News And Announcements
S&P upgrades Rio Tinto's long-term debt rating to 'A'
Standard&Poor's upgraded its rating on Rio Tinto's long-term debt from 'A-' to 'A', saying that supportive commodity prices and the company's focus on costs and productivity likely meant its operational performance would remain robust.
Reach4entertainment divisions sign deals with Miroma Group
Transatlantic media and entertainment marketing company reach4entertainment announced on Monday that its subsidiaries Dewynters and Spot and Company of Manhattan have entered into media buying agreements with Miroma International and Miroma Outcomes.
Active Energy officially opens Utah CoalSwitch plant
Biomass-based renewable energy and forestry management business Active Energy announced on Monday that its first commercial ‘CoalSwitch’ plant in Utah was officially opened on 9 February.
Numis downgrades Victrex as FX headwinds emerge, BofA-ML upgrades
Analysts at Numis downgraded their recommendation on shares of polymer manufacturer Victrex from 'add' to 'hold' on Monday, saying that although the company's business model remained "highly cash generative", an impending FX headwind was set to limit the upside in its share price.
SafeCharge makes further investment in Nayax
Payments technology company SafeCharge announced a further investment in cashless payment solutions provider Nayax on Monday.
Melrose bid for GKN a threat to US national security, warns Unite
Turnaround specialist Melrose Industries' £7bn hostile bid for defence contractor GKN could pose a threat to US national security, according to union Unite.
RBC Capital cuts Moneysupermarket on near-term challenges
RBC Capital Markets cut its stance on Moneysupermarket. com to 'sector perform' from 'outperform', chopping the target price to 350p from 425p, saying that while the company's diversified model makes it a winner over the longer-term, the near-term could be more challenging.
BP begins production at offshore Egyptian asset
BP announced on Monday that it had kicked off gas production at its Atoll Phase One asset off the coast of Egypt after completing the project seven months ahead of schedule at just two-thirds of the total costs it had anticipated.
Cedar Fair extends deal with accesso for five years
Leisure, entertainment, cultural and hospitality technology solutions provider accesso Technology Group announced a five-year extension to its existing agreement with Cedar Fair Entertainment Company on Monday, to provide the ‘accesso Passport’ ecommerce solution across all of its properties.
CSRA shares rocket on $9.6bn General Dynamics deal
Shares in government IT business CSRA rocketed in pre-market trade on Monday after it agreed to be bought by General Dynamics for $9. 6bn.
Tesco wants to become one of the LADs
Tesco has hired consultants to look into a possible launch of a discount grocery chain to try and thwart the fast-growing rivals Aldi and Lidl.
TP Group officially opens new 'Advanced Manufacturing Centre'
Specialist services, consulting and engineering company TP Group announced the official opening of its ‘Advanced Manufacturing Centre’ (AMC) on Monday, at the Dukinfield engineering facility in Greater Manchester.
YouGov joins blockchain craze with new digital ad platform
Market research and data analytics group YouGov announced the development of a new digital advertising platform, YouGov Direct, on Monday.
Faroe Petroleum sells 17.5% stake in Fenja to Suncor for $54.5m
Oil and gas company Faroe Petroleum has agreed the sale of a 17. 5% working interest in the Fenja development in the Norwegian Sea to Suncor for a cash consideration of $54. 5m.
Reabold Resources pleased with progress at Corallian investment
Pre-cash flow upstream oil and gas project investor Reabold Resources updated the market on its investment in Corallian Energy on Monday, having previously announced the signing of two share subscription agreements in Corallian in November last year.
UK high street continues to suffer despite improving shop vacancies
Shopper numbers dropped again in January, though the 1. 6% decline was not as bad as the previous quarter's average but a worse start to 2018 than seen last year.
WPP buys Mumbai and Delhi-based digital agency The Glitch
WPP said on Monday that GroupM, its wholly-owned global media investment group, has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Indian digital creative agency The Glitch.
Barclays Bank added to SFO charge sheet over Qatar loan
Barclays' core banking business has been charged by the Serious Fraud Office over its fundraising deal with Qatar at the height of the financial crisis, adding to the charges already brought against the parent holding company and four former executives.
Game Digital rallies on Sports Direct deal
Shares in AIM-listed Game Digital surged on Monday after it announced a collaboration with Sports Direct for the accelerated rollout of its BELONG gaming arena concept and said it has entered into a loan agreement with the company for facilities of up to £55m.
Acacia Mining loses £710m as Tanzania row leads to write-downs
Acacia Mining reported a massive £710m loss after writing down the value of its assets due to a dispute with the government of Tanzania but has cut costs to "remain competitive" in 2018.