While no firm wants to be seen publicly to be ‘having a good crisis’, given the gravity of the threat to the economy and public health from coronavirus, the fact is some firms are doing rather well despite, or in some cases as a result of, the pandemic. Some have been in the right place at the right time – think of healthcare, sanitation and hygiene firms – while others have been less ...

Shares in specialist infection prevention and control firm Byotrol (BYOT:AIM) are up 360% so far in 2020, reflecting the exceptional demand seen for the company’s technologies in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The company recently (27 April) reported a trading update for the financial year to 31 March 2020, and confirmed it is benefiting from a secular shift towards the heightened ...

The third best performing share on the UK market this year is about to update investors on its role in helping to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Byotrol (BYOT:AIM) is helping to save lives by supplying its novel hand sanitiser to the NHS, with a proven ‘kill claim’ against coronavirus. Its shares have risen by 213% year-to-date versus a 28% drop in the FTSE All-Share. On 23 March it ...

Hand sanitiser company Byotrol (BYOT:AIM) said it has seen a very substantial spike in demand for its range of infection protection products over the last seven weeks. Consequently, its full-year results for the period ended 31 March are expected to exceed guidance given at the interim stage. The shares shot up 42% to 5.1p. At the interim stage the company was guiding for positive earnings ...

Even before the appearance of China’s coronavirus, infection and contamination-control products group Tristel (TSTL:AIM) was delivering strong growth as it taps into increasing demand for safe, high-level disinfectants that kill all microorganisms. On 24 February the company reported revenue for the six months to 31 December 2019 up 22% at £14.6m accelerating from the 18% growth in the ...

Shares in infection prevention and contamination-control products group Tristel (TSTL:AIM) bucked the weak market trend gaining 7% to 422.5p on Monday after it reported interim pre-tax profits up 25% to £3m, 7% higher than indicated at the annual general meeting in December. Today's move takes the gain in the shares over the last six months to almost 50%. Chief executive Paul Swinney ...

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 ...

Infection prevention and contamination control group Tristel (TSTL:AIM) released strong revenue growth of 18% to £26m for the full year to 30 June 2019, pushing the shares up 3.6% to 304p. The UK saw accelerating growth of 9% (2%), while continuing international expansion drove 26% growth and overseas business now accounts for 55% of group revenue. Pre-tax profit advanced by 19% to ...

London’s FTSE 100 was broadly flat early on Wednesday as raised tensions between the US and China over Hong Kong helped renew trade war fears and led to subdued investor sentiment. Sterling slipped back amid concern over the fate of a possible Brexit deal, providing a boost to the blue chip benchmark’s overseas earners. Fallen online fast fashion retailer ASOS (ASC:AIM), which has issued ...

Infection control specialist Tristel’s (TSTL:AIM) recent earnings per share downgrades are not cause for major concern. This merely reflects a rise in R&D spent that is needed to drive future profitability. Earnings for the financial year to 30 June 2016 have been reduced by 3% to 5.2p by FinnCap’s analysts. The cut to their forecasts for the following 12 months is a much deeper 21% to ...

UK shares surge in what some market watchers are calling a dead cat bounce with investors still largely concerned about macro growth issues. The FTSE 100 index shoots up 98 points, or about 1.67%, to 5,970 in what could be a reaction to several sessions of selling over the past week or more. In corporate news, the big story comes from the tech sector as computer designs software supplier AVEVA ...

Cigarettes and alcohol are one of the bigger drags on UK shares as early Monday trading starts with a whimper. The benchmark FTSE 100 index slips around 25 points, or 0.4%, lower to 6,390 as mega caps British American Tobacco (BATS), Imperial Tobacco (IMT), Diageo (DGE) and SAB Miller (SAB) each fall between 0.5% and 1%. Infrastructure contractor Carillion (CLLN), the market’s most shorted ...

London shares fall for the fifth day straight on Thursday with gains across the mining sector unable to halt the slide caused by ongoing concerns over Greece debt talks, inflation, and possible interest rate rises to come. The FTSE 100, which fell to its lowest since January on Wednesday, drifts a further 0.24% lower at 6,660 early on, prolonging its spell in the red. Miners populate the top of ...

Less than 24 hours since the FTSE 100 high a record high, the market is awash with profit warnings. AO World, Driver and Coms all see their share prices slump on bad earnings news. But they are not big enough to trouble the blue chip index with the FTSE 100 holding steady at 6,939 – a drop of only 10 points today. AO World (AO.) crashes 41.3% to 165p after saying that it has struggled to ...

Rambler Metals and Mining (RMM:AIM) 19.5p The sharp decline in the copper price year to date has forced Rambler to lay off staff and halt some capital expenditure. There’s also some ground stability issues which is affecting production. Expect short-term pain but potential long-term gain as it is fundamentally a decent business. Randall & Quilter Investment (RQIH:AIM) 131p Randall ...

A strong mining rally ends the FTSE 100's four day slide as mining stocks put in a strong showing. After falling 2.7% last week, the blue-chips started the day 0.4% off at 6,314, before rebounding on bargain hunting. At 10.30am the Footsie is a modest five points higher at 6,345. Miners dominate the FTSE 100 leader board today after upbeat data from China. Anglo American (AAL) heads the sector ...

Mother and baby products retailer Mothercare (MTC) is marked down the best part of 10% to 233.25p as bid excitement evaporates and finance director Matt Smith jumps ship for Debenhams (DEB). US-listed peer Destination Maternity (DEST:NDQ) withdrew its takeover proposal on Friday, leaving Mothercare's new CEO Mark Newton-Jones free to focus on its UK turnaround and overseas growth. Health, hygiene ...

A decent performance from Chef & Brewer-to-Fayre & Square owner Spirit Pub Company (SPRT) sends its share price up 2.9 to 80.25p. Like-for-like sales from its managed pubs rise 6% in the 12 weeks to 24 May. It continues to roll out the steakhouse-style pub format Flaming Grill through a mix of buying new sites and converting existing pubs in its estate.   Geophysical data ...

Investor news is dominated by falling stock markets around the world amid escalating tension between Russia and Ukraine. That's hit countless stocks with exposure to the regions, as we detail in this article. Elsewhere, there's plenty of corporate announcements yet limited share price movement due to the bearish backdrop.   Heading the fallers is Smiths News (NWS) where weak trading in ...

Sales are going well for JD Wetherspoon (JDW) but tax is still the thorn in its side. The pubs operator warns that it will pay a higher corporation tax this year due to an increase in non-qualifying capital expenditure. There's also going to be year-on-year reduction in operating margins, says the company. But it is news of a 6.7% rise in like-for-like sales in the 12 weeks to 19 January that ...