Lloyds Banking (LLOY) advances 4.2% to 78.5p after reportinga 22% rise in underlying profit to £1.8 billion in the first quarter. The bank says it is 'well placed' to launch the IPO (initial public offering) of TSB this summer.
Cash generative casual clothing brand FatFace, chaired by retail titan Sir Stuart Rose, announces its much-anticipated intention to float on London's Main Market with an expected £400 million tag. Read what the retailer has to say about its growth plans in this story.
Specialty chemicals outfit Carclo (CAR) plunges 25.7% to 133.4p after revealingthat stiffer than-expected competition in the touch sensors market has seen its selling prices for Atmel-partnered Xsense technology halve year-on-year as Asian competition takes it toll. Read our news analysis.
British Sky Broadcasting (BSY) rises 3.9% to 914p on strong growth in TV subscribers, yet broadband growth has dropped by more than a third. The latter is blamed on marketing presently being focused on TV products.
South East Asian Oil play Salamander Energy (SMDR) surges 8.1% to 144.9p as it confirmstalks with several unnamed parties about the potential sale of the company. The company has appointed Goldman Sachs to conduct a formal sale process and is also considering the sale of individual assets such as its Bualuang oil field in Thailand and Kerendan gas field in Indonesia.
After Monday's shock departure of chief executive Chris Finlayson and downbeat 2014 production guidance BG (BG.) is winning investors over today with a strong set of first quarter numbers. Though profits are down 8% to $1.1 billion they are 12% ahead of consensus forecasts and the shares rise 3% to £12.34.
Aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce (RR.) falls 2% to £10.29 as a trading update reveals a £30 million hit to its marine business. The charge results from the need to rectify a product quality issue. The rest of the statement contains few surprises as the group continues to point to flat revenues and profits in 2014 and a return to growth in 2015.
RM2 International (RM2:AIM) rises 0.8% to 66p after the long-anticipated trading update following January's IPO is finally released. The pallet maker reassures the market that sales are growing, albeit in small amounts. The running Shares Play of the Week is opening a new factory in Canada and buying more efficient machinery.
Plus size fashion retailer N Brown (BWNG), a running Shares Play of the Week, gains 17p (3.3%) at 530p on well-received full-year results. Pre-tax profits grew 5.3% to £100.1 million in the year to 1 March, marginally below consensus, although like-for-like sales were 6.3% ahead and US sales surged 21% higher to £10 million.
Toys and games distributor Character (CCT:AIM) ticks 2.5% higher to 185p as half-year resultsshow a swing into profit. Character flags solid trading at home and overseas and reassures full-year forecasts should be met.
Emerging markets apps store operator Mobile Streams (MOS:AIM) jumps 5% to 18.25p after unveiling12% underlying third quarter revenue growth. But the weak peso in Argentina remains a big issue, as we explained recently, swiping £3.5 million off revenues year-on-year to £11 million. The company has importantly managed to extract all but £600,000 of its £2.85 million net cash out of Argentina.
Video search engine Blinkx (BLNX:AIM) strengthens its UK and Europe arm with a new head of operations. Donald Hamilton's appointment sees the shares rise close on 3% to 88.25p. His experience includes director of internet sales and development at Dunnhumby, the brains behind the tailored marketing of Tesco's (TSCO) highly-successful loyalty card scheme.
Specialist provider of marine and engineering services James Fisher (FSJ) jumps 4.9% to £13.55 after tellinginvestors that 2014 has started well. Offshore Oil and Specialist Technical revenues are strongly ahead of last year in the first quarter.
Dublin-based insulation producer Kingspan (KGP) dips 1.3% to €13.37 despite a strong startto the year with group sales of €561 million in the first four months 8% ahead of prior year, or 9% ahead at constant exchange rates. Continental Europe continues to show signs of tentative signs of recovery with the UK market being relatively buoyant.
