FTSE 100 Rises as Traders Eye US Jobs Data

The FTSE 100 rises 0.1% to 7174 points as investors look ahead to the release of August's U.S. nonfarm payrolls report, due at 1230 GMT. "The NFP is always good for some juicy volatility intra-session, but this one will assume potentially greater importance than usual, as the headline result will go a long way towards solidifying financial markets' timing of the Federal Reserve's [plans to taper asset purchases]," Oanda analyst Jeffrey Halley says. "As ever, the range of forecasts is far and wide, but the median consensus seems to be around 750,000 jobs added," Halley says. Nonfarm payrolls rose 943,000 in July. 


 
Companies News:

Petrofac Wins EUR100 Mln Contract in Libya

Petrofac Ltd. said Friday it has secured a 100 million euro ($118.7 million) contract with Zallaf Libya Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Co.

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Triple Point Social Housing Says 1H Net Asset Value Remained Flat

Triple Point Social Housing REIT PLC said Friday that its net asset value stayed flat over the first half of the year, suggesting it declined in the second quarter.

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Eurocell Swung to 1H Pretax Profit, Reinstates Dividend

Eurocell PLC said Friday that it swung to a pretax profit for the first half of 2021 as revenue increased, and that it was returning to dividend payments.

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Serica Energy Appoints Andrew Bell CFO

Serica Energy PLC said Friday that Andrew Stuart Bell has been appointed as chief financial officer and a director of the company with immediate effect.

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Cinven Concedes to Apax in Takeover Battle for Sanne Group

Cinven Group Ltd. said Friday that it doesn't intend to make another offer for Sanne Group PLC, putting an end to a bidding war between private-equity firms for the provider of alternative asset and corporate services.

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Mercantile Investment Trust Raises GBP150 Mln in Long-Term Debt

Mercantile Investment Trust PLC said Friday that it has raised 150 million pounds ($207.5 million) in long-term debt via the issue of unsecured notes.

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Alba Mineral's Greenland Spinout to Raise GBP5.1M in London IPO

Shares in Alba Mineral Resources PLC rose Friday as its Greenlandic spinout GreenRoc Mining PLC said it intends to raise 5.1 million pounds ($7.1 million) at its initial public offering in London.

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International Public Partnerships Increases Holding in Angel Trains

International Public Partnerships Ltd. said on Friday that it will increase its shareholding in U.K. rolling stock company, Angel Trains, by a further approximately 5%, and that it will acquire the shareholding from AMP Capital and associated investors.

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Watchstone Says Polygon's Final Offer Undervalues Company

Watchstone Group PLC said Friday that the final takeover offer from Polygon Global Partners LLP undervalues the company. 


 
Market Talk:

Berkeley Group Shares Edge Up After Dull Trading Update

Shares in Berkeley Group are up 0.2% after it released a trading update for the four months through August. The statement has positive commentary, as expected, but lacks detail, Jefferies says. Berkeley Group has significant long-term potential, but today's statement is unlikely to provide much of a catalyst, the U.S. bank says. Berkeley's comment on underlying reservations suggests business has picked up, but cash due on forward sales doesn't show the momentum as it is guided to be unchanged at the end of the first half of the fiscal year. Jefferies has a buy rating on the house builder.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

09-03-21 0438ET