The FTSE 100 is flat in early trading at 7,418.37 as investors await the start of the US first quarter earnings season with JP Morgan and Wells Fargo set to report later.

Contracts-for-difference broking house Plus500 (PLUS) tumbles 36% as its first quarter revenue plunges 82%, owing to 'extremely subdued' trading in financial markets.

Bus and train company National Express (NEX) gains 0.7% as it reveals the purchase of a 60% stake in Silicon Valley employee shuttle service WeDriveU for $84.3m.

Board game retailer Games Workshop (GAW) rallies 6.8% as it forecasts higher annual profit amid higher royalty income and announces a 35p dividend.

Lender Provident Financial (PFG) continues its war of words with hostile bidder Non-Standard Financial (NSF), saying that it was 'gravely concerned' that Non-Standard had not answered questions about its bid.

Provident shares fall 0.2% while Non-Standard shares slips 0.4%.

Pest control Rentokil (RTO) falls as the Competition and Markets Authority raises concerns about its acquisition of a rival business from Mitie (MTO).

Struggling womens' fashion retailer Bonmarche (BON) gains 3.3% after it urges its shareholders to reject an 11.445p takeover bid from billionaire Philip Day that values the company at around £5.7m.

Mining group Tri-Star Resources (TSTR:AIM) falls 3.8% on news that both its chief executive and chairman are standing down.

Mobile phone games distributor Mobile Streams (MOS:AIM) gains 6.4% after announcing it would cut its headcount by a 'significant' amount to offset falling revenue.

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Issue Date: 12 Apr 2019