Market Report
French business sentiment dips in April due to weakness in services, INSEE says
French business sentiment worsened a tad in April, due to the hit to services sector activity from lockdowns, but economists continued to expected a strong pick up in overall economic growth in the back half of 2021.
Keywords Studios acquires UK-based outfit Climax Studios
Video games industry technical services provider Keywords Studio said on Thursday that it has acquired UK-based business Climax Studios.
Gear4music FY sales surge amid pandemic
Musical equipment retailer Gear4music said on Thursday that annual sales had surged across the group in the twelve months ended 31 March.
Spectris pleased with first quarter sales growth
Spectris reported a 5% improvement in group like-for-like sales in its first quarter on Thursday.
CLS Holdings collects 95% of Q2 rents due
Commercial property firm CLS Holdings said on Thursday that it had collected 95% of second-quarter rents, when taking into account tenants switching to monthly payments, up from 93% a year earlier.
AJ Bell reaches record assets under administration in Q2
Investment platform provider AJ Bell reported a 32% improvement in total customer numbers year-on-year in its second quarter on Thursday, to 346,797, with total net inflows in the period rising to £1. 5b from £1. 3bn a year earlier.
Morgan Sindall FY performance tracking 'significantly ahead' of expectations
Construction and regeneration group Morgan Sindall said on Thursday that it was now on track to deliver a full-year performance "significantly ahead" of previous expectations.
Rank Group maintains good liquidity ahead of UK reopening
Gambling company the Rank Group ended its third quarter with total cash and available facilities of £89. 8m, it announced on Thursday, comfortably achieving its minimum liquidity covenant of £50m.
London open: ECB bond purchase programme in focus
Stocks have started Thursday's session higher ahead of the European Central Bank's policy decision, the main risk event of the day, with investors especially focused on anything that it might have to say on the possible exit of its Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme.
Europe open: Share nudge record highs on strong earnings reports
European shares moved back towards record territory on Thursday as strong corporate earnings reports drove sentiment ahead of the European Central Bank’s policy decision later in the day.
Ibstock to redevelop mothballed factory after solid first quarter
Ibstock reported a “good start” to the new financial year on Thursday, trading slightly ahead of expectations, with robust demand from both the new build housing and repairs, maintenance and improvement (RMI) end markets.
Inchcape agrees sale of St Petersburg operations
Independent automotive distributor and retailer Inchcape has agreed the sale of its Toyota and Audi retail operations in the Russian city of St Petersburg, it announced on Thursday, to local market operator KlyuchAvto.
LXi reaffirms quarterly dividend as rent collection reaches 99pc
LXi said on Thursday that it had continued to engage with all of its tenants, leading to rent collection of 99% to-date for the quarter ending June.
Rentokil Initial reports 'good' Q1, disinfection decline continues
Rentokil Initial reported a “good start” to the year on Thursday, with group ongoing revenue growing 15. 4% at constant currency to £711. 3m in the first quarter, of which 9. 4% was organic and 6% was from acquisitions.
London pre-open: Stocks set to gain ahead of ECB
Stock market futures are pointing higher ahead of the day's key risk event, the European Central Bank's policy decision and post-meeting presser, the latter of which will start at 1330 BST.
Taylor Wimpey maintains full-year guidance, Rentokil makes positive start to year
London open The FTSE 100 is expected to open 27 points higher on Thursday, having closed up 0. 52% on Wednesday at 6,895. 29.
Thursday newspaper round-up: GDP forecasts, GFG Alliance, Aggreko, Ryanair, Irish tax rates
Britain is set for its sharpest economic growth since 1988 this year as the easing of Covid-19 restrictions encourages consumers to start spending, according to a monthly survey of independent economists by the Treasury. City analysts have upgraded their GDP projections for 2021 amid signs that households are itching to get out and spend the “accidental” savings they have built up during lockdown. - The Times.