DS Smith, down 5.6%, announced that its design team signed a partnership contract with Bosch to develop a fully recyclable corrugated cardboard solution to replace all plastic components.
Gaming Realms, up 7.1%, today, in its pre-close trading update, announced it expects to report FY23 revenue of around £23m and adjusted EBITDA of not less than £10.0m, up 23% and 28%, respectively, year-on-year, in line with Board's expectations.
Cambridge Cognition Holdings, up 5.1%, in its trading update, announced that it has witnessed significant progress in its operation in 2023. With revenue increasing 7% over the prior year to £13.5m and following the comprehensive integration and re-organisation mid-year.
Bango, up 4.9%, announced the appointment of Singer Capital Markets as sole broker to the Company. Tristel, up 3.2%, announced that it would release its interim results for the six months to 31 December 2023 on 26 February 2024.
1Spatial, up 2.4%, announced that it has signed a three-year contract worth €9.0m with a leading Distribution System Operator for electricity and gas networks in Belgium, to enhance the quality and accuracy of its geospatial data.
Frontier Developments, down 11.3%, announced that its Planet Zoo: Console Edition would be available on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 on 26 March 2024 for a suggested retail price of £39.99 / $49.99 / €49.99.
Dialight, down 2.9%, in its trading and operational update, announced that it continued to take market share by benefitting from improved service and availability due to the actions taken over the previous 18 months, despite ongoing softness in several segments. However, the company reported a 9% reduction in H1 (down 13% at constant currency (CCY), while the Group revenue for the full 12-month period to 31 December 2023 (the Period) reduced by 12% to £148.8m (down 12% at CCY).
Oracle Power, unchanged at 0.03p, in its update, on the farm-in by Riversgold Ltd (Riversgold), on the Northern Zone Intrusive Hosted Gold Project, said the Programme of Work (PoW) has been approved by Australia's Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) for drilling.
UK markets closed mostly lower last week, after the Bank of England (BoE) kept its key interest rate unchanged at 5.25%. On the data front, UK’s manufacturing PMI climbed more than anticipated in January. Additionally, UK’s Nationwide housing price index rose more than expected in January, while the nation’s mortgage approvals advanced to a six-month high in December. The BoE left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 5.25%, as widely expected. Moreover, the central bank hinted at future interest rate cuts. The FTSE 100 index declined 0.3% to settle at 7,615.5, while the FTSE techMARK 100 index lost 1.0% to end at 6,762.9. Meanwhile, the FTSE AIM 100 index rose 0.5% to close at 3,658.
US markets ended higher in the previous week, lifted by upbeat quarterly corporate earnings and robust US jobs data. On the data front, the US ISM manufacturing PMI unexpectedly rose in January, while the nation’s factory orders advanced as expected in December. Moreover, the US nonfarm payrolls climbed more than anticipated in January, while the nation’s unemployment rate remained steady in January. Additionally, the US JOLTS job openings advanced to its highest level in 3-months in December. Further, the US consumer confidence advanced to a 2-year high in January, while the nation’s Michigan consumer sentiment improved in January. Meanwhile, the US ADP employment rose less than expected in January, while the nation’s weekly jobless claims unexpectedly advanced in the week ended 26 January 2024. The US Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate steady at 5.50%, for the fourth consecutive time. The DJIA index rose 1.4% to end at 38,654.4, while the NASDAQ index gained 1.1% to close at 15,629.
