FTSE 100 to Open Higher as Traders Eye Fed Minutes

The FTSE 100 is expected to open higher as traders look ahead to the minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting. Spreadbetting firm IG expects London's blue-chip index to start trading up 15 points after finishing Tuesday's session down 64 points. The minutes of the Fed's policy decision last month when the central bank brought forward its interest rate rise expectations, are due at 1800 GMT. "We expect the minutes from what was widely acknowledged as a hawkish FOMC meeting to display a fair amount of back and forth among the members," RBC Capital Markets analyst Elsa Lignos says. 


 
Companies News:

888 Holdings Says 2Q Was Better Than Expected

888 Holdings PLC said Wednesday that its second-quarter performance was ahead of its board's views and that full-year adjusted earnings are expected to be slightly ahead of the prior year despite investment and potential second-half challenges.

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Countryside Properties to Focus on Partnership Business; To Launch Share Buybacks

Countryside Properties PLC said Wednesday that following a strategic review the board concluded that in future the company will focus all its resources on its partnerships business and that it will launch a share buy back shortly.

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Renishaw Upgrades FY 2021 Guidance; Discards Formal Sale Process

Renishaw PLC on Wednesday upgraded its fiscal 2021 revenue and adjusted pretax profit guidance, and said its formal sale process didn't result in a new owner for the company.

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J.D. Wetherspoon Expects to Make a Loss for FY 2021

J.D. Wetherspoon PLC on Wednesday said that it still expects to make a loss for the year ending July 25, and that it will enter into discussions with lenders regarding waivers for fiscal 2022 in due course.

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PageGroup Raises 2021 Guidance After 2Q Gross Profit Exceeds 2019 Level

PageGroup PLC on Wednesday raised its operating profit guidance for 2021 after gross profit for the second quarter nearly doubled compared with last year and exceeded its pre-pandemic level.

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Rio Tinto Appoints New Chief Legal Officer

Rio Tinto PLC said Wednesday that it has appointed Isabelle Deschamps, who is currently general counsel at Dutch paints company Akzo Nobel NV, to succeed Barbara Levi as its chief legal officer and external affairs.

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Shell to Increase Shareholder Distributions

Distributions will move to 20%-30% of free cash flow from operations

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Vistry Group Says 1H Performance Beat Expectations

Vistry Group PLC said Wednesday that its first-half performance beat its expectations at the start of the year and that it is confident it will deliver consensus forecasts for the full year.

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Redrow's FY Revenue Seen to Rise; Current Trading Strong

Redrow PLC said Wednesday that it expects to report a rise in revenue for fiscal 2021, adding that its performance continued to be strong in the second half of the year, achieving a higher sales rate.

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Ferrexpo Reports Higher 2Q Production, Appoints New CFO

Ferrexpo PLC on Wednesday reported that its iron ore pellet production increased in the second quarter, and appointed Nikolay Kladiev as chief financial officer.

Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires; +44-20-7842-931

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

07-07-21 0309ET