Airline Stocks Slide as EU and UK Move to Ban Some Flights on Fresh Covid-19 Concerns

0843 GMT - Shares in European airlines open sharply lower after the EU looks to halt flights from South Africa over concerns about a new variant of Covid-19. The European Commission will propose activating an emergency mechanism to stop air travel from the region, President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted early Friday. The U.K. has also issued a temporary flight ban on six African countries, including South Africa. Shares in Lufthansa are down 11%, Air France-KLM drops 9.4%, British Airways owner IAG falls 14%, easyJet is down 13% and Ryanair declines 9.5%. European equity markets trade sharply lower on concerns about the new variant. (cristina.roca@wsj.com; @_cristinaroca)

 
Companies News: 

Blue Prism Agrees to Increased GBP1.22 Bln Takeover by Vista Funds

Blue Prism Group PLC said late Thursday that it has agreed to and recommended an increased 1.22 billion-pound ($1.63 billion) final offer from Bali Bidco Ltd., a company indirectly owned by the Vista Funds.

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Diageo Starts Next Tranche of Return to Capital Program

Diageo PLC said Friday that that it has started the next tranche of its return of capital program of up to 4.5 billion pounds ($5.99 billion) to shareholders by the end of June 2024.

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ScS Group Two-Year 16 Week Comparable Orders Were Up 0.9%

ScS Group PLC said Friday that two-year like-for-like order growth for the 16 weeks ended Nov. 20 was 0.9%, but that it has experienced a fall in store footfall and subsequent sales over the past seven weeks with customers spending less on big ticket items.

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Kitwave Group Performs Ahead of Views in 2H; Appoints COO

Kitwave Group PLC said Friday that it performed ahead of revenue expectations in the second half of fiscal 2021 and that this has led to its operating profit being significantly ahead of views.

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Essentra's CFO to Leave by End 1H 2022

Essentra PLC said Friday that Chief Financial Officer Lily Liu is leaving the company to take up a new role at Synthomer PLC.

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Parkmead Shares Fall on Significantly Widened FY Pretax Loss

Shares in Parkmead Group PLC on Friday fell after the company reported a significantly widened pretax loss for fiscal 2021 despite higher gas prices.

 
Market Talk: 

S&P Might Raise Ireland's Outlook to Positive, Though It's Not a Done Deal

0738 GMT - Ireland lines up for a review of its AA- rating by S&P Global Ratings on Friday, and while a raising of its outlook to positive from stable is possible, it isn't a done deal, analysts say. Citi's rates strategists expect no change. Danske Bank's analysts say they see a possibility that S&P will raise the outlook to positive "due to the steady budget improvement and sound public finances." Danske acknowledges that there is some uncertainty regarding Brexit, "but we expect this to be resolved." Danske's analysts also expect Irish spreads over French OATs to tighten again after some underperformance. (emese.bartha@wsj.com)

 

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 26, 2021 04:04 ET (09:04 GMT)

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