FTSE 100 Gains After Wall Street Rally

The FTSE 100 rises 0.4% to 7495 points after U.S. equities rallied on Friday following upbeat corporate earnings. "The market has taken its lead from the late rebound in the U.S. trading session which also followed through to some strength in Asian markets," Interactive Investor analyst Richard Hunter says. "While the broad mark-up of shares in early exchanges takes the FTSE 100 to stand ahead by 1.7% in the year to date, the situation remains delicately poised and the current levels of volatility are likely to be echoed by a continuation of the currently skittish sentiment." Vodafone tops the FTSE 100, rising 3.8%, after reports activist fund Cevian Capital is pressuring the telecoms group to overhaul its business.


 
Companies News: 

Pearson Acquires Digital Credentials Company Credly

Pearson PLC said Monday that it has acquired Credly, a digital credentials and certifications company, for a price valuing it at around $200 million.

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SThree FY 2021 Pretax Profit Rose

SThree PLC said Monday that pretax profit for fiscal 2021 rose as revenue increased, and that it expects to deliver double-digit growth in net fees and profits in 2022.

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Belvoir 2021 Revenue Rose; Sees Pretax Profit Ahead of Views

Belvoir Group PLC said Monday that its 2021 revenue rose significantly, and that consequently it expects pretax profit for the year to be comfortably ahead of management forecasts.

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TotalEnergies to Sell Minority Interests in Some UK Fields

TotalEnergies SE has signed an agreement to sell a 20% interest in Greater Laggan Area fields and in the Shetland Gas Plant in Scotland, along with interests in several nearby exploration licenses to Kistos PLC.

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STM Group Says 2021 Results to Be in Line With Guidance

STM Group PLC confirmed Monday that its 2021 results will be in line with previous guidance.

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Purplebricks Swung to 1H Pretax Loss; Revenue Fell

Purplebricks Group PLC said Monday that it swung to a first-half pretax loss on the back of a fall in revenue, driven by lower instructions and a significant change to its operating model.

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Constellation Automotive Buys 19.9% Shareholding in Lookers

Lookers PLC said Monday that digital used-car marketplace Constellation Automotive Holdings Ltd. owns 19.9% of its issued share capital, having bought shares over recent days.

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Next Fifteen Communications Sees Strong 4Q Trading Ahead of Expectations

Next Fifteen Communications Group PLC said Monday that fourth-quarter trading has continued to be strong and ahead of management expectations, boosted by the strength of the U.S. dollar.

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FireAngel to Report Higher Sales, Narrowed Adjusted Pretax Loss for 2021

FireAngel Safety Technology Group PLC said Monday that it expects to report higher sales and a narrowed adjusted pretax loss for 2021.

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KRM22 Sees 2021 Revenue Fall, Widened Adjusted Ebitda Loss

KRM22 PLC said Monday that it expects to report a widened adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization loss for 2021 on decreased revenue after experiencing legacy-customer churn and a contract delay.

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Craneware 1H Revenue More Than Doubled; Adjusted Earnings Rose

Craneware PLC said Monday revenue for the first half of fiscal 2022 more than doubled, and adjusted earnings rose significantly.

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Studio Retail Exploring Options to Meet Higher Working Capital Funding Requirements

Studio Retail Group PLC said Monday that its board is exploring a range of options to meet its increased working capital funding requirements.

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Devolver Digital Expects 2021 Revenue, Earnings to Beat Market Views

Devolver Digital Inc. said Monday that it expects its 2021 revenue and adjusted earnings to slightly exceed market expectations, and its pipeline for the new year is strong.

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Journeo 2021 Revenue Rose, Profit Seen in Line With Views

Journeo PLC said Monday that revenue rose by 15% in 2021 and that it anticipates profit for the full year to be in line with market expectations.

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Guild ESports FY 2021 Pretax Loss Widened on Investments

Guild eSports PLC said Monday that its fiscal 2021 pretax loss widened significantly after it invested in the business to drive long-term growth.

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Engage XR Holdings Shares Rise as Increased 2021 Revenue Seen

Shares in Engage XR Holdings PLC were up 12% in early trade Monday after the company said that it expects to report a significant increase in revenue for 2021.

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Venture Life Shares Rise on Increased 2021 Revenue

Venture Life Group PLC shares rose Monday after it said that full-year 2021 revenue rose 8% and that it expects adjusted earnings to meet market views.

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Ebiquity Sees Materially Ahead 2021 Underlying Operating Profit; Buys Canada Consultancy

Ebiquity PLC said Monday that it expects to report 2021 underlying operating profit materially ahead of market expectations, and that it has bought Canadian media-performance consultancy Forde and Semple Media Works.

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Inspired Sees 2021 Revenue Climb 48%, Adjusted Earnings Rise

Inspired PLC said Monday that it expects its 2021 revenue to significantly rise ahead of market consensus, and for adjusted earnings to similarly climb.

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React Group FY 2021 Revenue, Adjusted Pretax Profit Rose

React Group PLC said Monday that adjusted pretax profit and revenue rose for fiscal 2021 after like-for-like organic growth and the acquisition of Fidelis in March.

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Vast Resources Shares Fall on Increased 1H Loss

Vast Resources PLC shares fell Monday after it said that its first half pre-tax loss widened on the back of increased overhead expenses, costs of sales and foreign exchange losses, though its revenue rose.

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Tribal Group Sees 2021 in Line

Tribal Group PLC said Monday that it expects results for 2021 to be in line with market expectations.

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Xpediator Sees 2021 Earnings Boost After Strong Performance; Shares Rise

Shares in Xpediator PLC rose as much as 12% in early trade Monday after the company said that it expects to report a much improved revenue and adjusted pretax profit for 2021 after a strong performance from all three units.

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Maintel Holdings 2021 Revenue Grew Despite Challenges

Maintel Holdings PLC said Monday that revenue grew 1% in 2021 despite coronavirus-related lockdowns in the early part of the year and the Omicron wave in the later, as well as supply chain issues.

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San Leon Energy Receives EUR5.7 Mln in Payments After TAQA Litigation

San Leon Energy PLC said Monday that it has received payments totaling more than 5.7 million euros ($6.4 million) after concluding its legal proceedings with TAQA Offshore BV.

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Powerhouse Energy Group Appoints Paul Drennan-Durose as CEO

Powerhouse Energy Group PLC said Monday that it has appointed Paul Drennan-Durose as its new chief executive officer starting Feb. 14.


 
Market Talk: 

Ryanair's 4Q Pricing Hurt by Late Bookings, Omicron

0941 GMT - Low-cost carrier Ryanair's 3Q saw an improvement in pricing despite December's Omicron-related restrictions as its EUR25 average fare was only around 24% below 2019's 3Q, an improvement from the 31% difference in the 2Q comparison, Citi says. However, pricing in 4Q would have been hurt by late Christmas and new year bookings and the Omicron coronavirus, the U.S. bank says. Citi now expects net income loss for fiscal 2022 to be EUR366 million, compared with a prior net loss expectation of EUR367 million, with earnings estimates for fiscal 2023, 2024, and 2025 rising by more than 6%, 1%, and 4%, respectively, the bank says. Citi rates the stock buy with a EUR20 target price.

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Expected BOE Rate Rise May Not Lift Pound

0842 GMT - The Bank of England could raise interest rates further on Thursday but this might not lift sterling, RBC Capital Markets says. The BOE is likely to raise its key rate 25 basis points to 0.50%, the level at which it plans to start reducing its stock of purchased assets, RBC currency strategist Adam Cole says. "The market is not currently appreciating how that interaction between Bank Rate and balance sheet reduction means this will not be a normal tightening cycle and that current pricing for Bank Rate is too aggressive," he says. That could weigh on sterling over the medium term, he says. GBP/USD rises 0.3% to 1.3443 and EUR/GBP is flat at 0.8319.


Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires; Write to Sarka Halas at sarka.halas@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-31-22 0500ET