Company News
Friday preview: LSE shuts early, Catalan election results due
Friday's session on the London Stock Exchange will end at 1230 GMT, though there's little let-off elsewhere, with UK national accounts, European and US stock markets trading normal hours and elections in Catalonia to provide a seasonal dollop of risk.
Casual dining offsets pub closures to keep leisure venues stable
The rise of casual dining has made up for pub closures to keep the number of drinking venues steady despite tough market conditions.
Shell moves into household supply with First Utility acquisition
Oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell inked an agreement on Thursday that would see it acquire 100% of British household energy and broadband provider First Utility in the New Year.
Zinc Media inks deal to produce documentary on RAF for ITV
Television and multimedia content producer Zinc Media Group has been commissioned by ITV to produce a three-part primetime series with the Royal Air Force.
Greatland Gold identifies anomalies at Western Australian asset
Australian-focussed mineral exploration and development company Greatland Gold has identified new anomalies at its Panorama project in Western Australia, confirming the presence of gold in the site's southern licence.
Bushveld Minerals acquires Vametco, finalises transformation into vanadium producer
Vanadium and coal development company Bushveld Minerals completed its acquisition of 55% of Bushveld Vametco on Thursday, giving it a 59. 1% stake in the firm's South African mining and processing operations.
Nu-Oil and Gas losses widen on increased development expenses
Nu-Oil and Gas saw losses widen in the twelve months leading to 30 June as expenses arising from the development of its marginal field initiative continued to rise.
Water Intelligence signs partnership agreement with US firms
Leak detection and remediation service Water Intelligence has inked a strategic relationship with American water-monitoring technology business Flo Technologies and artificial intelligence provider Tagasauris.
Concurrent Tech expects full-year trading in line with expectations
Concurrent Technologies confirmed on Thursday that full-year trading looked like being "broadly in line" with market expectations.
Robinson sees FY profit and revenue in line with market expectations
AIM-listed plastic and paperboard manufacturer Robinson said on Thursday that revenue and profit for 2017 are expected to be in line with market views.
Kaz Minerals to double processing capacity at Aktogay copper mine
Kaz Minerals has confirmed plans to double capacity to 50m tonnes per year at its Aktogay copper project in east Kazakhstan by 2021.
Balfour Beatty to make £103m from sale of M25 stake, lifts profit expectations
FTSE 250 infrastructure group Balfour Beatty rallied on Thursday as it announced the sale of a 12. 5% stake in Connect Plus, the company which operates the M25 orbital motorway, for £103m, and lifted its 2017 profit expectations.
Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines hit by EASA emergency airworthiness warning
The European Aviation Safety Agency issued an emergency airworthiness directive on Rolls-Royce's Trent 1000 engines on Thursday morning.
Directa Plus wins new order from bicycle tyre manufacturer Vittoria
AIM-listed Directa Plus, a producer and supplier of graphene-based products, has received an order from Vittoria to supply 250 kilos of its Graphene Plus (G+) for incorporation into its range of graphene-enhanced bicycle tyres and wheels.
Connemara Mining wraps up drill tests at Mine River gold project
Ireland-focussed exploration and development firm Connemara Mining has finished drill test works at its Mine River gold project in Wicklow and Wexford, with assay results expected by the end of January.
Marlowe buys Guardian Water Treatment for up to £2.8m
Support services group Marlowe has bought Guardian Water Treatment for up to £2. 8m on a cash and debt-free basis in a deal to be financed from existing cash resources.
Dixons' Andrew Harrison returns to ailing Carphone Warehouse
Dixons Carphone has returned group deputy chief executive Andrew Harrison to Carphone Warehouse with responsibility for turning round the struggling business he used to run.
Corero losses softened by strong fourth quarter
Defence solutions group Corero Network Security posted record final quarter order intake of its SmartWall threat defence system, boosting its expected revenues for the year.
F W Thorpe buys Netherlands-based Famostar
AIM-listed F W Thorpe has announced the acquisition of Famostar, a Dutch specialist in emergency lighting for a range of different sectors, for an initial consideration of €7. 6m (£6. 8m).
Capita wins internet network contract with Transport for London
Capita, the outsourcing group, has won an £80m contract to provide and manage Transport for London's internal internet network across its 1,000-plus stations, offices and other sites for the next five years.