Fidelity Top Stories
Euro area industrial production picks up in October, points to solid Q4
Industrial output in the single currency bloc rebounded in October for a solid start to the fourth quarter.
Omicron results in fewer hospitalisations and ICU admissions, SA study shows
The newest variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has resulted in fewer hospitalisations and intensive care unit admissions than previous waves of Covid-19, the results of a new study show.
Ocado wins patent trial against Norway's AutoStore at ITC
British online supermarket group Ocado on Monday said it had won a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Norwegian robotics company AutoStore Holdings in the International Trade Commission (ITC).
Ocado Q4 revenues fall as labour shortages bite
UK online supermarket Ocado Retail said revenue in its final quarter fell 3. 9% year-on-year, as it felt the impact of labour shortages.
Drahi's Altice lifts stake in BT to 18% but says no plans for bid
French Telecoms giant Altice said it had increased its stake in Britain’s BT Group to 18% and reiterated that it had no plans to stage a takeover under UK rules.
NatWest fined £265m for taking laundered cash in bin bags
Britain's NatWest bank was fined £265m for a series of anti-money laundering failures, including taking cash deposits carried in bin bags as part of the operation of a suspected "drugs gang".
Royal Mail sells last 3 Nine Elm plots for £112m
Royal Mail on Monday said it had exchanged contracts to sell the last three remaining plots on its Nine Elms Park site to London Square for £111. 2m.
Purplebricks facing millions in potential claims, delays results
Online estate agency Purplebricks Group has delayed its results after it emerged it is facing potentially millions of pounds of claims.
Frasers launches £70m share buyback
Retailer Frasers Group has launched a fresh £70m share buyback programme, it confirmed on Monday.
Homeserve offloads shared policies to Piedmont for $22m
Home repairs and improvement business HomeServe, said it had sold policies shared with Piedmont Natural Gas Company to the same affinity partner for around $22m.
U.Michigan consumer confidence index points to emerginng wage-price spiral
American consumers' confidence was little changed at the start of December, but there were signs of a potential wage-price spiral taking form, the results of a closely-followed survey revealed.
Anglo American forecasts stronger 2022
Mining giant Anglo American forecast a stronger performance in 2022 than the current year, as it focused on its Quellaveco copper project in Peru.
Primark trading ahead of expectations, says AB Foods
Associated British Foods said Primark trading for the year to date was ahead of expectations with improved like-for-like sales compared to the final quarter of last year, but warned of increasing Covid cases hitting stores in Europe.
Frasers Group interims soar as stores re-open, but cautious on Covid, cost rises
Sports Direct owner Frasers Group reported a 75% rise in interim profit, driven by the strong reopening of stores after lockdown, new Flannels stores and continued growth in online sales.
Harbour Energy unveils $200m dividend policy
North Sea oil producer Harbour Energy on Thursday introduced a $200m annual dividend policy, as it prepared to host its first capital markets day since its merger.
Netcare CEO says Covid-19 cases in SA much milder so far
Symptoms among those ill from Covid-19 during the current wave caused by the new variant Omicron are far milder than in previous waves, the head of South Africa's largest private health-care group said.
Pfizer-BioNTech booster does neutralise Omicron, preliminary study shows
Three doses of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech do neutralise the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the results of a preliminary study revealed.
First studies into vaccine efficacy against Omicron spark cautious optimism
Experts reacted with cautious optimism to the results of the first studies into the efficacy of vaccines against the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
TUI lowers winter capacity forecasts, but sees rebound in summer 2022
Travel company TUI lowered winter capacity plans due to the emergence of the Omicron coronavirus variant as it reported its first quarterly profit since the start of the pandemic.
Strong domestic demand boosts Eurozone GDP
Strong domestic demand supported Eurozone economic growth in the third quarter, official data showed on Tuesday.