Shares in Associated British Foods (ABF) fell 2.3% to £25.25 after the foods-to-fashion conglomerate warned there is a risk of supply shortages on some Primark lines should Chinese factory production delays persist. Management caution on the impact of COVID-19, more commonly known as the coronavirus, overshadowed a solid first half trading update from the Twinings tea-to-Ryvita brands ...

Newspaper publisher Reach (RCH) reversed earlier gains to trade down 3.5% to 168.5p amid widespread market weakness as it reported a robust set of full year results. Daily Mirror and Daily Express newspaper publisher Reach swung to a full-year profit after a continuing slide in sales was offset by cost cutting. The company enjoyed the first full year contribution from its Express & Star ...

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE The world as we know it is changing at a rapid pace. Over the next decade, we expect five key megatrends to shape our future namely – (1) technological innovation, (2) ageing demographics, (3) shifting power of Emerging vs Developed markets, (4) climate change and (5) urbanisation. The coexistence of two of these megatrends – technological innovation and ...

Shares in estate agency Countrywide (CWD) jumped 7% to 365p first thing on Monday, valuing the firm at £123m, on confirmation that it is in discussions with rival agency LSL Property Services (LSL) ‘regarding a possible all-share combination.’ Reports had begun circulating at the weekend that the companies, two of the UK’s largest listed estate agencies, were in talks about a possible ...

The FTSE 100 tumbled on Monday as Italy’s lockdown and a sharp rise in cases in South Korea fueled market fears over the coronavirus outbreak becoming a pandemic. The UK’s benchmark index plunged close on 3% to 7,187.17, worse than Asian markets overnight. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong fell 1.8% to 26,820 and the Shanghai Composite in China fell 0.3% to 3,031. Though, as is usually the case ...

Yet more confusion was heaped on shareholders of Gulf healthcare company NMC Health (NMC) today after it received another amendment regarding the true ownership of the company. The shares fell 3.6% to 826p. NMC Health is not able to independently verify the information provided in the notification and is urgently seeking clarity from founder Dr. Shetty, Khaleefa Bin Butti Omair Yousif Al Muhari ...

Seasoned investor Richard Penny (pictured below) says the UK is cheap, particularly further down the market capitalisation scale. The fund manager also believes that financial sector firms have become ‘somewhat de-risked’ following the Conservative Party’s thumping general election victory. The well-followed manager of TM CRUX UK Special Situations (BG5Q5X2) is also palpably excited about ...

Property investment firm Daejan Holdings (DJAN) will be taken over completely by its founding Freshwater family after offering £80.50 per share to other investors. The deal values the FTSE 250 company at just over £1.31bn, a 56% premium to yesterday’s £51.70 closing share price. Daejan’s share price today soared close on 55% to £79.90 ion response. Shaftesbury Avenue-headquartered ...

Car sales in China fell 92% in the first half of February because of the coronavirus, with potential knock-on impacts for several UK listed companies. According to industry trade body the China Passenger Car Association, nationwide car sales slumped 96% in the first week of February to a daily average of just 811 vehicles, with many dealerships closed while buyers stay away to prevent the ...

Publishing firm Pearson (PSON) slumped 3.5% to 563.4p as full year results once again revealed the impact on the business of dwindling sales of academic textbooks in the US. The company is spared heavier losses given much of this bad news was spelled out in detail in a January trading update. Pre-tax profit for 2019 dropped to £232m, down from £498m year-on-year. Revenue fell 6% to £260m ...