The FTSE 100 closed up 0.1% Friday as U.K. business confidence is improving and consumers feel a little brighter about the future, AJ Bell analyst Danni Hewson said in a note. "Risk appetite was shaken by the prospect of a fresh standoff between the U.S. and China, which hit Chinese tech stocks early on this morning, but the afternoon session has seen Europe stabilize," IG analyst Chris Beauchamp said in a note. Dowlais, Smith & Nephew and Next were the day's top risers, up 4.3%, 2.5% and 2.3%, respectively. On the downside miners Anglo American, Rio Tinto and Fresnillo were the session's biggest fallers, down 5.95%, 5.7% and 3.2%, respectively.


COMPANIES NEWS:

Petrofac Extends $252 Mln Bank Facility

Petrofac Ltd. said Friday that it has entered into an agreement to extend $252 million of its banking facilities.

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Network International Gets $2.65 Bln Takeover Proposal From Brookfield Asset Management

Network International Holdings PLC said Friday that it has received a preliminary, nonbinding proposal regarding a possible cash offer that values the company at around 2.13 billion pounds ($2.65 billion) from Brookfield Asset Management Ltd.

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Kelso Group Increases Stake in THG

Kelso Group Holdings PLC said Friday that it has acquired further interest in THG PLC.

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Sureserve Group Agrees to GBP214.1 Mln Private Equity Takeover

Sureserve Group PLC said Friday that it has agreed to a 214.1 million pound ($266.4 million) takeover by Cap10 4NetZero Bidco Ltd., a new company indirectly owned by funds managed and/or advised by private-equity firm Cap10 Partners LLP.

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Scotgold Resources to Raise GBP1.5 Mln-GBP2.0 Mln via Subscription

Scotgold Resources Ltd. on Friday said it aims to raise between 1.5 million and 2.0 million pounds ($1.9 million-$2.5 million) by share placement to fund the development of its Cononish gold mine in Scotland and provide additional working capital.

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Thruvision to Report Narrowed FY 2023 Loss as Revenue Rose

Thruvision Group PLC said Friday that its expects to report a rise in revenue and narrowed loss for fiscal 2023 as it delivered a resilient performance despite the challenging economic backdrop.

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iEnergizer Seeks Shareholder Approval to Cancel AIM Listing

iEnergizer Ltd. said Friday that it is seeking shareholder approval to cancel the trading of its shares on London's junior AIM as the costs of maintaining the listing are disproportionate to the benefits and that it is unlikely to get wider access to capital.

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Tyman Names Juliette Lowes Interim CFO

Tyman PLC said Friday that in has appointed Juliette Lowes as interim chief financial officer with immediate effect.

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Angle PLC 2022 Pretax Loss Widened; Reports Strong Growth in 1Q

Angle PLC said Friday that its pretax loss widened 40% in 2022, as operating costs increased, but that it has seen good growth in the first quarter of 2023 and anticipates strong demand.

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Savannah Energy Appoints Joseph Pagop Noupoue as Chairman-Designate

Savannah Energy PLC said Friday that it has appointed Joseph Pagop Noupoue as chairman-designate with immediate effect.

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I(X) Net Zero Names Jonathan Carpenter Stearns as CFO

I(X) Net Zero PLC said Friday that it has appointed Jonathan Carpenter Stearns as chief financial officer with immediate effect.

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Tanfield Group Swung to 2022 Pretax Profit on Cash Settlement

Tanfield Group PLC on Friday posted a swing to pretax profit in 2022 as it received a cash settlement from legal proceedings in the U.K.

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Unikmind Holdings Buys Further Stake in Kape Technologies

Unikmind Holdings Ltd. on Friday said it has bought a further 4.01% stake in Kape Technologies PLC and received commitments for an additional 12.93%.

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Anglo-Eastern Plantations Shares Rise on Record Revenue, Higher Dividend

Shares of Anglo-Eastern Plantations PLC rose as much as 9.7% on Friday after the company reported a 4.5% rise in adjusted pretax profit for last year on record revenue as it benefited from higher crude palm oil prices, despite lower production.

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AJ Bell Names Fiona Clutterbuck as Incoming Nonexecutive Chair

AJ Bell PLC said Friday that it has appointed Fiona Clutterbuck as nonexecutive chair, effective May 1.

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SSE PLC Names Barry O'Regan as CFO

SSE PLC on Friday said it had appointed Barry O'Regan as its new chief financial officer to replace Gregor Alexander who will be retiring.

MARKET TALK:

Angle PLC Has Several Routes to Revenue in 2023

1024 GMT - Liquid-biopsy company Angle has multiple routes to revenue in 2023, which should be a year of significant growth, Jefferies analysts write in a research note. Jefferies is forecasting GBP2.8 million revenue in 2023, a material increase from GBP1.0 million in 2022. This is underpinned by Angle's net cash of GBP32 million by 2022 year-end, its expected cost savings of GBP2.6 million, an uptick in Parsortix revenue with several orders already confirmed, and its pharma services business expected to be a major near-term growth contributor, the analysts say. Jefferies keeps its buy rating on the stock and a price target of 65.00 pence. Shares are up 8.5% at 22.25 pence. (christian.moess@wsj.com)


Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires;


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-21-23 1302ET