FTSE 100 Set for Muted Start After BOE Decision

FTSE 100 Set for Muted Start After BOE Decision

0658 GMT - The FTSE 100 is expected to start trading flat, according to spreadbetting firm IG, after rising in the previous session following the Bank of England's decision to maintain its ultra-loose policies. The BOE on Thursday held interest rates at 0.1% and left its bond-buying program unchanged. Meanwhile, travel shares will be in focus Friday after the U.K. government added new countries to its so-called green travel list. In the U.S., President Biden on Thursday announced that the White House had struck an infrastructure deal with a bipartisan group of senators. "While the agreement is welcome it still faces a high bar in passing into law given the Democrats narrow majorities on Capitol Hill," CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson says. ([e-mail])

 
Companies News: 

Angle Plans to Raise Up to GBP20 Mln

Angle PLC said Thursday that it plans to raise up to 20 million pounds ($27.9 million) via a discounted fundraising to expand its activities and build a senior management team in the U.S.

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Amigo Extends Securitization Facility Waiver Period

Amigo Holdings PLC said Friday that it has agreed to extend the waiver period of its securitization facility to Sept. 24.

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Marshall Motor Sees 2021 Earnings Significantly Above Views

Marshall Motor Holdings PLC on Friday forecast that its 2021 underlying pretax profit will be significantly above current market expectations, and said that it will consider resuming the dividend when it releases interim results in August.

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Xpediator Raises 2021 Guidance

Xpediator PLC on Friday raised its 2021 profit guidance after a strong first half.

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CMOStores.com to Seek London IPO in Early July

CMOStores.com Ltd. said Friday that it intends to float on London's AIM in early July, for an undisclosed amount.

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CD&R Considering Improved Offer of GBP2.76 Bln for UDG Healthcare

UDG Healthcare PLC said on Friday that Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, LLC affiliate Nenelite Ltd. is considering an improved and final offer of around 2.76 billion pounds ($3.84 billion) after previously agreeing to a GBP2.61 billion takeover in May.

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Zenith Energy Extends Deadline for Tunisian Assets Acquisition

Zenith Energy Ltd. said that the longstop date for its acquisition of a participation in two hydrocarbon concessions in Tunisia has been extended to Oct. 31.

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Inspiration Healthcare Says It Has Had a Good Start to FY 2022

Inspiration Healthcare Group PLC said Friday that it has a had a good start to fiscal 2022 as interest in its products remained high and the company had a strong order book.

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CMA Weighs Probe of TravelSupermarket-Icelolly Merger

The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority said Friday that it is considering whether the merger between TravelSupermarket and Icelolly Marketing Ltd. will result in competition issues.

 
Market Talk: 

Deliveroo's Gig-Economy Battle Isn't Over, Hargreaves Lansdown Says

1630 GMT - Deliveroo has won the latest skirmish in its legal fight over its gig-economy model, but the battle is far from over, Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Susannah Streeter says. The U.K. Court of Appeal confirmed that the U.K. food-delivery company's riders are self-employed, dismissing a union appeal. However, a European Commission review of the gig economy is still under way and investors might push companies to tweak their models, Streeter says. "There is now much more attention being placed on environmental, social and governance issues, with workers' rights increasingly under scrutiny. So while Deliveroo might have still won for now on legal grounds, the jury is still out in the court of public opinion," Streeter says. ([e-mail])

Deliveroo Shares Have Best Day Since IPO After Favorable Ruling

1608 GMT - Deliveroo shares closed up 9.3% and had their best one-day percentage gain since the company's listing in late March after the U.K. Court of Appeal confirmed that its riders are self-employed. Investors cheered news that the U.K. food-delivery company defended its business model in court, with judges dismissing a union appeal, Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Susannah Streeter says. "Concern about the company's reliance on the gig economy model was one of the factors which contributed to its disastrous IPO in March," Streeter says. Deliveroo shares closed at 274.90 pence, but are still 30% below their IPO price of 390 pence. ([e-mail])

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

06-25-21 0317ET