The FTSE 100 nudges 0.2% ahead to 7,268 with notable gains in the oil, utilities and supermarket sectors. Investors are eagerly awaiting the latest two-day meeting from the US Federal Reserve which starts today.
Corporate news on the UK market is led by a mixed statement from food delivery group Ocado (OCDO). Its shares fall 4.6% to 288.1p as news of 14.3% revenue growth for the 13 weeks to 27 August is overshadowed by falling average order size (down 1.2%) and rising costs in the business.
Tool hire company Speedy Hire (SDY) rises 5.4% to 54p after saying revenue to 31 August is 7.5% ahead of the previous year due to a growth in services income. Adjusted pre-tax profit is expected to be well ahead of the prior year and slightly ahead of the board’s expectations.
Software company Wandisco (WAND:AIM) ticks up 4.1% to 695p as it announces a deal with Amazon Web Services. The company is launching one of the first hybrid data lake architectures with Amazon allowing both firms to utilise cloud-based solutions.
Video game service provider Keywords Studios (KWS:AIM) drops 7% to £12.42 despite a 60% increase in adjusted pre-tax profit to €9.6m in the first half to 30 June. Revenue is up 50% to €63.8m and adjusted earnings per share rises 55% to €0.13. We put the share price decline down to profit taking given the stock had rallied in the weeks leading up to the results.
Energy services company Gulf Marine Services (GMS) sheds 2.2% to 45p as it reveals net profit fell to $0.7m in the first half to 30 June, a huge fall from the $27.8m it recorded at the same time last year. Revenue had also fallen to $58.5m from $110.4m. The company has decided not to pay an interim dividend.
Software firm Escher (ESCH:AIM) is down 2.4% to 202.50p as its half year to 30 June results show a $0.3m loss from a $1.81m profit in the previous year.
