Market Pulse
Brent futures continue advance as OPEC delegate says deal likely
Crude oil prices continued to gain altitude at a fast clip, helped by the continued positive news-flow surrounding a two-day technical meeting between delegates from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Lavendon Group soars as it rejects £348m takeover
Shares in Lavendon Group soared nearly 40% on Tuesday as the AIM-listed rental company rejected a £348m offer from Belgian industrial equipment supplier TVH Group.
Telecom Plus sees return to faster organic growth as energy prices rise
Interim revenues fell slightly at Telecom Plus, but profits were up as the utility company remains confident energy prices will rise to offset the decline.
Entertainment One on track to meet targets, finance chief steps down
Entertainment One reported growth across all divisions in the first half, with a cut in profits attributable to increased investment, although its finance director had decided to step down with immediate effect.
Spectris' sales rise but low demand affects Europe, North America
Spectris, a supplier of precision instrumentation and controls, reported like-for-like sales in the third quarter continued to be affected by headwinds in Europe and North America from weak demand and low oil prices.
Numis cuts Essentra to 'add' after profit warning
Numis downgraded its stance on Essentra to ‘add’ from ‘buy’ and cut the price target to 470p following the company’s profit warning on Monday.
Totally wins £60,000 occupational health contract
Totally, a provider of out-of-hospital services, has won a £60,000 occupational health contract from three police forces.
Morrisons revives convenience interest with 10-store petrol station trial
Just over a year after it sold its convenience store estate, Morrison Supermarkets has launched a 10-store convenience store pilot in a chain of petrol stations and revived the Safeway brand as a wholesale food brand for independent convenience retailers.
Mitchells & Butlers FY profit and sales decline
Pub group Mitchells & Butlers posted a drop in pre-tax profit for the 52 weeks ended 24 September as like-for-like sales fell and total revenue declined.
Big Yellow Group sees 1H revenues grow but cautions on outlook
Self-storage company Big Yellow Group’s interim revenues and capacity grew, while it said it would face future challenges with a mixture of “caution and confidence” due to the current uncertain economic climate after the referendum vote.
Assura posts first-half profit, secures cheaper debt facility
Primary care property investor and developer Assura reported a jump in first-half profit and announced a new cheaper debt facility.
Solid State reports drop in first-half revenues, cites Brexit impact
Solid State saw its topline shrink in the first half of its financial year, with management saying that the uncertainty following Brexit impacted on clients´ buying patterns.
Compass sent south as markets react harshly to solid results
Full year results from Compass hit their target as North American strength offset a challenging final quarter in Europe and further afield, while the catering giant said growth next year will be weighted to the second half.
AO World swings to profit as revenues grow
Online electrical goods retailer AO World said it swung to a pre-tax profit in the first half as revenues in the UK and Europe grew.
Trump vows to rip up TPP trade deal on first day of office
US president-elect Donald Trump has laid out his plans for the first 100 days in the Oval Office, promising to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement on his first day.
Halma's interim revenues jump, second-half on track to meet targets
Safety, health and environmental technology company Halma’s interim revenues rose and it remains on track to meet its targets for the second half of the year.
Europe open: Miners and energy shares pace the advance
European stocks gained ground in early trade, taking their cue from positive sessions in the US and Asia and underpinned by rising oil and metals prices.
London open: Stocks in the black as oil rallies, miners gain
Stocks in London rose in early trade, tracking gains in the US and Asia as oil and metals prices rallied.
Intertek's revenues grow but resources continues to weigh
While conditions for its resources division continue to remain challenging, Intertek drove revenues higher in the third quarter to remain on track to deliver full year growth and cash generation.
UK government cuts Lloyds stake to just under 8%
The UK government has cut its stake in Lloyds Banking Group to just under 8%.