Market Pulse
Rolls-Royce boosted by Morgan Stanley upgrade
Rolls-Royce got a boost on Wednesday as Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to ‘equalweight’ from ‘underweight’ due to increased confidence on cash, and lifted the price target to 780p from 655p.
Gilt yields plumb fresh record lows, as BoE's QE launch stumbles
The Bank of England said it would look to make up for the previous session's lacklustre results at a reverse auction to purchase £1. 17bn of long-dated Gilts during the second half of its extended programme of quantitative easing.
Petra Diamonds recovers 138.57 carat white diamond from Cullinan
Petra Diamonds has recovered a 138. 57 carat white diamond at the Cullinan mine in South Africa.
Firms and consumers reign in spending but BoE survey sees manufacturers gain
Business services growth and consumer spending softened last month due to a combination of the Brexit vote and wet weather, a survey by the Bank of England found, though there were no indications of rising unemployment or lower investment in absolute terms.
London job numbers slide after Brexit vote, but not as bad as feared
The impact of Brexit on recruitment in London was not as aggressive as expected, but it is too early to determine whether it is systemic, as the number of available jobs fell 27% in July.
Avacta collaboration programme gets £3.8m grant
A collaboration programme between AIM-listed Avacta and Leeds University has been awarded a £3. 8m grant by the Medical Research Council.
Costs down, production up in Q2 at Centamin
Centamin announced its results for the second quarter to 30 June on Wednesday, with an EBITDA of $101. 6m up 51% on the first quarter.
G4S surges as it posts jump in H1 earnings, maintains dividend
Shares in G4S surged on Wednesday after the security company reported a jump in earnings and revenue for the first half as it said it has made substantial progress with the ongoing transformation of the group and maintained its dividend.
Exane downgrades Cobham after H1 results
Exane BNP Paribas downgraded Cobham to ‘underperform’ from ‘neutral’ and cut the price target to 140p from 143p, highlighting lingering doubts following the company’s first-half results last week.
NCC Group CFO Atul Patel resigns
NCC Group said its chief financial officer Atul Patel has resigned from the board with immediate effect and will leave the group in February next year, possibly before if his successor is appointed.
Europe open: Stocks nudge lower as oil prices weaken
European stocks nudged lower in early trade as investors booked some profits amid weaker oil prices.
London open: Stocks drift lower; G4S surges on results
Stocks in London drifted lower in early trade as the August lull set in.
Interserve rebounds as interim results show progress
Interserve lifted its interim dividend after a solid six months' trading, cutting debt as it looks to exit from the lossmaking Energy from Waste (EfW) business.
Paysafe profit surges after merger
FTSE 250 payment solutions provider Paysafe –known as Optimal Payments before it merged with competitor Skrill in August last year – posted a rise in first-half profit as it upgraded its guidance for 2016 revenue and adjusted earnings.
Tritax Big Box acquires Amazon distribution centre in Peterborough
Tritax Big Box has acquired one of Amazon's largest UK distribution centres for a purchase price of £42. 9m, which is let to the US online retail behemoth with on an 8. 7-year lease and a net initial yield of 5. 6%.
Lookers lets go of parts division in £120m deal
Lookers announced on Wednesday that it has entered into a conditional agreement to sell its parts business to Alliance Automotive, on a debt free and cash free basis, for a consideration of £120m payable in cash on completion.
London pre-open: Stocks seen lower as investors pause for breath
London stocks looked set for a weaker open on Wednesday following an uninspiring session in Asia, as investors pause for breath.
Land Securities close to fully letting Paddington office building
Land Securities has signed up three new long-term tenants for its 20 Eastbourne Terrace office building next to London's Paddington station.