-term period of weakness and retracement of the £73.98 - £78.03 rally. Should that pullback occur, this stock would look like good value around the 61.8-76.4% Fibonacci zone (£74.94 - £75.53).

Chart2
Chart2

This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients.
CFDs are a leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your initial deposit, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.

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