Kier Group, down 4.6%, announced that it has been selected to build a £25m Net Zero carbon teaching block in South Wales.
Bango, up 4.1%, today, announced that it has appointed Singer Capital Markets as the company's Nominated Advisor and Broker and the Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited as Joint Broker, effective immediately.
Sareum Holdings, remained unchanged at 102.5p, today, announced that Sierra Oncology has finished the return of the Clinical Study Reports and other related documentation and data related to SRA737 to company’s Co-Development partner, the CRT Pioneer Fund LP.
1Spatial, remained unchanged at 52.0p, today, announced its trading update for the financial year ended 31 January 2023, that total revenue is expected to rise 50% to £29.8m in FY23 from £27.0m same period last year. Cash is forecasted to be £5.3m in FY23 (FY2022: £2.5m). On the outlook front, the Board is positive about continuing the progress in future. Further, the company announced that it will publish its audited final results for the year ended 31 January 2023 on 26 April 2023.
GetBusy, down 8.4%, announced its audited results for the year ended 31 December 2022, that total revenues increased 25.0% to £19.3m from £15.5m recorded in the previous year. Loss before tax narrowed to £0.5m from £2.3m. Cash balance as at 31 December 2022 stood at £3.0m (2021: £2.7m).
CyanConnode Holdings, down 4.1%, today, appointed Strand Hanson Limited as the Company's Nominated and Financial Adviser with immediate effect.
Quartix Technologies, down 1.4%, announced its full year audited results for the year ended 31 December 2022, that group revenues rose 7.9% to £27.5m from £25.5m recorded in the previous year. Profit before tax widened to £5.5m from £5.4m. The board has proposed a final dividend of 6.30p per share (2021: 7.00p) including 3.85p for supplementary dividend (2021: 5.10p) giving a total dividend for the year of 7.80p.
UK markets closed higher last week, amid improved economic outlook. On the macro front, UK’s manufacturing PMI advanced more than expected in February, while the nation’s services sector grew at its fastest pace in 8-months in February, amid improved outlook and robust business confidence. Additionally, the BRC shop price index advanced in January. Meanwhile, the Nationwide house prices dropped annually for the first time since June 2020 in February, amid higher mortgage rates and a cost-of-living crisis, while the nation’s mortgage approvals dropped to its lowest level since 2009 in January. The FTSE 100 index advanced 0.9% to settle at 7,947.1, while the FTSE AIM 100 index rose 1.8% to close at 4,142.9. Meanwhile, the FTSE techMARK 100 index gained 0.7% to end at 6,737.5.
US markets ended higher in the previous week, as upbeat domestic economic data boosted investor sentiment. On the data front, the US ISM manufacturing PMI climbed for the first time in six months in February, while the nation’s pending home sales registered its largest gain in more than 2-1/2 years in January. Additionally, the US initial jobless claims unexpectedly dropped in the week ended 24 February 2023. On the other hand, the US durable goods orders fell more than expected in January, while the nation’s goods trade deficit widened in January. Moreover, the US Dallas Fed manufacturing business index declined as expected in February, while the Chicago Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to its lowest level since November 2022 in February. Further, the US consumer confidence index declined for a second consecutive month in February, amid recession fears. The DJIA index rose 1.7% to end at 33,391, while the NASDAQ index gained 2.6% to close at 11,689.
