London's FTSE 100 falls back 17.5 points to 6,781.9 points in early trading on Tuesday, tracking weaker showings by US and Asian markets as oil prices dipped again on caution ahead of tomorrow’s crucial Opec meeting in Vienna as hopes for a production cutting deal ebb and flow.
In corporate news, Kate Swann-led train stations-to-airports food and drink seller SSP (SSPG) skips 6.6% higher to 364.2p on tasty full year results showing good like-for-like sales growth and improved operating margins. There's also news SSP has an encouraging pipeline of new contracts to pursue.
Bacon, sausages and gammon supplier Cranswick (CWK) sizzles with a 4% gain at £23.75 as excellent half year figures, showing a 24% surge in taxable profits to £37.9m with a strong contribution from poultry acquisition Crown Chicken, drive forecast earnings upgrades.
Vehicle retailer Motorpoint (MOTR) reverses 3% to 130p on disappointing interim results, blamed on uncertainty around the EU referendum result. News Motorpoint will spend more than previously planned on marketing to support new sites also weighs on sentiment, though CEO Mark Carpenter also flags a welcome recent recovery in margins and declares a maiden interim dividend of 1.33p.
Also in demand is housebuilder Countryside Properties (CSP), which firms 5.6p to 235.6p on strong full year figures and a confident current trading statement, the new year having started with a record order book and robust demand.
Events company group ITE (ITE) softens 4.5% to 144p on poor final results reflecting challenging conditions in the oil-dependent economies of Russia and Central Asia as well as in Turkey and a cautious outlook statement.
Unloved retailer Topps Tiles (TPT) ticks up 2.6% to 88p on finals revealing record revenue and relief as the tile specialist says it expects gross margins to be stable despite sterling's weakness relative to the dollar.
Israeli tailor Bagir (BAGR:AIM) bounces 3.3% higher to 3.88p after completing its first international contract from a manufacturing site in Ethiopia. The order from global clothing retailer H&M saw tailored trousers made and shipped to the US; CEO Eran Itzhak says more orders for other destinations are now in production.
Gene and cell therapy group Oxford Biomedica (OXB) advances the best part of 5% to 3.7p as CEO John Dawson announces a strategic tie-up with Orchard Therapeutics.
