London shares ease off in early deals on Wednesday as a string of financial and leisure issues pull the blue-chip ladder south, with crude's pricing and its global supply glut continuing to dent confidence as the spectre of China's economic growth lurked in the shadows.
The FTSE 100 index fades 30 points to 5,891.
Gains among northbound blue chips were mostly muted. Chip designs champ ARM (ARM) heads the blue-chip leader board with a rise of 2.8% to £10.085.
Automation data firm Arria NLG (NLG:AIM) jumps 10% to 21.5p as it receives notice from the US Patent and Trademark Office that its application for a patent on its Method And Apparatus For Updating A Previously Generated Text will be granted.
Shanks (SKS) declines 5% to 82.63p as it warns that it will miss full year expectations slightly. It also confirms the £30 million sale of 100% of subordinated debt and 49.99% of equity in the financing and infrastructure vehicle relating to its PFI contract with Wakefield Council.
Online supermarket Ocado (OCDO) cheapens 2.2% to 239.8p on the revelation Goldman Sachs reduced its stake below 4% on Friday. This was ahead of yesterday's in-line full-year results showing a 65.3% taxable profits gain at £11.9 million, with Ocado reiterating confidence in signing multiple international deals in the medium term.
Testing device-maker EKF Diagnostics (EKF) jumps 9.2% higher to 9p after confirming a strategy to focus on its point-of-care business and getting rid of loss-making molecular division Selah. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for 2015 are expected to be between £3 million and £4 million.
Blood monitor-maker Deltex Medical (DMEG:AIM) falls 5.4% to 4.4p on flat sales of £6.4 million in 2015, thanks to a 21% decline in the UK. This offset a 31% rise probe sales in the US, a market it plans to expand into by raising some £3 million through a placing, open offer and convertible loans.
