Company News
Friday preview: U.S: consumer confidence, Citigroup and Wells Fargo results due out
Financial markets' focus at the end of the week will likely continue to be very much on the U. S.
Halfords surges on takeover speculation
Halfords shares surged on Thursday after markets blog Betaville reported in one of its 'uncooked alerts’ that the motoring and cycling products retailer was at the centre of takeover speculation.
Former Barclays boss Jes Staley banned over Epstein scandal
The former chief executive of Barclays has been banned and fined nearly £2m by the City watchdog over his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Block Energy average production slips in third quarter
Georgia-focussed oil and gas company Block Energy reported an average production of 630 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in its third quarter on Thursday, slightly below the second quarter’s 664 boepd.
Windward reports series of contract wins
Maritime artificial intelligence (AI) company Windward reported a series of contract triumphs and renewals throughout its second half on Thursday, affirming a trading performance aligning with market anticipations for the year.
Polar Capital reports small decline in assets under management
Specialist active asset manager Polar Capital reported a minor decline in assets under management (AuM) in its first half on Thursday.
Acquisitions underpin first-half growth for FW Thorpe
Professional lighting specialist FW Thorpe reported a 23% rise in revenue in its final results on Thursday, amounting to £176. 7m, or a 10. 7% increase when excluding the impact from the acquisition of SchalLED and Zemper.
Atalaya Mining upbeat on third quarter performance
Atalaya Mining said in an update on Thursday that it mined 3. 8 million tonnes of ore in its third quarter, consistent with the same period in 2022 and slightly below the 3. 9 million tonnes achieved in the second quarter of 2023.
First-quarter sales spark at Hotel Chocolat
Shares in Hotel Chocolat Group jumped on Thursday, after the high-end confectioner said it was entering its crucial Christmas trading season in a "strong" position.
Brooks Macdonald reports modest rise in funds under management
Brooks Macdonald updated the market on its funds under management (FUM) for the first quarter on Thursday, recording marginal net outflows of £70m, translating to 0. 4% and in line with initial guidance.
Restaurant Group to be taken over by PE firm Apollo in £701m deal
Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group said on Thursday that it has agreed to be taken over by private equity firm Apollo in a £701m deal.
Marks Electrical revenues jump 25% in H1
Marks Electrical reported a jump in first-half revenues on Thursday as it pointed to "continued trading momentum".
SIG shares tumble on profit warning
Insulation and building products supplier SIG issued a profit warning on Thursday, sending shares lower in early trading.
Hays Q1 fee income falls against record comparator
Recruitment firm Hays said on Thursday that first-quarter fee income had dropped due to a tough record quarter comparator and a weakening of the Australian dollar versus sterling.
Oxford Instruments FY trading seen 'towards the lower end' of expectations
Manufacturing and research company Oxford Instruments said on Thursday that it had seen "robust overall demand and order book visibility" but warned that its full-year trading performance was still anticipated to be "towards the lower end of expectations".
N Brown revenue, earnings shrink in first half
N Brown reported a contraction in first-half revenue on Thursday, alongside a commitment to strategic and operational progress.
Strong demand boosts rent roll at Workspace
Workspace Group reported a jump in lettings on Thursday, on the back of strong demand for flexible office space.
Karelian reports positive findings from Northern Ireland sampling
Karelian Diamond Resources updated the market on its ongoing sampling programme in Northern Ireland on Thursday, confirming through indicator mineral and microprobe analysis results that its licensed area showed significant prospectivity for nickel, copper, and platinum group metals.
Chinese lenders rally after state wealth fund buys shares
Shares in some of China’s biggest banks rallied on Thursday after the country’s sovereign wealth fund increased its holding in the lenders.
Wise hikes guidance after strong second quarter
Payments specialist Wise upgraded its guidance on Thursday in the wake of a solid second-quarter performance.