The FTSE 100 closed down 0.8% at 7911 points on Friday following Wall Street drop last night. "After yesterday's yield driven gains in London, today has seen the reverse, though the FTSE 100 still looks in a good place to make further gains thanks to a rosier earnings outlook," Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, said. Ocado Group, St. James's Place and JD Sports Fashion were the session's biggest fallers, down 9.0%, 4.3% and 4.0%, respectively. Flutter Entertainment was the day's highest riser, up 1.1%, followed by BAE Systems and Smith & Nephew, up 1.0% and 0.9%, respectively.


COMPANIES NEWS:

Shell Expects Gas Production to Beat Guidance

Shell expects first quarter gas production to beat its previous guidance after a strong start to the year but for earnings to be lower than the prior quarter.

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Steppe Cement Revenue Falls; Margin Decreases on Higher Transportation Costs

Steppe Cement said first-quarter revenue continued to fall, reflecting a lower market share and a smaller cement market, and that margins also decreased due to higher transportation costs.

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OSB Group Appoints Victoria Hyde as CFO

OSB Group named Victoria Hyde as its next chief financial officer, replacing April Talintyre.


MARKET TALK:

XP Power's Guidance Looks Conservative

0933 GMT - XP Power's guidance for 2024 is seen as very conservative, Davy Research analyst Thomas Rands writes in a note. Given recent disappointments, Chief Executive Officer Gavin Griggs remains under pressure to deliver a more consistent message to investors, Rands says. However, the power-controllers manufacturer's fundamentals are solid and once the postpandemic destocking ends, a normalization of all the key metrics can start, the analyst adds. This might attract potential bidders who are able to look beyond 2024, and could be rewarded in the medium term, he says. Shares are down 1.15% at 1032.00 pence. (najat.kantouar@wsj.com)


Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires; Dow Jones Newswires; paul.larkins@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-05-24 1220ET