The FTSE 100 closed its final pre-Christmas session up 0.22% on Friday. The shortened session's rise has capped an overall rebound for the week, taking its lead from a better finish in U.S. markets last night, IG Group PLC chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp said. "The FTSE 100 has not had as stellar a year as some, but the recovery of [around] 7400 today puts it in good stead for the year ahead, and means a run at the pre-pandemic highs could still be possible if Omicron concerns can be kept under control and earnings continue to recover in the fashion they have throughout 2021," Mr. Beauchamp said. 


 
Companies News:

Babcock International Completes Sale of UK Power Business for GBP50 Mln

Babcock International Group PLC said Friday that it has completed the sale of its power business to M Group Services for a cash consideration of 50 million pounds ($67.1 million).

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Reckitt Benckiser Proposes Sale of E45 Brands to Karo Pharma

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC said Friday it is proposing to sell its E45 skincare brand and related sub-brands to Karo Pharma AB for an implied enterprise value of 200 million pounds ($268.2 million).

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Capita to Sell AMT Sybex for up to GBP40 Mln

Capita PLC said Friday that it has agreed to sell AMT Sybex to Jonas Computing (UK) Ltd. for up to 40 million pounds ($53.6 million).

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DCD Media 1H Results Were Stable Despite Covid-19 Disruptions

DCD Media PLC reported Friday a stable set of results for the first half of fiscal 2022, and said its underlying performance was consistent with that in the year-earlier period, and also in line with management expectations.

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Kazera Global Gets More Time to Report FY 2021 Results; Sees Widened Loss

Kazera Global PLC said Friday it has been granted an additional period of three months to publish its results for fiscal 2021, which are expected to be marked by a widened loss.

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Trafalgar Property 1H Pretax Loss Widened, Revenue Fell

Trafalgar Property Group PLC said Friday that its pretax loss widened in the first half of fiscal 2022, with a sharp fall in revenue, due to the impact of long planning delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Thruvision Says Executive Chairman Increased Shareholding at Discount

Thruvision Group PLC said Friday that Executive Chairman Tom Black on Thursday purchased 1.8 million shares in the company at a discounted price.

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Science Group Agrees New GBP25 Mln Banking Facility

Science Group PLC said Friday that it has agreed a new banking facility worth up to 25 million pounds ($33.5 million).

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Barkby Group FY 2021 Pretax Loss Widened; Confident About a Return to Profit

Barkby Group PLC on Friday reported a widened pretax loss for fiscal 2021, though it said it is in a position to return to profitability backed by its commercial-property division's performance.

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Deepmatter Group Shares Drop on Share-Placing at Significant Discount

Shares in Deepmatter Group PLC on Friday fell after the company said it aims to raise gross proceeds of 2.6 million pounds ($3.5 million) via a placing and subscription at a material discount.

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Thailand's Central Group, Austria's Signa to Acquire U.K.'s Selfridges

Central Group, a sprawling retail and real-estate conglomerate run by one of Thailand's richest families, has agreed to acquire British luxury retailer Selfridges Group along with an Austrian partner, marking the latest step in the Thai retail empire's aggressive expansion in Europe.

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Infrastructure India 1H Pretax Loss Widened; In Talks to Sell IEL, DLI

Infrastructure India PLC on Friday reported a widened pretax loss for the first half of fiscal 2022, as the company is looking to sell assets to continue meeting its liabilities.

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Dev Clever Requests Trading Suspension on AIM Market as It Awaits FCA Approval for Takeover

Dev Clever Holdings PLC said Friday that it has requested the suspension of its listing on the AIM market until the Financial Conduct Authority approves the eligibility of the enlarged group with Veative Labs Pte Ltd.

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MAC Alpha Starts Trading on LSE's Main Market

MAC Alpha Ltd. said Friday its shares have begun trading on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market.

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Rosseti Lenenergo Appoints Igor Kuzmin as Director General

Rosseti PJSC said Friday that Rosseti Lenenergo PJSC's board has appointed Igor Kuzmin as the director general. 


 
Market Talk:

UK 10Y Gilt Yields Remain Elevated as Omicron Fears Linger

1006 GMT - U.K. borrowing costs over a 10-year period trade near a one-month high as fears over fresh Omicron-related restrictions linger. "The country is gripped by fears of a renewed lockdown," says Societe Generale's Klaus Baader. The widespread expectation is that some fresh restrictions will be introduced in the days immediately after Christmas to quell the rapid spread of the Omicron variant through the country, he says, noting that the U.K. government has already been advised to introduce a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown. January business survey data should provide "a serious idea of the likely impact," he adds. The 10-year gilt yield trades last at 0.918%, according to Tradeweb.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

12-24-21 0757ET