Market Report
Block Commodities teams up with Pure Grow Africa for Uganda project
Commodity trader Block Commodities announced a strategic partnership with Pure Grow Africa - a supplier of agricultural produce based in Uganda - on Friday.
Image Scan dragged to a loss on exceptional costs
Image Scan is expecting to turn in a loss from its current trading year despite record sales thanks to a strong performance by its industrial X-ray inspection systems unit which continued throughout the second half of 2018.
US pre-open: Stocks to rise as investors eye data slew
US stocks looked set to rise at the open on Friday as investors awaited a slew of data releases and continued to keep an eye on trade relations between the US and china.
Europe midday: Stocks rise as semiconductors get a boost
European stocks had risen by midday on Friday, taking their cue from gains on Wall Street as investors continued to keep an eye on trade developments, with semiconductors providing a boost.
Avon Rubber expects profits to be in line with expectations
Avon Rubber expects pre-tax profits to be in line with expectations as strong trading continued throughout the second half of its fiscal year.
London midday: Stocks still higher as housebuilders pare losses
London stocks were still in the green by midday on Friday, recovering from the previous session's drop, with housebuilders paring their losses.
Shire gains as takeover approved by China
Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical has received regulatory approval from China for its $62bn takeover of London-listed Shire.
Character Group's 'very solid performance' delivers record sales
Character Group told investors on Friday it had delivered "a very solid performance" as the firm continued to make good progress in meeting the demands of its customers.
Barclays upgrades Safecharge to 'overweight'
Barclays upgraded payments technology company SafeCharge to 'overweight' from 'equalweight' and lifted the price target to 420p from 335p on Friday as it said the company's strategy to migrate the portfolio to lower risk and larger customers is paying off.
RM2's expectation of turning EBITDA positive appears 'challenging'
RM2 trimmed costs to reduce losses in the first half of its trading year despite a contraction in revenues but said it would be difficult to break even in the coming year.
JPM upgrades Whitbread, says Costa sale underpins Premier Inn equity story
JPMorgan Cazenove upgraded Whitbread to 'overweight' from 'neutral' on Friday and lifted the price target to 5,500p from 4,470p.
Investec puts in robust performance amid South Africa, Brexit uncertainty
Investec updated the market on its core business performance for the first half of its financial year ahead of its close period on Friday, reporting that the company had continued to see macro challenges in its key operating geographies.
Investec Asset Management to be spun out as separately listed company
Investec announced the demerger and listing of Investec Asset Management on Friday, following a strategic review process carried out by its board and executive directors.
GSK's ViiV seeks approval for new one-tablet HIV-1 treatment
ViiV Healthcare - the HIV specialist majority-owned by GlaxoSmithKline, alongside minority shareholders Pfizer and Shionogi - announced the submission of a marketing authorisation application to the European Medicines Agency on Friday, for a single-tablet, two-drug regimen of dolutegravir and lamivudine for the treatment of the HIV-1 infection.
Boardroom veteran Martin Read to chair merged SSE-npower entity
SSE and npower parent innogy have appointed Dr Martin Read CBE as chairman-designate for the new independent British energy supply and services company they have agreed to form, the announced on Friday, subject to final regulatory approval.
London open: Stocks rise despite Carney comments hitting housebuilders
London stocks rose in early trade on Friday, taking their cue from a positive session on Wall Street as investors eyed comments from Bank of England governor Mark Carney.
Sirius Minerals secures royalty deal with Hancock
Sirius Minerals said on Friday that it has secured a new $250m funding deal that should give it sufficient funding to the second quarter of 2019.
Bank of Georgia wins consumer bank award for second year
Bank of Georgia Group announced on Friday that its banking subsidiary JSC Bank of Georgia has been awarded a ‘Consumer Digital Bank of Distinction Award’ from Global Finance in Central and Eastern Europe, for the second consecutive year.
AstraZeneca's Lumoxiti gets FDA approval as hairy cell leukaemia treatment
AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm MedImmune announced on Friday that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lumoxiti (moxetumomab pasudotox-tdfk) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukaemia.
Close Brothers to sell retail point of sale finance business to Klarna
Close Brothers has announced the sale of its retail point of sale finance business, Close Brothers Retail Finance, to Swedish payment solutions group Klarna for an undisclosed sum.