Stanchart surges on report of FAD Bank pressing ahead with bid
Entain tumbles as MGM says moved on amid MA speculation
Watches of Switzerland Group slumps after quarterly trading update
FTSE 100 up 0.7, FTSE 250 adds 0.1

Feb 9 Reuters UK39;s FTSE 100 hit an alltime high on Thursday, buoyed by a slate of upbeat earnings and merger talks tied to Standard Chartered, while Entain shares tumbled on news U.S. casino operator MGM was ending talks to takeover the betting firm.

The bluechip FTSE 100 rose 0.7 to touch a record high of 7,943.68, while the midcap FTSE 250 index inched up 0.1.

AstraZeneca jumped 4.3, set for its best day in nearly a year, after the drugmaker forecast earnings growth in 2023.

Unilever rose 0.4 after the consumer goods giant reported quarterly underlying sales growth above expectations.

Standard Chartered jumped 9.0 to the top of FTSE 100 after Bloomberg News reported that First Abu Dhabi Bank is pressing ahead with an allcash bid of 30 billion35 billion for the Asiafocussed bank.

Investors have been looking towards the UK market over the last year as an attractive geography in the search for potential takeover targets, given the depreciation of the pound and the corresponding increased attractiveness of sterlingpriced valuations, said Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor.

The recent revival of the pound could spur investors to move quickly as valuations become richer again.

Entain tumbled 10.1 after MGM39;s chief…