UK

UK regulators made it easier for SPACs to join the market last year, but will it be enough to fuel a boom in listings like we have seen in the US?

Fears of stagflation in the UK are increasing as business confidence collapses, supply bottlenecks tighten, energy prices rise, and winter fuel shortages add to fears. But what exactly is stagflation? And what could it mean for the economy?

Danish company Trustpilot has chosen to float on the London Stock Exchange in an IPO that could raise up to £500 million. So why now and how did it get to where it has?

Admiral Group, a financial services company, announced that it has agreed to sell Penguin Portals Group and its 50% share of Preminen Price Comparison Holdings Limited.

Bunzl, a multinational distribution and outsourcing company, said that “group revenue for the year is expected to increase by approximately 8%.

AstraZeneca, the global biopharmaceutical firm, announced its acquisition of rare-disease US specialist Alexion Pharmaceuticals.

British American Tobacco, the cigarettes manufacturer, said in its 2H trading update that constant currency adjusted revenue growth is now estimated to be at the high end of the 1-3% range.

Ashtead Group, an industrial equipment rental company, reported that 2Q underlying EPS fell 6% on year to 54.3p.

AstraZeneca reported: "Positive high-level results from an interim analysis of clinical trials of AZD1222 in the UK and Brazil showed the vaccine was highly effective in preventing COVID-19".

Sage Group, an enterprise software company, posted underlying operating profit down 6.7% to 411 million pounds that missed estimates.

Royal Mail, a postal service and courier company, posted 1H adjusted profit before tax declined 87.7% on year.

Halfords, the provider of motoring and cycling products and services, posted 1H underlying profit before tax of 56 million pounds, compared with a profit before tax of 27.5 million pounds in the prior year.

EasyJet, a low-cost airline, posted full-year loss before tax of 1.27 billion pounds, compared with a profit before tax of 430 million pounds in the prior year.

Vodafone, the telecommunications group, reported that 1H adjusted EPS jumped to 0.0411 euro from 0.0085 euro in the prior-year period.

In a trading update today, the housebuilding company Persimmon said that it will pay shareholders an additional dividend on back on strong 3Q performance.

Associated British Foods, a food processing and retailing company, reported that full-year adjusted EPS declined 40% on year to 81.1p.

NatWest, a banking group, announced that it swung to a 3Q profit after tax of 148 million pounds from a loss after tax of 209 million pounds in the prior-year period.