UKX FTSE 100 Index

FTSE 100 Seen Tracking Gains in Asia After China Cuts Rates

0748 GMT - The FTSE 100 is expected to open higher following gains in Asian stocks, supported by strong Japanese exports data and the People's Bank of China easing monetary policy further. Spreadbetting firm IG expects the London index to rise 42 points at the start of trading. The PBOC lowered its one-year and five-year loan prime rates to prop up China's slowing economy amid a property downturn. "We expect additional easing to follow in the coming months, including measures to push down deposit rates," Capital Economics economist Julian Evans-Pritchard says. Meanwhile, data showed Japan's exports jumped 17.5% in December. (renae.dyer@wsj.com)

 
Companies News: 

DS Smith Says Performance Has Remained in Line With Expectations Since Dec. 9

DS Smith PLC said Thursday that its performance since Dec. 9 has been in line with the board's expectations for a "significant improvement" in second-half profit.

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Deliveroo 2021 Gross Transaction Value Growth Was at Top End of Expectations

Deliveroo PLC said Thursday that its gross transaction value growth in 2021 was at the top end of the guidance range.

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AJ Bell's 1Q Total Assets Under Management Rose

AJ Bell PLC said Thursday that total assets under management for the first quarter of fiscal 2022 rose, driven by its platform propositions and investment business.

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Kier Sees 1H Results In Line With Expectations

Kier Group PLC said Thursday that it expects to report results in line with internal expectations for the first half ended Dec. 31.

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Entain 4Q Net Gaming Revenue Rose; Raises 2021 Guidance

Entain PLC said Thursday that net gaming revenue rose in the fourth quarter and it raised earnings guidance for 2021 as all major markets performed well.

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Associated British Foods 1Q Revenue Rose Despite Omicron Hit to Primark Sales

Associated British Foods PLC said Thursday that revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2022 rose on year despite Primark sales declining, and left its full-year guidance unchanged.

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Smiths News Says Fiscal 2022 Performance to Date in Line With Views

Smiths News PLC said on Thursday that its overall performance for fiscal 2022 to date was in line with market expectations, and that the uncertainty and restrictions stemming from the Omicron coronavirus variant has only had a limited effect on its markets.

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Hochschild Mining Expects Unit Costs to Rise in 2022

Hochschild Mining PLC on Thursday forecast higher costs for 2022 and reported operational performance in line with expectations for 2021.

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Premier Foods Says 3Q Beat Expectations; Raises FY 2022 Profit Expectations

Premier Foods PLC said Thursday that its third-quarter was ahead of expectations and that it has increased its profit forecasts for fiscal 2022.

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Wickes Group Core Like-for-Like Sales Fell 6.8% in 4Q; Backs 2021 Guidance

Wickes Group PLC said Thursday that core like-for-like sales fell 6.8% of the final quarter of last year, though they were up 26% on a two-year basis, and backed its full-year guidance.

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N. Brown Expects Lower Adjusted Ebitda for FY 2022

N. Brown Group PLC said on Thursday that it expects adjusted adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for fiscal 2022 to be at the lower end of previous guidance, and that product revenue from strategic brands grew 5.5% in the third quarter.

 
Market Talk: 

GSK Isn't Expected to Accept Unilever's Offer for Consumer Health Arm

0643 GMT - Unilever has announced that their GBP50 billion offer for GlaxoSmithKline's consumer health assets is final, and the probability that GSK will now accept it is low--although not zero--Jefferies says. The most likely scenario for Unilever is that they start architecting a more measured transformation, one that embraces disposals and acquisitions, but there is a remote possibility that GSK accepts the GBP50 billion offer, which represents a materially lower amount that the market was worried about, Jefferies says. Either way, Unilever has taken an opportunity to reiterate their commitment to financial discipline, organization reshaping and portfolio rotation, the U.S. bank says. (jaime.llinares@wsj.com)

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 20, 2022 03:09 ET (08:09 GMT)

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