The FTSE 100 index closed Tuesday on a two-week high, boosted by China's stamp duty cut on share dealing and Wall Street's calm reaction to the Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's speech on Friday. "It all adds up to U.K. stocks returning from the August bank holiday with a lot more vim and vigor," AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould said. Housebuilders gain on the U.K. government's decision to scrap EU water pollution rules, as Persimmon and Johnson Matthey were among the top risers, up 5.3% and 4.7% respectively. The index finished up 1.7% at 7,464.99 points.


COMPANIES NEWS:

Standard Chartered to Sell Aviation Finance Business for $700 Mln

Standard Chartered agreed to sell its global aviation finance leasing business for an initial $700 million in cash to Aircraft Leasing Company, or AviLease.

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Bunzl 1H Pretax Profit Rose; Lifts 2023 Views on Operating Profit Growth

Bunzl raised its interim dividend and upgraded its full-year expectations after its first-half pretax profit rose, supported by operating profit growth.

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88 Energy to Raise Up to GBP4.5 Mln via Discounted Conditional Placing

88 Energy will raise up to 4.5 million pounds ($5.7 million) via a discounted conditional placing of up to 1.46 billion new ordinary shares which will be conducted via a bookbuild.

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IG Group CEO June Felix Steps Down

IG Group Holdings' June Felix will step down from her role as chief executive and as a director due to health reasons.

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Dalata Hotel Pretax Profit Fell on Higher Costs

Dalata Hotel Group reported a lower pretax profit for the first half after booking higher costs, but said it was optimistic for the remainder of the year and future growth prospects.

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Domino's Pizza Group to Buy Back Up to GBP70 Million in Shares

Domino's Pizza Group said it has launched a share buyback program of up to 70 million pounds ($88.2 million) with immediate effect.

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BATM Advanced Communications Pretax Profit Rises, Sees 2023 in Line With Views

BATM Advanced Communications said its first-half pretax profit rose, supported by growth in both networking and cyber and biomedical divisions, and that it sees its full-year performance in line with market views.

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Belvoir Group Buys MAB (South West)

Belvoir Group has bought financial services group MAB (South West) for 1.0 million pounds ($1.3 million) in cash.

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Grafenia to Raise Around GBP27.9 Mln

Grafenia said it will raise around 27.9 million pounds ($35.2 million) via a discounted conditional placing, a subscription, and a conditional open offer to qualifying shareholders.

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Volvere CEO Jonathan Lander Dies, COO Nick Lander Steps In

Volvere Chief Executive Jonathan Lander has passed away and Chief Operating Officer Nick Lander will take over his responsibilities.

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TPG nabs Warburg Pincus partner to head European buyouts -- Financial News

Porciani is set to lead TPG's Capital software investments in Europe from London

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Bigblu Broadband Pretax Loss Widens on Higher Costs

Bigblu Broadband reported a widened pretax loss in the first half after booking higher operating costs, but said its full-year performance remains in line with market expectations.

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Pelatro Shares Dive on AIM Listing Cancellation Plan

Shares of Pelatro fell 69% in early trade after the company said that it plans to seek shareholder approval to cancel the trading of its shares on London's junior AIM as it no longer believes that a listing is in its best interest.

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Argo Blockchain 1H Pretax Loss Narrowed Despite Lower Bitcoin Prices

Argo Blockchain said its pretax loss for the first half of 2023 narrowed despite a revenue drop due to lower Bitcoin prices.

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Faron Pharmaceuticals Leukemia Treatment Gets US FDA Orphan Drug Designation

Faron Pharmaceuticals' acute myeloid leukemia treatment Bexmarilimab has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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StreaksAI Appoints Philip Blows as CEO

StreaksAI said Philip Blows has been appointed chief executive officer with immediate effect, and that current CEO Mark Rutledge has become a nonexecutive director.

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Literacy Capital Sells Large Holding For More Than GBP20 Mln

Literacy Capital sold one of its largest investments for more than 20 million pounds ($25.2 million) in cash.

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Scancell Appoints Sath Nirmalananthan as CFO

Scancell Holdings said Sath Nirmalananthan has been appointed chief financial officer with immediate effect.


MARKET TALK:

Star Energy's Croatia Expansion Looks to Have High Upside Potential

1149 GMT - Star Energy Group's entry into Croatia is an exciting and logical step toward geothermal growth and diversification, Canaccord Genuity analyst Charlie Sharp writes in a research note. The onshore oil-and-gas company has previously indicated its aim to expand its geothermal project footprint internationally in order to grow, diversify and accelerate it transition towards a geothermal oriented business, Sharp says. "The entry into Croatia announced today fulfils all those aims," he says. "We see this low cost, relatively low risk, high potential upside step into a fast growing sustainable energy market as an exciting new phase for Star Energy." Canaccord keeps its buy rating and 66-pence price target on the stock.(christian.moess@wsj.com)

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Arrow Exploration's Good Progress Looks Set to Continue

1119 GMT - Arrow Exploration is beginning to reap the benefits of the rapid development on the Tapir license--its primary asset--and progress looks set to continue for the remainder of the year and beyond, Canaccord Genuity analyst Charlie Sharp writes in a research note. The license located in the Llanos Basin in Colombia contributed 76% of total second-quarter production as well as the overwhelming majority of revenue for the Canadian oil-and-gas company. "We continue to anticipate a busy program of development drilling across the Colombian assets from the fourth quarter and into 2024, still largely focused on Tapir," they say. Canaccord maintains a buy rating on the stock, while lowering the price target to 36 pence from 39 pence. (christian.moess@wsj.com)


Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires;


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

08-29-23 1310ET