Market Pulse
Markets gear up for Opec cut ahead of 'make-or-break' meeting with Russia
Opec is expected to cut production by more than 1m barrels per day when it meets in Vienna on Thursday, providing some respite for under-pressure oil prices.
Image Scan swings to a loss following aborted acquisition
Image Scan swung to a loss in its last trading year, mostly due to costs associated with its aborted acquisition of Todd Research in 2017.
FIH Group acquires East London industrial estate
British conglomerate FIH Group has purchased a 2. 5-acre industrial estate in Leyton to provide its Momart subsidiary with long-term security of tenure.
Panther Securities to pay special dividend following 'exceptional sales'
Property investment firm Panther Securities announced a special dividend on Wednesday after experiencing its "best year" in terms of cash generation and realisation.
EU Supply provides support to European nuclear research outfits
Software provider EU Supply has inked two new contracts with nuclear research outfits for the provision of its complete tender management platform.
Brave Bison projects first breakeven year since floating on AIM
Social video company Brave Bison has forecast double-digit revenue growth in excess of expectations as the group turns EBITDA-positive for the first time since its admission to AIM back in 2013.
HSBC downgrades Ted Baker, Liberum reiterates 'buy'
Analysts were divided in their opinions of Ted Baker's recent woes on Wednesday, with HSBC cutting its recommendation on the stock as Liberum reiterated its positive stance in the aftermath of the "forced hugging" scandal.
London midday: FTSE stays in the red, pound gains as odds of no-deal Brexit fade
London stocks remained well in the red by midday on Wednesday, with the pound clawing back some ground as traders saw lower chances of a no-deal Brexit.
Hargreaves' simplification enables sales and profits growth
Fuel supply and logistics firm Hargreaves Services said first-half trading had been "satisfactory" as it reported interim results in line with its expectations on Wednesday.
'Nasty surprise' for UK economy as services sector growth shrinks to two-year low
The services sector saw growth slow to its weakest level for more than two years in November, as concerns over Brexit weighed on the economy and curtailed business and consumer spending.
Trump warns he is 'tariff man' if China trade deal falls through
China expressed confidence of agreeing a trade deal with the US within 90 days of negotiations after President Donald Trump took to Twitter warn that he was “Tariff Man” at heart.
London open: Stocks drop on Brexit woes after sterling falls to 18-month low
London stocks fell in early trade on Wednesday, taking their cue from weak US and Asian sessions as uncertainty about Brexit and US-China trade relations undermined sentiment.
Patisserie Holdings appoints Nick Perrin as interim CFO
Scandal-hit Patisserie Holdings has appointed Nick Perrin as its interim chief financial officer.
Traumakine treatment optimal for particular subgroup, Faron finds
Clinical stage biopharmaceutical company Faron Pharmaceuticals has identified, by genetic testing, an “optimal subgroup” of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients for Traumakine treatment who showed a substantial reduction in mortality during the INTEREST trial, it announced on Wednesday.
Eurasia Mining to press ahead with development at Monchetundra
Eurasia Mining updated the market on its Monchetundra Mine Permit on Wednesday, publishing further details of the now fully-approved mine permit and the administrative steps following the final award in November.
Pound pummelled by parliamentary chaos over Brexit
The pound hit a new 2018 low versus the dollar after the government endured the worst performance in parliament since the 1970s.
Block Energy working on 25-fold production increase at Norio
Georgia-focussed exploration and production company Block Energy updated the market on its initial work programme on Wednesday, with the focus on achieving a 25-fold increase in production at its Norio oil field to 250 barrels of oil per day (bopd) by the first half of 2019.
Numis full-year profit drops as it boosts headcount
Numis reported a 17. 4% drop in full-year profit on Wednesday, with staff-related costs up as it boosted its headcount.
Shanta Gold makes steady progress with Singida project plan
East Africa-focused gold producer Shanta Gold announced project economics for the Singida Gold Mining Project in central Tanzania on Wednesday, reporting average annual production from open pit mining of 26,000 ounces for an initial six year period.
YOLO investee Magic Media Works raises £0.9m for TV ad campaign
Technology, media and leisure investor YOLO Leisure and Technology announced on Wednesday that its investee company Magic Media Works has completed a funding round to raise an additional £0. 9m of equity, to enable it to launch its television campaign for the ‘ROXI’ home music entertainment product.