Market Pulse
UK mortgage approvals dip in May
UK mortgage approvals dipped in May as higher mortgage rates continued to take their toll, according to data released on Monday by the Bank of England.
UK manufacturing growth slows in June
Growth in the UK manufacturing sector slowed slightly in June, according to a survey released on Monday.
Seb James stepping down as Boots managing director
Walgreens Boots Alliance announced on Monday that Sebastian James, managing director of Boots, had decided to leave the company to pursue a new role in the healthcare sector.
Asia report: Most markets rise amid mixed data from China, Japan
Asia-Pacific markets experienced an overall positive start to the second half of the year, with investors reacting to mixed economic indicators from China and revised GDP figures from Japan.
Air France-KLM warns of revenue pressure from Paris Olympics
Air France-KLM Group warned of revenue pressure over the summer on Monday, as a direct result of the Paris Olympic Games.
Greatland Gold appoints Dean Horton as new finance chief
Greatland Gold announced the appointment of Dean Horton as its new chief financial officer on Monday.
Zenova receives trial order from University of Sheffield
Fire safety business Zenova said on Monday that it has received a trial order from the University of Sheffield.
SigmaRoc enters partnership to repurpose quarry spoil
SigmaRoc announced a 10-year strategic alliance with Duo Group on Monday, to produce and sell sustainable limestone aggregates in the UK, a move projected to generate over £150m in incremental revenue while reducing environmental impact through the repurposing of limestone quarry waste.
Northamber acquires Irish cybersecurity distributor
Audiovisual and information technology distributor Northamber said on Monday that it has acquired Irish cybersecurity solutions firm Renaissance Contingency Services in a deal worth up to €900,000.
Berenberg upgrades British Gas owner Centrica to ‘buy’
Berenberg upgraded British Gas owner Centrica on Monday to ‘buy’ from ‘hold’ and lifted the price target to 155p from 130p.
HgCapital Trust offloads stake in F24
Private equity firm HgCapital Trust has agreed to sell its stake in European software-as-a-services business F24 to Altona.
Apax X fund sells stake in Idealista
Apax Global Alpha announced on Monday that the Apax X fund, in which it is a limited partner, has agreed to sell its minority stake in Idealista, a prominent online real estate classifieds platform in southern Europe, to Cinven.
PayPoint kicks off £20m share buyback programme
PayPoint announced the start of a £20m share buyback programme on Monday, aimed at reducing its share capital.
London open: Stocks gain as investors mull French election news, Nationwide data
London stocks rose in early trade on Monday as investors mulled the latest French election news and UK house price data.
AstraZeneca endometrial cancer treatment recommended for EU approval
AstraZeneca announced on Monday that ‘Imfinzi’, or durvalumab, and ‘Lynparza’, or olaparib, have received a recommendation for approval in the European Union (EU) as treatments for primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer in patients with specific genetic profiles.
Aptitude Software wins expanded contract with global insurer
Finance software specialist Aptitude Software Group announced a significant contract win for its Fynapse platform on Monday, with an unnamed major global insurer that is an existing client of the Aptitude Accounting Hub.
UK house price growth broadly stable in June - Nationwide
UK house price growth was broadly stable in June, according to data released on Monday by Nationwide.
London pre-open: Stocks seen up as investors mull Nationwide data, French election news
London stocks were set to rise at the open on Monday as investors mulled the latest French election results and looked ahead to the UK election this week.
Monday newspaper round-up: Investment bankers, energy price cap, Raspberry Pi
London’s investment bankers are expected to rake in bigger bonuses this financial year, as the City begins to recover from a two-year slump in deals caused by surging interest rates. Demand for investment banking services – such as facilitating mergers and acquisitions, advising companies and governments on fundraising, and underwriting new stock and bonds – was hit by a sharp increase in borrowing rates after the pandemic, as central banks acted to tame runaway inflation.