Market Report
Sprue Aegis makes 'positive start' to year
Investors in Sprue Aegis were set to hear about the company’s “positive start” to the financial year on Thursday, as the developer and supplier of home safety products held its annual general meeting.
London open: Stocks drop ahead of retail sales, BoE announcement
London stocks fell in early trade as investors digested the overnight rate hike from the Federal Reserve and looked ahead to some key retail sales data and the latest rate announcement from the Bank of England.
Europe open: Traders warily eyeing Brent futures, bond market
European stocks have started on a down note with traders keeping one eye on the slide in crude oil futures towards a key price level and the other on the flattening interest rate curve Stateside in the wake of Wednesday night's US central bank policy decisions.
PZ Cussons washes its face with 'robust' year in face of challenges
Washing and beauty products maker PZ Cussons said its overall performance for the year remained on target, with the UK "robust", profitability improving in Australia despite challenging conditions and Nigeria trading "relatively well" in the face of significant local inflation.
Wizz Air flies lower as Indigo Partners offloads stake
Wizz Air flew lower on Thursday after Phoenix-based Indigo Partners sold its entire 18. 7% stake in the budget carrier through an accelerated bookbuild to institutional investors.
Thursday newspaper round-up: May-DUP talks, Hammond speech, AIM, BAE
Theresa May’s hopes of securing the support of the Democratic Unionist Party for her minority government were faltering last night as the Treasury dug in against the costs of a deal. Some ministers were urging the prime minister to call the Northern Irish party’s bluff as negotiations stalled, while Britain’s most senior civil servant told the prime minister that she had little choice but to gain an agreement. - The Times.
UKCPT adds £20m Grade A Sheffield office to portfolio
UK Commercial Property Trust confirmed on Thursday that it had acquired a single let, Grade A office building in Sheffield, from Ediston Property Investment Company, for £20. 17m, reflecting a net initial yield of 5%.
Drax unveils new dividend policy as it embraces changing energy market
As a statement of confidence in its transformation from a generator of coal power to biomass energy, Drax has announced a new dividend policy that will see it pay out £50m this year grow from there on.
DFS Furniture tanks on profit warning
Shares in DFS Furniture tanked on Thursday as the retailer warned that its full-year earnings will be below market expectations due to a weakened trading environment.
NewRiver to raise at least £200m in placing
Convenience-led UK retail and leisure property specialist NewRiver REIT has announced a proposed firm placing and placing and open offer to raise gross proceeds of at least £200m, at between 330p and 340p per share.
WS Atkins FY profit and revenue rise ahead of takeover
Engineer WS Atkins reported a rise in full-year profit and revenue in its last set of results before it gets taken over by Canada's SNC-Lavalin - a deal that was agreed back in April.
London pre-open: Stocks to nudge lower ahead of BoE rate announcement
London stocks looked set to nudge a touch lower at the open as investors digested an expected rate hike from the Federal Reserve and looked ahead to the latest rate announcement from the Bank of England.
US close: Wall Street ends on mixed note as Fed sticks to its guns
Wall Street ended the session on a mixed note as the US central bank to a large degree stuck to its plans to continue tightening policy, including an announcement that it would begin to shrink its balance year in 2017, which served to flatten the yield curve further.