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Watches of Switzerland share surge on 'cautiously optimistic' outlook, Q4 sales
Shares in Watches of Switzerland surged 15% on Thursday as the luxury timepiece retailer said it was “cautiously optimistic” about future trading after a 4% rise in sales in the final quarter of its financial year driven by the US.
First-quarter earnings jump at Helios Towers
Telecom equipment specialist Helios Towers reiterated its full-year outlook on Thursday, after a jump in first-quarter earnings.
London open: FTSE falls as ex-dividend stocks weigh
London stocks fell in early trade on Thursday amid a deluge of corporate news, dragged lower by ex-dividend shares.
Convatec shares slump on wound care uncertainty
Shares in medtech group Convatec slumped on Thursday despite the company keeping its top-level guidance for 2024, though growth forecasts in the Advanced Wound Care division have been reduced due to "short-term uncertainty".
Auction Technology maintains guidance despite earnings fall
Auction Technology Group reported 6% growth in first-half revenue on Thursday, to $86m (£67. 81m), driven by strong growth in value-added services and contributions from ‘EstateSales’.
Sage Group shares fall on guidance downgrade
Sage Group shares were well into the red on Thursday morning, despite reporting a robust first-half performance, as the company downgraded its guidance.
BT impresses with cost-savings plan despite profit slump
Telecoms giant BT saw shares pop on Thursday despite reporting a 31% drop in annual profits in the year to 31 March, as the company laid out plans to save £3bn of costs a year by the end of the decade.
Japan GDP contracts more than expected, clouds BoJ rate plans
Japan’s economy unexpectedly shrank in the first quarter as consumers tightened their belts in response to stagnant wage growth, companies cut spending and exports fell.
AstraZeneca's Covid drug meets trial endpoints
AstraZeneca said on Thursday that its investigative drug sipavibart had shown positive results in preventing Covid-19 in vulnerable patients.
Tritax EuroBox annualised rent shrinks after disposals
Logistics-focussed property investor Tritax EuroBox reported a 10. 1% increase in IFRS rental income to €35. 9m (£30. 8m) on Thursday, driven by rent indexations, asset management initiatives, and the conversion of rental guarantees into income.
Vistry lifts housebuilding target as forward sales surge
Vistry lifted its annual homebuilding target to more than 18,000 driven by a 10% year-on-year rise in forward sales.
EasyJet chief to step down next year
EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren is to step down after more than seven years in the role, the budget carrier said on Thursday.
Premier Foods full-year results beat expectations
Mr Kipling owner Premier Foods said on Thursday that its full-year performance was ahead of expectations and it returned to volume growth in the fourth quarter.
London pre-open: Stocks seen up after positive US close
London stocks were set to rise at the open on Thursday following a positive close on Wall Street, amid a deluge of corporate news.
BT posts fall in profits, Sage reports first half growth
London open The FTSE 100 is expected to open 22 points higher on Thursday, having closed up 0. 21% on Wednesday at 8,445. 80.
Thursday newspaper round-up: JCB, M&S, smart meters
The British digger maker JCB, owned by the billionaire Bamford family, continued to build and supply equipment for the Russian market months after saying it had stopped exports because of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the Guardian can reveal. Russian customs records show that JCB, whose owners are major donors to the Conservative party, continued to make new products available for Russian dealers well after 2 March 2022, when the company publicly stated that it had “voluntarily paused exports” to Russia.
US close: Stocks higher following CPI reading
Wall Street stocks closed higher on Wednesday as market participants digested April's all-important consumer price index report.