The FTSE 100 closed up 0.3% on Wednesday helped by China's plans to increase infrastructure spending to boost its economy, which lifted metals prices and mining stocks such as Rio Tinto and Glencore, CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said in a note. Lloyds was the day's biggest riser, followed by Rio Tinto and Bunzl, up 2.2%, 1.9% and 1.8% respectively. Ocado was the session's biggest faller, down 9.4%, with Reckitt Benckiser down 4% and JD Sports Fashion down 2.1%.


COMPANIES NEWS:

Reckitt Benckiser Backs 2023 View, Starts GBP1 Bln Share Buyback

Reckitt Benckiser backed its revenue growth expectations for the full year despite slightly missing third-quarter market expectations, and kicked off a 1 billion pound ($1.22 billion) share-buyback program.

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Lloyds Banking Backs 2023 Guidance After 3Q Pretax Profit Rose

Lloyds Banking Group backed its 2023 guidance as it posted a better-than-expected rise in pretax profit for the third quarter.

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Fresnillo Backs Full-Year Targets Despite On-Quarter Fall in Silver, Gold Output

Fresnillo backed its full-year production guidance for silver and gold despite an on-quarter output decrease for both metals in the third quarter.

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Belluscura Agrees to Lowered Takeover Terms for TMT Acquisition

Belluscura said that it has agreed to the terms of a lowered takeover for TMT Acquisition and that the companies expect to announce the formal offer by the end of this month.

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IG Design Backs FY 2024 Views on Improved Margins, Lower Debt

IG Design Group backed its fiscal 2024 guidance on the back of improved margins due to business simplification and despite anticipating lower sales.

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ScS Group Pretax Profit Fell on Lower Sales, Higher Credit Costs

ScS Group has reported a lower pretax fall for fiscal 2023 due to lower sales and higher credit costs for customers due to high interest rates and said that trading in the new year has toughened.

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Frasers Group Increases Stake in Boohoo to 16.5%

Boohoo Group said that Frasers Group has increased its shareholding in the company to 16.5%.

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Molecular Energies Delays Drilling of Paraguay Well to November

Molecular Energies said it has moved back the start of drill work of the Tapir x1 well in Paraguay to November as it waits for a specialized control valve to arrive on site.

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Ibstock's 3Q Sales Slipped on Downbeat Market but Backs 2023 Profit Views

Ibstock said sales volumes slipped on quarter as market demand was more subdued than unexpected, but kept its full-year underlying profit expectations unchanged.

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Permanent TSB Group Sees 2023 Broadly in Line With Views; 3Q Income Rose Boosted by Rates

Permanent TSB Group Holdings said it expects its 2023 performance to be broadly in line with its guidance as it posted a jump in net interest income and margin for the third quarter driven by the higher interest-rate environment and growth in loan book volumes.

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Bytes Technology Reports Higher Pretax Profit, Revenue on Strong Customer Base

Bytes Technology Group has reported higher pretax profit and sales for the first half despite a challenging environment.

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Oxford Metrics Shares Rise as Company Sees FY 2023 Revenue, Profit Beating Market Views

Oxford Metrics shares rose after the company said it expects to report full-year revenue and adjusted pretax profit ahead of market expectations.

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Essentra Shares Fall After 2023 Profit Seen Hit By Softer Trading

Essentra shares fell after the company said it expects its adjusted operating profit for 2023 to come in at the lower end of its expectations and revenue to fall given the softer trading environment it operates in.

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Franchise Brands Confident in Meeting Market Expectations for 2023 Adjusted Earnings

Franchise Brands said it is confident in meeting market expectations for full-year adjusted earnings.

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Virgin Wines Swung to 2023 Pretax Loss, Sees Sales Recovery Ahead

Virgin Wines UK reported a swing to pretax loss in fiscal 2023 on the back of higher costs and lower margins, but said it expects sales to improve in fiscal 2024.

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RWS Holdings Shares Fall on Lower Revenue Forecast

Shares of RWS Holdings fell 21.5% in early trade after the company said that revenue fell during fiscal 2023 amid a challenging environment, although improved slightly in the second half year.

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Nichols PLC Appoints Richard Newman as CFO

Nichols PLC named Richard Newman as its new chief financial officer and company secretary, replacing David Taylor, who held the roles on an interim basis.

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SkinBioTherapeutics FY 2023 Met Market Views; Starts New Consumer Study

SkinBioTherapeutics said fiscal 2023 business was in line with market expectations and it is starting a consumer study into a new acne formula.

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X5 Retail 3Q Revenue, Net Profit Rose Driven by Sales Growth, Acquisitions

X5 Retail Group reported an increase in revenue and profit during the third quarter, boosted by the opening of new stores and acquisitions.

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Cloudbreak Discovery Shares Fell After Company Flags Funding Needs, Going Concern Doubts

Shares of Cloudbreak Discovery fell 12% on Wednesday after the company said it will need to raise extra funds over the next year as a material uncertainty over its going concern remains, as it reported a narrowed fiscal 2023 loss.

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European Fintech Shares Plunge on Economic Slowdown Concerns

Shares of companies operating in the European fintech industry slumped on Wednesday after France's Worldline warned of a slowdown in the German market, long regarded as the economic powerhouse of the continent.

MARKET TALK:

Virgin Wines' 2024 Prospects Brings Optimism, Liberum Says

1049 GMT - Virgin Wines' performance is in an upward trajectory as trading remains robust in FY 2024 and new initiatives are expected to start in the 2H, Liberum analysts say in a note. The online wine retailer said Ebitda margin targets are back on-track and 1Q revenue is up 12%, the analysts note. This comes after the group reported a FY 2023 performance affected by many one-off's, but with all number in line with expectations, the analysts add. "Inventory has been well managed; cash remains robust yet the only thing that remains perplexing is the valuation," they say. The analysts add that there is potential for a share rebound from current levels. However, shares are down 12% at 36.0 pence. (michael.susin@wsj.com)


Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires;


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-25-23 1255ET