Kier Group, down 3.7%, announced that it has signed a contract with Sunbelt Rentals UK, wherein Sunbelt will serve as the official supplier of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) to the UK-based contractor.
Dialight, up 4.0%, today, in its interim results, announced that revenues fell to $90.3m from $91.0m recorded in the same period of the previous year. Loss before tax widened to $20.8m from $6.6m. The Directors have not declared an interim dividend for 2024 (2023: nil).
Tristel, unchanged at 440.0p, announced that its annual general meeting (AGM) would be held on 16 December 2024 at the company's headquarters, Unit 1b Lynx Business Park, Fordham Road Snailwell, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, CB8 7NY.
Oracle Power, unchanged at 0.01p, announced that it had received the first batch of assay results from the aircore (AC) drilling programme undertaken during Riversgold Limited's (Riversgold) fourth AC programme at the Northern Zone Intrusive Hosted Gold Project in Western Australia (the Northern Zone Project). A new potential high-grade zone on the eastern extensional area of the 600m wide porphyry system has been confirmed. These initial eastern exploratory holes have surpassed grade expectations and continue to expand the shallow gold mineralisation associated with the Northern Zone Project porphyry.
Xaar, down 6.3%, announced that Ian Tichias has resigned as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Director to pursue other opportunities. Meanwhile, until a permanent CFO is appointed, Paul James will be appointed as interim CFO and Executive Director.
LPA Group, down 5.8%, in its trading update, announced that revenue increased to £23.8m, up 10% compared to the previous year. Order intake stood at £17.3m and was down 32% on the previous year, due to delayed rail projects, as a result of previously flagged delayed rail projects, resulting in a total order book of £25m at the financial year-end. Overall trading led to an underlying position in line with previous guidance of breakeven for the full year. Netcall, down 1.5%, announced that its annual general meeting (AGM) would be held on 17 December 2024 at the offices of DLA Piper UK LLP, 160 Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4HT.
UK markets ended higher last week, amid weakness in the British pound. On the data front, the UK consumer price index rose more than anticipated in October, while the nation’s GfK consumer confidence index advanced to its highest level since August in November. Meanwhile, the UK manufacturing PMI unexpectedly fell in November, while the nation’s services PMI declined to a 13-month low in November. Additionally, UK retail sales dropped more than expected in October, amid lower consumer spending, while the nation’s Rightmove house price index fell in November. The FTSE 100 index advanced 2.5% to settle at 8,262.1, while the FTSE AIM 100 index rose 1.4% to close at 3,566.1. Additionally, the FTSE techMARK 100 index gained 2.7% to end at 6,569.2.
US markets ended higher in the previous week, following upbeat business activity in November. On the macro front, the US manufacturing PMI rose as expected in November, while the nation’s services PMI climbed to its highest level since March 2022 in November. Additionally, the US Michigan consumer sentiment index advanced for a fourth straight month in November. Moreover, the US existing home sales rebounded more than anticipated in October, amid lower mortgage rates, while the nation’s weekly jobless claims unexpectedly fell to a seven-month low in the week ended on 15 November 2024. Meanwhile, the US housing starts fell more than expected in October, while the nation’s building permits unexpectedly declined in October. The DJIA index rose 2.0% to end at 44,296.5, while the NASDAQ index gained 1.7% to close at 19,003.7.
