UK markets slipped into reverse in early trade on Thursday as the UK continues to struggle with lockdown conditions. This despite a largely positive performance on Wall Street yesterday after President Trump unveiled an economic stimulus package worth up to $2trn. That saw the S&P 500, the US's main benchmark index, rally more than a full 1% to 2,475.56 with the Dow Jones also firmer. The ...

Electricals retailer Dixons Carphone (DC.) today warned it won’t meet previous guidance for 2019/2020 profits and debt due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced the closure of its stores in the UK and Greece. Yet the shares rose 4.3% to 81.3p early on Thursday as Dixons Carphone flagged up a boom in online sales over the past fortnight as people shopped ahead of a potentially ...

Retail logistics firm Clipper Logistics (CLG) has been a rare success story during the coronavirus outbreak after revealing significantly higher demand for its services. Its shares shot up 11% to 150p as it said in an update that it has received ‘notable additional requests’ from several of its supermarket customers to ease supply chain pressures as a result of the demands placed upon them ...

In an unprecedented move, The Bank of England on Wednesday published a joint letter with the Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) asking banks to ‘take all action necessary’ to help businesses and consumers. The letter, jointly signed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and FCA head Chris Woolard, reminds the banks that ‘you all have an ...

Shares in car parts-to-bicycles seller Halfords (HFD) raced ahead by 47% to 88.3p on Wednesday, despite the retailer suspending the dividend to conserve cash, warning on 2020 profits and pulling guidance for the 2021 financial year given the lack of visibility amid the coronavirus crisis. However, investors responded positively as the retailer said it has been designated by the government as an ...

Gold miner Centamin (CEY) gained 2% this morning to 135p as it revealed it is in pretty good shape despite the coronavirus outbreak. The FTSE 250 miner operates the Sukari mine, located in Egypt, one of the largest gold deposits in the world. As of yesterday Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country with a population of around 100m, had 366 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and ...

Pharmaceutical company Silence Therapeutics (SLN) saw its shares gain 22% to 496p on Wednesday on news of a collaboration with pharma giant AstraZeneca (AZN). Silence has been one of the best performing mid-caps of the last year, gaining over 800%. The company has developed a novel technology for treating serious diseases which harnesses the body's natural mechanisms to create therapeutic ...

Defence technology and equipment supplier Avon Rubber (AVON) has won a body armour contract that could be worth up to $333m over its three and a half year term. The contract, with the US Defense Logistics Agency, will see the UK business provide enhanced body armor plates, effectively bullet-proof protection for military personnel. The first order is anticipated shortly, with deliveries ...

Before the coronavirus crisis emerged, many housebuilders were offering generous dividend yields. In most cases these were backed by very robust balance sheets and therefore looked well underpinned. However, that has not spared investors in the sector from the kind of dividend cancellations and deferrals seen elsewhere as companies look to give themselves the best chance of getting through the ...

Shares in pest control and hygiene group Rentokil (RTO), which had been among the best performers in the FTSE 100 since the coronavirus crisis began, shed 16% to 311p after the firm cancelled its dividend and withdrew its financial guidance. At the time of its preliminary results in February, the main impact on its business was in China where around half of its customers were affected by the ...