FTSE 100 Seen Starting First Trading Day of 2022 Higher
0735 GMT - The FTSE 100 is expected to start its first trading day of 2022 in positive territory after U.S. equities reached record highs on Monday despite rising coronavirus cases due to the Omicron variant. Spreadbetting firm IG sees the London blue-chip index starting 42 points higher. "Globally, there is a lot of news regarding the rising Omicron cases, but there is also a lot of news that the Omicron cases are not as deadly as the previous variants of Covid," Swissquote Bank analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya says. "And investors prefer focusing on a glass half full rather than a glass half empty at the start of the year." (renae.dyer@wsj.com)
Companies News:
Wizz Air Passenger Numbers Rose 30% in 2021
Wizz Air Holdings PLC said Tuesday that its passenger numbers nearly quadrupled in December and rose 30% during 2021.
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Tasty's December Trading Was Disappointing After Spread of Omicron Covid-19 Variant
Tasty PLC said Tuesday that second-half trading up to December 2021 was extremely encouraging, but that business for December, which is normally its strongest performing month, was disappointing after a rise in infection rates of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.
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Amigo Holdings Confirms Early Redemption of GBP184.1M of Sr Secured Notes
Amigo Holdings PLC on Tuesday confirmed the early redemption of 184.1 million pounds ($248.2 million) of its 7.625% senior secured notes due in 2024.
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Zenith Energy Reports Record Profitability for Italian Power Business
Zenith Energy Ltd. said Tuesday that its power-generation business in Italy achieved record profitability.
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IQGeo Gets $4.5 Mln Contract With US Telecom Operator
IQGeo Group PLC said Tuesday that it has secured a five-year $4.5 million contract for fiber-network planning, design, and construction management with a major U.S. telecom network operator.
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Avation PLC Says Philippine Airlines Has Exited Bankruptcy and Is Up to Date with Payments
Avation PLC said Tuesday that its customer Philippine Airlines has exited bankruptcy, has received court approval for its restructuring plan, and is up to date with its payments.
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Genel Suspends Drilling at Qara Dagh Well in Iraq
Genel Energy PLC said Tuesday that it has suspended drilling operations at the QD-2 well of the Qara Dagh oil project in the Iraqi Kurdistan, where it holds a 40% stake.
Market Talk:
Pound Falls, But Its Prospects Look Promising
Sterling pulls back after recent gains that saw it hit a seven-week high of $1.3551 on Friday, but Jefferies sees scope for it to rise further on diminishing Covid-19 concerns and prospects of the Bank of England raising interest rates again. GBP/USD is well-placed to vault above chart resistance at the 100-day moving average, currently at 1.3564, Jefferies' analysts say. "The U.K. has done a great job trying to remain open and there are early indications that Omicron may be peaking," they say. If true, this could "add further momentum" to sterling's rise in recent weeks and could put more pressure on the BOE to raise rates again on Feb. 3, the analysts say. (jessica.fleetham@wsj.com)
Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires; Dow Jones Newswires; paul.larkins@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
01-04-22 0257ET
