Market Report
CLS Holdings to pay final dividend
Property developer CLS Holdings said it would pay a dividend, despite the impact of the Covid-19, citing strong cash reserves.
Europe close: Stocks little changed as authorities debate easing social distancing measures
Stocks finished the Wednesday on a mixed note amid warnings from the World Health Organisation against unwinding quarantine or social-distancing measures prematurely, even as estimates of the likely huge economic toll of the pandemic continue to roll in.
London close: Benchmark closes lower amid concern over EU virus response
London’s benchmark closed lower on Wednesday, as investor consternation over the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic continued after a meeting of EU finance ministers failed to yield an agreement on how to tackle the crisis.
Berenberg lowers Plus500 to 'hold', raises PT
Analysts at Berenberg raised their target price on online stockbroker Plus500 from 860. 0p to 1,033. 0p on Wednesday but lowered their rating on the group from 'buy' to 'hold'.
Director dealings: Medica executives raise stakes
Medica Group revealed on Wednesday that chairman Roy Davis had acquired 75,000 ordinary shares in the London-listed teleradiology firm.
FTSE 250 movers: Hyve Group gains after pulling dividend, founder switches out of Dixons Carphone
London's second-tier index was trading firmly higher on Wednesday afternoon, outperforming peers on the Continent by a wide margin.
Broker tips: Plus500, ASOS
Analysts at Berenberg raised their target price on online stockbroker Plus500 from 860p to 1,033p on Wednesday but lowered their rating on the group from 'buy' to 'hold'.
SDX Energy upbeat on drilling operations at Sobhi well in Egypt
Middle East and North Africa-focussed oil and gas company SDX Energy updated the market on its drilling operations at the SD-12X, or Sobhi, well, where it has a 100% working interest, in the South Disouq Exploration Permit, onshore Nile Delta in Egypt, on which it has a 55% working interest.
Eden Research biofungicide gets organic approval for Italy and Spain
Biopesticides company Eden Research announced on Wednesday that its foliar biofungicide product ‘Mevalone’, branded ‘3LOGY’ in Italy and ‘Araw’ in Spain, has received certification for use in organic farming.
Samuel Heath sees 'material decrease' in orders
Samuel Heath & Sons updated the market on the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday, reporting that it had seen the size of its order book “materially decrease”, as a number of its customers closed their operations, although some were still operating at reduced capacity.
Diversified Gas & Oil to buy Carbon Energy Appalachian assets
Natural gas, natural gas liquids, oil wells and midstream assets owner and operator Diversified Gas & Oil has signed a conditional purchase and sale agreement to acquire certain conventional Appalachian upstream and midstream assets from Carbon Energy Corporation and its affiliates, it announced on Wednesday.
Oxford Biomedica joins Covid-19 vaccine consortium
Gene and cell therapy company Oxford Biomedica has joined a consortium led by the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, it announced on Wednesday, to rapidly develop, scale-up and manufacture a potential vaccine candidate for Covid-19, called ‘ChAdOx1 nCov-19’.
Adriatic Metals continues 2020 drill programme
Adriatic Metals updated the market on its activities for the quarter ended 31 March on Wednesday, reporting that additional mineralised drill intercepts confirmed a “robust extension” of its high-grade mineralisation that remained open along strike.
Impact Healthcare confident in position amid coronavirus crisis
Impact Healthcare issued its final results for the year ended 31 December on Wednesday, explaining that it was the first year of implementing its progressive dividend policy, aiming to grow its target dividend in line with the inflation-linked rental uplifts received in the previous year.
FTSE 100 movers: Insurers slide after pulling dividends; Whitbread rallies
London’s FTSE 100 was down 1. 6% at 5,611. 73 in afternoon trade on Wednesday amid worries about the coronavirus, with insurers under the cosh.
Real Good Food looking at period of depressed demand
Real Good Food updated the market on its trading for the financial year ended 31 March on Wednesday, as well as the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, reporting that revenues for the year were “broadly in line” with its expectations, although performance was impacted in March due to the pandemic.
US open: Positive start to trading as rate of infection slows
US stocks opened higher on Wednesday as a volatile week for indices continue.
Urban Logistics acquires portfolio of assets
Real estate investment trust Urban Logistics acquired nine new assets and a development site on Wednesday for a grand total of £56. 1m.
Osirium Technologies sees little impact from Covid-19
Cybersecurity firm Osirium Technologies said on Wednesday that it had experienced little impact to trading so far as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, but cautioned that it could not fully predict the virus' effects on its future performance.
Tesla to cut pay after production suspended
Tesla announced on Tuesday that it will cut all salaried employees’ pay and furlough hourly workers after the coronavirus pandemic forced the manufacturer to shut production down.