UKX FTSE 100 Index

Sterling at Risk of Falling if BOE Lifts Rates 25Bp

0811 GMT - Sterling could weaken as the Bank of England is likely to raise interest rates by less than the market expects in a policy decision later, Unicredit Research says. "Sterling is exposed to downside risks, even against the weaker USD, if the U.K. central bank underdelivers as we expect, by hiking the base rate by only 25 basis points to 3.75% compared to market expectations of a straight 50bp move to 4.00%," Unicredit analysts say in a note. The BOE announces its decision at 1200 GMT. GBP/USD trades flat at 1.2375 but EUR/GBP rises 0.1% to 0.8885. (renae.dyer@wsj.com)

 
Companies News: 

Airtel Africa 3Q Pretax Profit Fell on Rising Costs

Airtel Africa PLC said Thursday that third-quarter pretax profit fell despite a revenue increase, due to inflationary pressures across its markets.

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Superdry CEO Julian Dunkerton Has No Plans to Take Company Private

Superdry PLC founder and Chief Executive Officer Julian Dunkerton said Thursday that he has no plans to take the company private.

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BT Group Nine-Month Pretax Profit Fell Depreciation Offset Ebitda Growth

BT Group PLC said Thursday that nine-month pretax profit fell due to increased depreciation that offset earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization growth.

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Shell Joins US Oil Majors in Posting Record 2022 Profit

LONDON--Shell PLC became the latest oil giant to post record annual profit last year, joining U.S. peers in surging back from early pandemic losses on soaring energy prices.

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Cranswick Says 3Q Revenue Grew; Sees In-Line FY 2023 Outlook

Cranswick PLC on Thursday said its full-year outlook remains in line with the board's expectations as it saw revenue growth accelerating in the third quarter of fiscal 2023.

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Shell Joins U.S. Oil Majors in Posting Record 2022 Profit -- WSJ

By Jenny Strasburg

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JTC Sees Double-Digit 2022 Revenue Growth; Ebitda at Top End of Market Views

JTC PLC said Thursday that for 2022 it booked double-digit net organic revenue growth and that underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization will be at the top end of the range of market expectations

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James Halstead Sees 1H Pretax Profit Slipping But Remains Positive for FY 2023

James Halstead PLC said Thursday that it expects profit for the first half of fiscal 2023 to be slightly hit by continued though improving headwinds, and expectations for the full-year performance remain positive.

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ScS Group 10-Weeks Order Intake Rose; To Meet FY 2023 Market Views

ScS Group PLC said Thursday that like-for-like order intake rose in the last 10 weeks and that it is on track to meet fiscal 2023 market expectations.

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Hotel Chocolat Appoints Jon Akehurst as CFO

Hotel Chocolat Group PLC said Thursday that it has appointed Jon Akehurst as chief financial officer with effect in May 2023.

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Safestyle Sees 2022 Swing to Underlying Pretax Loss, Revenue Rising

Safestyle UK PLC said Thursday that it expects to swing to an underlying pretax loss for the year ended Jan. 1, in-line with market expectations, and revenue to rise.

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Shell Adds $41 Billion in Profit to Record Annual Haul From Oil Majors -- WSJ

By Jenny Strasburg

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BT Group Nine-Month Pretax Profit Fell as Depreciation Offset Ebitda Growth -- Update

BT Group PLC said Thursday that nine-month pretax profit fell due to increased depreciation that offset earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization growth.

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Renishaw 1H Pretax Profit Fell on Higher Costs

Renishaw PLC said Thursday that pretax profit fell for the first half of fiscal 2023 after it higher costs, and that weaker demand in the semiconductor and electronics sectors was offset by revenue growth from strategic priorities.

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Dillistone Expects to Report 2022 Revenue Growth on Improving Performance

Dillistone Group PLC said Thursday that it expects to report full-year revenue growth for 2022 after improving performance trends continued through the second half.

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Altona Rare Earths Now Raise GBP1.3 Mln Ahead of Delayed AIM IPO

Altona Rare Earths PLC said Thursday that it now plans to raise 1.3 million pounds ($1.6 million) through a share placing ahead of a planned initial public offering on London's junior AIM, after a previous fundraise expired.

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Shell 4Q Net Profit Boosted by Higher LNG, Deferred Taxes -- Energy Comment

Shell PLC on Thursday reported a 54% rise in net profit for the fourth quarter compared with the earlier quarter, which it attributed to higher liquefied natural gas trading and optimization results, favorable deferred tax movements and partly offset by lower realized oil and gas prices, and higher operating expenses. Here's what the energy giant had to say:

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PCI-PAL 1H Revenue Rose, Sees FY 2023 in Line With Views

PCI-PAL PLC said Thursday that first-half revenue rose and that adjusted Ebitda loss was better than expected as the group pipeline continues to grow.

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Xpediator Shares Rise as 2022 Pretax Profit Seen Ahead of Views

Shares in Xpediator PLC rose 13% on Thursday after the company said that it expects to report 2022 revenue at just below 400 million pounds ($494.9 million) with adjusted pretax profit significantly ahead of previous management guidance of GBP9.0 million.

 
Market Talk: 

Anglo American Can Benefit From Impact of China's Recovery on Commodity Markets

0812 GMT - For mining company Anglo American, the reopening of China's economy and subsequent recovery can provide strength in commodity markets such as copper and iron ore, analysts at Jefferies say in a note. The company had a slower start to the year for its majority-owned De Beers Group, with rough diamond sales down in early 2023, and weakening U.S. consumer spending likely to weigh on diamond markets, the analysts say. "We reiterate our longer-term buy rating on Anglo, despite our view that diamonds will likely be a headwind for 2023," the analysts say. Shares are up 0.5% at 3,406 pence. (anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com)

Shell's Record Integrated Gas Earnings Drive 4Q Outperformance

0808 GMT - Shell's fourth-quarter results--with nearly $6 billion in integrated gas earnings--confirm previous reassurances that its third-quarter disappointment wasn't structural, RBC Capital Market says in a note. The results cap off a particularly strong year for the liquid natural gas business on unprecedented volatility, RBC says. The energy major's integrated gas earnings were some 50% higher than the highest RBC estimate and overshadowed a larger-than-expected chemicals loss and a slightly weaker-than-consensus upstream result, the RBC analysts say. "At the group level, Shell's $9.8 billion earnings are the second highest on record, following the $11.5 billion reported in the second quarter of 2022," the Canadian bank says. RBC retains its outperform rating and 3,200 pence price target on Shell's stock. Shares are up 1.5% at 2,402.0 pence. (joseph.hoppe@wsj.com)

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 02, 2023 03:28 ET (08:28 GMT)

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