Darktrace, down 1.6%, announced that pursuant to the previous announcement of the recommended cash acquisition, the scheme document containing the full terms and conditions of the acquisition (the scheme document), together with the related forms of proxy, is being published and will be made available on its website.
Johnson Matthey, down 3.3%, in its preliminary results for the year ended 31st March 2024, announced that revenues dropped to £12.84b from £14.93b recorded in the previous year.
Hilton Food Group, down 0.2%, in its AGM trading update, announced that its trading performance has been in line with the board's expectations, with volumes and sales ahead of the same period last year despite sales growth in some of the markets it operates being impacted by lower raw material prices.
SDI Group, up 8.5%, in its trading update, announced that it expects revenues to be in line with current market expectations at around £65.9m (FY23: £67.6m).
Oracle Power, unchanged at 0.02p, announced that its joint venture company, Oracle Energy Limited, has been granted an extension in the validity period of the Letter of Intent (LOI) by the Directorate of Alternative Energy of the Government of Sindh for the development of its proposed 1.3 GW renewable energy power plant in Jhimpir, Sindh Province in Pakistan. It has now been extended up until 23 January 2025.
Feedback, down 6.8%, in its trading update, announced that it expects revenue for FY2024 to be around £1.2m, approximately 15% higher than the prior year.
GetBusy, down 4.4%, in its AGM trading update, announced that it continues to make good operational progress toward its strategic goals.
CyanConnode Holdings, down 3.0%, announced that the subsidiary of its Indian entity, Digismart Networks Private Limited (Digismart), has qualified and been certified to participate in the upcoming smart metering tenders as an Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Provider (AMISP).
Science Group, down 0.6%, announced that its annual general meeting would be held at 9.00 am on 18 June at the company's London office.
UK markets ended mostly higher last week, following robust Britain’s manufacturing data. On the data front, the UK manufacturing PMI climbed to a 22-month high in May, while the nation’s GfK consumer confidence rose more than expected in May. Moreover, the UK consumer price index rose more than expected in April. Additionally, the UK DCLG house price index advanced in March. Meanwhile, the UK services PMI dropped to a 6-month low in May, while the nation’s retail sales fell more than expected in April. Also, the UK public sector net borrowing deficit widened more than anticipated in April. The FTSE 100 index declined 1.2% to settle at 8,317.6, while the FTSE AIM 100 index rose 2.4% to close at 3,936.4. Meanwhile, the FTSE techMARK 100 index gained 1.7% to end at 7,046.
US markets ended mixed in the previous week. On the macro front, the US manufacturing PMI unexpectedly rose in May, while the nation’s services PMI unexpectedly advanced in May. Additionally, the US durable goods orders unexpectedly rose in April, indicating a moderate improvement in business spending, while the nation’s Michigan consumer sentiment index dropped less than expected in May. Also, the US weekly jobless claims fell more than anticipated in the week ended 17 May 2024. Meanwhile, the US existing home sales unexpectedly dropped in April, while the nation’s new home sales declined more than expected in April, amid higher mortgage rates. Separately, US FOMC minutes indicated that officials were concerned over the lack of progress on inflation. However, several participants mentioned a willingness to tighten policy further should risks to inflation appear in a way that such an action became appropriate. The DJIA index fell 2.3% to end at 39,069.6, while the NASDAQ index gained 1.4% to close at 16,920.8.
