Market Report
Knights Group pleased with solid first half
Knights Group reported a robust half-year performance in an update on Wednesday, with underlying profit before tax rising 25. 9% to £14. 6m, compared to £11. 6m in the same period last year.
Softcat first-quarter trading in line, customer demand ‘resilient’
IT infrastructure and services provider Softcat said on Wednesday that first-quarter trading was in line with guidance.
FRP Advisory upbeat after robust first half
FRP Advisory Group reported a robust first-half performance in an update on Wednesday, with revenue rising 32% year-on-year to £77. 6m, driven by 23% organic growth and 9% contribution from acquisitions.
Hill and Smith revenues grow, operating margins improve
Construction products manufacturer Hill & Smith said on Wednesday that trading in the four months ended 31 October had been "positive".
Renold reports steady first-half performance
Industrial chain and power transmission specialist Renold reported a steady performance for the six months ended 30 September on Wednesday, with revenue up 0. 6% at constant exchange rates to £123. 4m.
Rotork order intake up 8pc
Industrial flow control equipment manufacturer Rotork said on Wednesday that order levels in the four months ended 27 October had been higher than at the same time a year earlier.
Molten Ventures portfolio value slips in first half
Venture capital firm Molten Ventures reported a steady first-half performance on Wednesday, with a gross portfolio value of £1. 34bn, down slightly from £1. 38bn at the end of March.
Europe open: Shares shrug off UK inflation, geopolitical tensions
European shares made a strong start on Wednesday despite an unexpected spike in UK inflation and continuing geopolitical tensions.
CVS Group sales, earnings rise in new financial year
Veterinary service provider CVS Group reported a 7. 6% year-on-year increase in group sales for the four months ended 31 October in an update on Wednesday.
London open: Stocks edge up as inflation jumps past BoE target
London stocks edged higher in early trade on Wednesday as higher-than-expected UK inflation fuelled expectations the Bank of England will refrain from cutting rates next month.
Genus reports encouraging start to financial year
Animal genetics specialist Genus reported an encouraging start to its 2025 financial year on Wednesday, with trading in line with market expectations despite an anticipated currency headwind of £8m to £9m.
Hornby revenue rises, pre-tax losses widen
Shares in model and hobby specialist Hornby were sliding on Wednesday morning, after it reported an increase in revenue but a wider pre-tax loss.
British Land reports stable first-half performance
British Land reported a stable first-half financial performance on Wednesday, with underlying profit managing a 1% rise to £143m.
Helios Towers slumps as ATP offloads 50.6m shares in placing
Helios Towers fell on Wednesday after investor Arbejdsmarkedets Tillægspension (ATP) - Denmark’s largest lifelong pension plan - sold around 50. 6m shares in the company in a placing for approximately £48m.
HICL Infrastructure returns to positive returns in first half
HICL Infrastructure reported a solid financial turnaround in its first half on Wednesday, with income rising sharply to £71. 7m for the six months ended 30 September, compared to £10. 9m in the same period last year, although its net asset value per share declined.
Britvic full-year profits, revenue rise amid strong consumer demand
Drinks maker Britvic - which is in the process of being taken over by Carlsberg - hailed "another outstanding performance" on Wednesday as it pointed to strong consumer demand.
UK inflation rises more than expected amid higher energy bills
UK inflation jumped past the Bank of England’s target in October after energy bills rose, according to data released on Wednesday by the Office for National Statistics.
Sage reports solid full-year growth
Sage Group has reported solid full-year growth on Wednesday, driven by the execution of its subscription-based recurring revenue model and disciplined cost management.
London pre-open: Stocks to rise as UK CPI jumps past BoE target
London stocks were set to rise at the open on Wednesday as investors mulled the latest UK inflation reading and looked ahead to earnings from US tech giant Nvidia.
Dunelm buys Irish chain Homefocus, Sage Group reports full-year growth
London open The FTSE 100 is expected to open three points lower on Wednesday, having closed down 0. 13% on Tuesday at 8,099. 02.