UKX

Christmas Season Likely to Boost UK Retail Despite Budget Pressure

1018 GMT - U.K. retailers are expected to benefit from December's key period due to the end of Covid-related restrictions despite the continued pressure on consumers' budgets, Shore Capital analysts Clive Black and Darren Shirley say in a note after the latest report of November's footfall at British retail. This Christmas season will be, for many people, the first time in three years that work colleagues, family and friends will be able to get together without the pandemic restrictions, they say. "We do expect gifting, [...] food and booze sales, we do expect the food and beverage segment to participate," they add. (michael.susin@wsj.com)

 
Companies News: 

Wizz Air Passenger Numbers Rose Significantly on Year in November

Wizz Air Holdings PLC said Friday that it carried significantly more passengers in November on year.

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Premier Miton FY 2022 Pretax Profit Fell as Assets Under Management Declined

Premier Miton Group PLC on Friday reported a fall in its full-year pretax profit as investors' reluctance to commit new investments in an uncertain market hit its assets under management, but said it has seen encouraging signs of recovery since the end of the period.

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Light Science Sees FY 2022 Revenue, Pretax Loss Missing Market Views

Light Science Technologies Holdings PLC said Friday that it expects to miss market forecasts for fiscal 2022 revenue and for pretax loss to be wider than consensus expectations, as clients face macroeconomic pressure.

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MetalNRG Gets Shareholder Request to Call Meeting to Remove Chairman, CEO

MetalNRG PLC said Friday it has received a request from shareholder Edward Spencer to call a general meeting seeking the removal of Chairman Christopher Latilla-Campbell and Chief Executive Rolf Gerritsen.

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Mind Gym 1H Pretax Profit, Revenue Rose on Favorable Currency Effects

Mind Gym PLC said Friday that pretax profit and revenue rose in the first half of fiscal 2023, boosted by favorable foreign-exchange rates.

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Goldplat Sells Remaining Shareholding in Caracal Gold

Goldplat PLC said Friday that it has sold its remaining shares in Caracal Gold PLC for an undisclosed sum.

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ScS Group CFO Chris Muir to Step Down

ScS Group PLC said on Friday that Chris Muir will be stepping down as chief financial officer but will remain with the company to work his 12-month notice.

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ASOS Interim CFO Katy Mecklenburgh to Step Down, Become Softcat CFO

ASOS PLC on Friday said its interim Chief Financial Officer Katy Mecklenburgh will step down from the role to become Softcat PLC's CFO after working her six-month notice.

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HeiQ Acquires Chem-Tex Laboratories for $2.5 Mln in U.S. Expansion

HeiQ PLC on Friday said it acquired North Carolina-based specialty chemicals company Chem-Tex Laboratories for $2.5 million as it seeks to expand in the U.S.

 
Market Talk: 

OPEC+ Likely Shy of Spotlight Ahead of Russian Price Cap, EU Ban

1009 GMT - OPEC+ is likely to keep its production levels little changed at its meeting Sunday as it sits out the uncertainty pervading oil markets, DNB Markets says. The group's meeting comes a day ahead of an EU embargo and G-7 price cap on Russian oil and OPEC won't want to be blamed for any price moves that result from those measures, DNB says. "OPEC+ does not want to be in the spotlight if there is any risk of oil prices surging," it says in a note. "Better to aim for a low-profile meeting that leaves...the attention focus elsewhere." Still, some investors might be expecting a production cut so no change to output levels could potentially undermine prices if those bets proved unfounded, DNB says.(william.horner@wsj.com)

Contact: London NewsPlus; paul.larkins@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 02, 2022 05:41 ET (10:41 GMT)

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