Fidelity Top Stories
Wood Group to take $100m charge on Aegis project, delays results
UK energy services provider John Wood Group on Tuesday said it expected to take a one-off $100m charge relating to its Aegis Poland contract as it estimates a bigger loss for the legacy Amec Foster Wheeler project.
Russia-US reportedly agree to leaders' summit, Russian security council meeting scheduled
Russia and the US reportedly agreed in principle to a summit of their respective leaders, bolstering hopes of a peaceful resolution of the current tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
Kuwait's NAS sweetens John Menzies offer
Kuwait's National Aviation Services said it had sweetened its takeover proposal for the UK airport services company John Menzies, valuing it at about £559m.
NatWest swings to big profit, announces £750m share buyback
NatWest Bank swung to a full year profit as it released more than £1. 2bn in cash set aside for loan defaults during the Covid pandemic and said it expected to achieve a return on tangible equity “comfortably” above 10% in 2023.
TBC Bank profits soar on strong income, economic recovery
TBC Bank said annual profit more than doubled in 2021, driven by strong income and a recovery in the Georgian economy.
Europe close: Stocks end lower after reports of ceasefire breaches in Ukraine
European shares slipped into the red on Thursday as Ukrainian and separatist forces in the country's east traded accusations of having broken ceasefire agreements along the demarcation line.
StanChart in $750m buyback, China investment as profits miss estimates
Standard Chartered on Thursday unveiled a $750m share buyback, lifted profit targets and pledged higher investment in China, despite annual results missing estimates.
Amazon, Visa agree truce in payment fees battle
Amazon and Visa have ended their battle over transaction fees, with the online retailer agreeing to accept payments via the credit card firm.
UK average house prices up 10.8% in 2021 - ONS
The average UK house price increased by 10. 8% in the year to December, putting further pressure on buyers as interest rates and taxes rise.
UK inflation hits 30-year high of 5.5% in January
UK inflation hit 5. 5% in January as consumer prices hit their highest level since 1992, the Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday.
US producer prices outpace forecasts, some see peak in core inflation soon
Wholesale price inflation in the US continued rising at a brisk pace last month amid big gains both at the headline and core level.
Russia returns some troops to base, says defence ministry
Russia has returned some of the troops gathered around Ukraine to their garrisons, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday, in a sign that it could be stepping back an invasion.
BHP in record dividend payout as profits surge on higher prices
BHP is handing back more than $7bn to shareholders in a record half-year dividend as soaring commodities helped the world’s biggest mining company post a jump in profits.
Impact on business confidence of a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be temporary
Despite the human tragedy that a war in Ukraine would cause, economists at Berenberg believed the most likely scenario would be a temporary impact on business and consumer confidence, and economic activity in Europe more generally, as well as prices.
IEA calls on OPEC+ to allow Middle East producers to boost output
Oil supplies from OPEC+ over the course of 2022 could undershoot the producer alliance's own goals by 1. 0bn barrels unless those member countries who have spare capacity on hand increase their output, the world's oil watchdog said.
Rates shock close to being priced-in, but negative growth shock just beginning, BoA says
The 'rates shock' that has sideswiped Wall Street is close to being priced-in but a negative 'growth shock' is only beginning, cautioned equity strategists at Bank of America.
Tate & Lyle lifts guidance for continuing ops as revenues rise
Food products group Tate & Lyle reported a rise in revenues in the final three months of 2021 as it lifted guidance for continuing operations and said it remained on track to create two businesses by the end of March.
ECB's Lagarde says all moves by central bank need to be 'gradual'
The European Central Bank's boss hit back overnight at critics, arguing that any action to bring inflation back into line needed to be "gradual", attributing record inflation readings to energy prices and pointing out that current wage pressures were "very moderate".
Heathrow pins hopes on summer bookings after weak January
Britain's Heathrow airport on Friday said more than 1. 3m passengers either cancelled or didn’t book trips in the last two months due to fears over the Omicron Covid variant.
US CPI picks up more quickly than expected in January
The cost of living in the US picked up more quickly than expected at the start of 2022 amid broad-based gains among the various categories of goods and services.