The FTSE 100 closed Friday up 0.05% in a reduced session, heading into the festive period with a much better year behind it than some of its peers. Unless U.S. markets can stage a late save in the afternoon, it's going to be a rather sour end to the year for equities, IG Group PLC chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp said in a market comment. "In such a tough year for stocks, it is an achievement for the FTSE 100 to finish for Christmas more or less flat for the year so far, while others have suffered much more," Beauchamp says. But with the global economy staring recession in the face, there's unlikely to be too much optimism heading into the new year, Beauchamp says.
Companies News:
Online Blockchain Warns of Going-Concern Uncertainty
Online Blockchain PLC said Friday that there is material uncertainty about its ability to continue as a going concern as it reported a swing to a pretax loss for fiscal 2022 after booking higher costs.
---
Gfinity FY 2022 Pretax Loss Widened, Revenue Fell on Strategic Priorities
Gfinity PLC said Friday that its fiscal 2022 pretax loss widened slightly and revenue fell on strategic prioritization, though it expects revenue growth from investments from 2023 onwards.
---
Mothercare's New CEO Daniel Le Vesconte to Start on Jan. 16
Mothercare PLC said Friday that Daniel Le Vesconte will start as its new chief executive on Jan. 16, when he will also join the board.
---
Indus Gas 1H Pretax Profit Fell on Higher Costs
Indus Gas Ltd. said Friday that pretax profit for the first half of fiscal 2023 fell after it booked higher costs, and that it has agreed a partial refinancing of its medium-term notes.
---
Inchcape Expects Derco Acquisition to Complete Before Year End
Inchcape PLC said Friday that it expects its acquisition of Derco to complete before the end of the year after it secured shareholder approval and merger control approval from the Peruvian authorities.
---
RC365 Swung to 1H Pretax Loss on Higher Costs
RC365 Holding PLC said Friday that it swung to a pretax loss for the first half of fiscal 2023 after booking higher costs, and that it was exploring business opportunities in the U.K., Singapore and Hong Kong.
---
Crystal Amber Fund Calls for Removal of Hurricane Energy Executive, Chairman
Crystal Amber Fund Ltd. said Friday that has requisitioned a general meeting of Hurricane Energy PLC, calling for the removal of six members of the board and nominating several replacements.
---
CapCo Takeover of Shaftesbury Faces UK Antitrust Regulator Probe
The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority said on Friday that it has started an investigation into the merger between Capital & Counties Properties PLC and Shaftesbury PLC.
---
Symphony Environmental Shares Fall on Widening of 2022 Loss
Symphony Environmental Technologies PLC shares fell Friday after the company said it expects to report a widened pretax loss for 2022, but that it sees as return to profitability in the first quarter of 2023.
---
Cellular Goods Sahres Fall on Widened FY 2022 Pretax Loss
Cellular Goods PLC shares fell Friday after the company said its fiscal 2022 pretax loss widened after it booked higher costs.
---
Curtis Banks Gets Deadline Extension in Nucleus Takeover Talks
Curtis Banks Group PLC said Friday that it is close to agreeing on transaction documentation in a possible offer from Nucleus Financial Platforms Ltd., and has agreed a deadline extension for Nucleus to make a firm offer.
---
Cornerstone FS Sells Avila House to Aspire Commerce for GBP300,000
Cornerstone FS PLC said Friday that it has agreed to sell noncore subsidiary Avila House Ltd. to Aspire Commerce Ltd. for 300,000 pounds ($361,350).
---
Kore Potash COO to Leave at End of January
Kore Potash PLC said Friday that Chief Operating Officer Gavin Chamberlain will leave the company at the end of January to take on a role located closer to his home base.
---
Seeen Raises GBP2.6 Mln in Fundraising to Support Sales, Marketing, Technology
Seeen PLC said Friday that it has raised gross proceeds of around 2.6 million pounds ($3.1 million) in a fundraising, to be used to bolster the sales and marketing team and invest into technology development projects.
---
Walker Crips 1H Pretax Profit Rose as Revenue Increased
Walker Crips Group PLC said Friday that pretax profit rose for the first half of fiscal 2023 as revenue increased on a strong contribution from its structured products business, and that it is facing headwinds stemming from various macroeconomic uncertainties in the second half.
---
Massive Government Borrowing Looms Over European Markets -- WSJ
By Chelsey Dulaney
---
Microsoft Tech to Boost London Stock Exchange's Quest for Data Dominance -- WSJ
By Josh Mitchell
---
Crystal Amber Fund Calls for Removal of Hurricane Energy Executives, Chairman -- Update
Crystal Amber Fund Ltd. said Friday that has requisitioned a general meeting of Hurricane Energy PLC, calling for the removal of six members of the board and nominating several replacements.
---
Abrdn Confirms CFO Stephanie Bruce Will Leave Role in Coming Months
Abrdn PLC confirmed Friday that Chief Financial Officer Stephanie Bruce would be leaving her role in the coming months.
---
Globalworth Real Estate Gets Two New Credit Facilities Totaling EUR160 Mln
Globalworth Real Estate Investments Ltd. said Friday that it has agreed two new credit facilities totaling 160 million euros ($169.6 million) with Erste Group.
Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires;
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
12-23-22 0835ET
