Market Pulse
Foxtons increases dividend but house broker cuts forecasts
Foxtons proposed a final and further special dividend after a solid year of revenue growth and margins stability despite an 11% decline in property transactions in its London heartland in 2015.
Porta Communications looks at strong second half
Porta Communications was reporting a strong second half on Wednesday, with some sizeable earnings growth amid the shuttering of a number of operations.
Proactis acquires eProcurement solutions company
AIM-listed Proactis Holdings has purchased eProcurement solutions company Due North from Access Intelligence.
Europe open: Stocks mostly lower but Syngenta surges on Chinese deal
European stocks were mostly lower in early trade following downbeat sessions in the US and Asia.
Motive launches new internet-based TV offer
Motive Television's push into internet-based broadcasting made it to the consumer on Wednesday, with news the company's TabletTV Internet app had been accepted into the Apple App Store.
Premaitha propels prenatal test into Indian market
Premaitha Health was propelling its IONA prenatal testing product into one of the world's largest markets on Wednesday, announcing its partnership with Visional Medical.
Ibstock appoints BAE exec and Dialight director to board
Ibstock has appointed Tracey Graham and Lynn C. Minella to the board as non-executive directors with immediate effect.
LondonMetric announces second interim dividend
LondonMetric has announced a second interim dividend after a busy third quarter as the property investor continues to adjust its portfolio towards retail logistics and distribution.
ChemChina snaps up Syngenta for record $43bn
State-owned China National Chemical has agreed to take over Swiss agrichemical giant Syngenta for a cash deal totalling more than $43bn, as it plans for a flotation in years to come.
HICL Infrastructure to buy stake in French motorway project
HICL Infrastructure has reached an agreement to buy a 13. 8% interest in the A63 motorway project in France from Colas Sud Ouest and Spie Batignolles.
Balfour Beatty wins £245m Warwickshire highways contract
Infrastructure group Balfour Beatty has been awarded a seven-year, £245m Warwickshire highways maintenance contract.
Hard work leads to improved outlook at Severn Trent
Severn Trent was looking at a larger net benefit for the financial year on Wednesday, updating the market on its performance in the three months to 31 December 2015.
London pre-open: Stocks seen lower on weak US and Asian cues
London stocks are expected to open in the red on Wednesday, taking their cue from heavy losses in the US and Asia.
Sky sinks £0.3m into mobile app firm InCrowd
Sky looked to increase its already strong relationship with sports fans on Wednesday, investing £0. 3m into UK-based technology firm InCrowd.
AstraZeneca wins EU approval for lung cancer drug Tagrisso
AstraZeneca has won European regulatory approval to market its Tagrisso-branded tablets for the treatment of adult patients with certain forms of lung cancer.
Wednesday newspaper round-up: EU, British Gas, Yahoo, Nationwide
David Cameron will launch a two-week political campaign on Wednesday to sell to sceptical Conservative MPs and wary European Union leaders the “new settlement” he hopes will persuade Britain to stay in the bloc. The prime minister argued that a draft deal to reform Britain’s EU relationship represented “significant change”, but the package will come under fire from Eurosceptic Tory MPs and the rightwing press. – Financial Times.