FTSE 100 Tipped to Fall After Mixed Asia Trading

0729 GMT - The FTSE 100 is expected to open 24 points lower at 7470, according to CMC Markets, after mixed trading in Asia. Markets in mainland China and Japan are higher, but lower in Hong Kong. "Ahead of this week's Fed meeting, we'll be getting the latest flash PMIs from Germany, France and the U.K. for January and they aren't expected to be particularly positive," CMC analyst Michael Hewson says. (philip.waller@wsj.com)

 
Companies News: 

Activist Investor Nelson Peltz Buys Stake in Unilever

Trian Fund Management LP, the activist hedge fund run by Nelson Peltz, has acquired a stake in Unilever PLC, according to people familiar with the matter, adding pressure to the packaged food and consumer goods giant in the wake of its failed $68-billion bid for GlaxoSmithKline PLC's consumer-health business.

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MyHealthChecked 2021 Performance Strong, 1H 2022 Prospects Positive

MyHealthChecked PLC said Monday that its performance in 2021 was successful amid the high demand of Covid-19 tests, and that it is confident about its prospects for the first half of 2022.

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TouchStar Sees More Than Doubled Pretax Profit for 2021

TouchStar PLC said Monday that it expects to report more than doubled pretax profit for 2021, above market expectations.

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Belluscura 2021 Demand for Portable Oxygen Concentrator Beats Views

Belluscura PLC said Monday that demand for its portable oxygen concentrator exceeded its views for 2021, and that it remained debt free for the whole year.

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Spirax-Sarco to Buy Cotopaxi for GBP13.3 Mln

Spirax-Sarco Engineering PLC said Monday it has agreed to buy Cotopaxi Ltd. from China's Business Intelligence of Oriental Nations Corp. for 13.3 million pounds ($18 million).

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Empyrean Energy Starts Legal Proceedings Against Cyber Fraudster

Empyrean Energy PLC said Monday that it has started legal proceedings in Singapore against the company believed to have committed a cyber fraud.

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Mirriad Advertising Expects Lower 2021 Revenue

Mirriad Advertising PLC said Monday that it expects to report a fall in revenue for 2021 and that year-on-year growth in the U.S. has been strong.

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Gulf Marine Services Expects 2022 Ebitda to Grow In Line With Market Views

Gulf Marine Services PLC on Monday forecast that its earnings will rise in 2022 in line with market expectations.

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TomCo Energy Raises GBP1.3 Mln to Fund Drilling at Utah Site

TomCo Energy PLC said Monday that it has raised 1.3 million pounds ($1.8 million) via share issue to fund three exploration wells at the Tar Sands II site in Utah.

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De La Rue Expects FY 2022 Operating Profit Below Market Views

De La Rue PLC said Monday that it anticipates that adjusted operating profit for fiscal 2022 will be below market expectations because of the impact of the Omicron and Delta Covid-19 variants at manufacturing facilities.

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AdvancedAdvT's Latest Proposal to Buy M&C Saatchi Rejected

AdvancedAdvT Ltd. said Monday that it has submitted an improved takeover proposal to M&C Saatchi PLC which it says has been rejected by the U.K. advertising company.

 
Market Talk: 

High Natural Gas Prices Could Persist Even After Winter

0344 GMT - High natural gas prices could persist even after the peak winter heating season ends in February, Goldman Sachs says. European gas markets are in focus, the investment bank says; while storage levels there look sufficient, "we estimate that a one-standard-deviation colder-than-average Feb-Mar would lead end-winter inventories below the record lows of 2018, with electricity blackouts likely," Goldman says. A wider, global economic impact is also probable, it says. Not only is gas one of the most important commodities for winter heating and power generation, but large swathes of industry rely on the fuel for manufacturing. Earnings of companies in energy-intensive sectors could also take a hit, it says. (yongchang.chin@wsj.com)

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Rio's Jadar Setback No Surprise, But Could Have Consequences

2238 GMT - Serbia's decision to revoke licenses and cancel a spatial plan for Rio Tinto's Jadar project, according to comments from Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, shouldn't come as a surprise to investors given earlier concerns raised about the controversial lithium project, says Morgan Stanley. But it does diminish the chances of the project going ahead as planned, says MS, which expects a need for more consultation and negotiation that will lead to greater delays. "This would also slow Rio Tinto's ambitions in increasing portfolio exposure to future-facing commodities and could prompt a more aggressive quest for inorganic growth," says the bank. (rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com; @RhiannonHoyle)

 

Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires; Dow Jones Newswires; paul.larkins@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 24, 2022 03:11 ET (08:11 GMT)

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