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London midday: FTSE and pound both fall after weak retail numbers
London stocks and the pound both ebbed lower by midday on Thursday after disappointing UK retail sales data and with ongoing concerns about stalled Brexit negotiations.
The Property Franchise Group rejects Belvoir merger offer
The Property Franchise Group confirmed on Thursday that it has received a merger offer from Belvoir Lettings that it has rejected on the basis that it would not be in the best interests of its shareholders.
Hammerson completes acquisition of French shopping centre
Hammerson has completed the acquisition of a French shopping centre for €81m (£72m) from a private vendor.
London open: Stocks edge lower ahead of retail sales; Unilever drops on results
London stocks edged lower in early trade on Thursday despite positive cues from the US, as investors kept a watchful eye on Spain and looked ahead to the release of UK retail sales data and the first day of the EU summit.
Australian business increases turnover for Tristel
Infection protection and contamination control specialists Tristel increased turnover by 19% to £20. 3m in its financial year ended 30 June.
Nestle nudges restructuring dial higher as growth looks flat
Swiss food giant Nestle announced on Thursday that it was looking to expedite its restructuring programme aimed at improving margins as it expected organic growth to remain flat throughout its fourth quarter trading.
Unilever sales fall short but silver linings in emerging markets, cost savings
Sales growth from Unilever fell short of expectations for the third quarter, with turnover negative, with the consumer goods colossus generating only minimal volume growth for the sixth quarter in a row.
Connemara acquires 100% of Hendrick Resources
Exploration company Connemara, with principal assets in gold and zinc exploration licences across Ireland, announced the acquisition of 100% of Hendrick Resources, a private Ontario-based company formed for the purpose of acquiring properties in Ireland.
Asia report: Markets mixes on data, Kiwi dollar crashes
Markets in Asia finished mixed on Thursday, as investors were kept busy with a raft of economic data from China.
UK retail sales weaker than forecast, adding to BoE doubts
UK retail sales fell more than expected last month, official figures confirmed on Thursday, further muddying the waters over whether the Bank of England will hike interest rates next month.
Barclays reinstates Wood at 'underweight' given hurdles to integration
Barclays Research has reinstated its 'underweight' recommendation for shares of Wood, pointing to the possible hurdles management will face in trying to reap the potential cost synergies from the combination of Wood Group and Amec Foster Wheeler.
Travis Perkins benefits from price inflation as sales volumes flat
Third quarter sales from Travis Perkins impressed investors in the builders' merchants but there remained some caution about the outlook.
Spain expected to suspend Catalan autonomy as Puigdemont refuses to back down
Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy is expected to press ahead with Article 155 to suspend autonomy for Catalonia after regional president Carles Puigdemont refused to revoke his suspended declaration of independence.
Interserve shares tumble to lows after another profit warning
Support services and construction group Interserve issued a second profit warning in as many months, as well as confirming it could breach banking covenants and had made further provisions for its exit from Energy from Waste contracts.
PM May seeks to reassure EU citizens ahead of Brussels summit
Theresa May has reassured EU citizens living in the UK that protecting their rights and the rights of Britons in Europe is her number one priority in Brexit negotiations.
Recurring revenue continues to rise at StatPro
Portfolio analytics service StatPro continued to increase its recurring revenue throughout its third quarter, bringing total revenue and profits bang on management expectations for the full year.
LondonMetric offloads another two joint venture DFX properties
LondonMetric Property announced on Thursday that it has sold a further two DFS retail properties in Swindon and Swansea for £13. 9m, on behalf of its DFS joint venture.
Stobart confirms bumper dividend after ESL sale
Infrastructure and support services company Stobart Group posted its interim results for the six months to 31 August on Thursday, reporting a surge in underlying EBITDA to £131. 8m, from £20. 2m in the same period last year.
Europe open: All eyes on EU summit, Spain
Stocks have started the morning trading lower, with investors focused on the summit of European Union heads of state later in the day and events in Spain given the looming deadline for Catalan officials to make their intentions clear.