FTSE 100 Rises as Shell Gains After Trading Update

0804 GMT - The FTSE 100 rises 0.5% to 7136 points, led by Royal Dutch Shell after the energy giant said it would increase shareholder distributions. In a second quarter trading update, Shell said it will raise total shareholder distributions to 20%-30% of cash flow from operations. Its shares rise 3.1%. Shell also receives a boost from a recovery in oil prices following the previous session's selloff amid uncertainty over OPEC's next move on crude output. Fellow energy stocks BP and BHP are also higher. Mining shares including Glencore, Rio Tinto and Anglo American gain as metal prices rise. (renae.dyer@wsj.com) 


 
Companies News:

Renishaw Upgrades FY 2021 Guidance; Discards Formal Sale Process

Renishaw PLC on Wednesday upgraded its fiscal 2021 revenue and adjusted pretax profit guidance, and said its formal sale process didn't result in a new owner for the company.

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J.D. Wetherspoon Expects to Make a Loss for FY 2021

J.D. Wetherspoon PLC on Wednesday said that it still expects to make a loss for the year ending July 25, and that it will enter into discussions with lenders regarding waivers for fiscal 2022 in due course.

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PageGroup Raises 2021 Guidance After 2Q Gross Profit Exceeds 2019 Level

PageGroup PLC on Wednesday raised its operating profit guidance for 2021 after gross profit for the second quarter nearly doubled compared with last year and exceeded its pre-pandemic level.

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Rio Tinto Appoints New Chief Legal Officer

Rio Tinto PLC said Wednesday that it has appointed Isabelle Deschamps, who is currently general counsel at Dutch paints company Akzo Nobel NV, to succeed Barbara Levi as its chief legal officer and external affairs.

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Vistry Group Says 1H Performance Beat Expectations

Vistry Group PLC said Wednesday that its first-half performance beat its expectations at the start of the year and that it is confident it will deliver consensus forecasts for the full year.

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Redrow's FY Revenue Seen to Rise; Current Trading Strong

Redrow PLC said Wednesday that it expects to report a rise in revenue for fiscal 2021, adding that its performance continued to be strong in the second half of the year, achieving a higher sales rate.

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Ferrexpo Reports Higher 2Q Production, Appoints New CFO

Ferrexpo PLC on Wednesday reported that its iron ore pellet production increased in the second quarter, and appointed Nikolay Kladiev as chief financial officer.

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Countryside Properties to Focus on Partnership Business; To Launch Share Buybacks

Countryside Properties PLC said Wednesday that following a strategic review the board concluded that in future the company will focus all its resources on its partnerships business and that it will launch a share buy back shortly.

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888 Holdings Says 2Q Was Better Than Expected

888 Holdings PLC said Wednesday that its second-quarter performance was ahead of its board's views and that full-year adjusted earnings are expected to be slightly ahead of the prior year despite investment and potential second-half challenges.

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Essentra Says 2Q Revenue Grew for Most of Its Units

Essentra PLC said Wednesday that its performance was strong in the second quarter of the year, achieving revenue growth on a like-for-like basis.

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On the Beach to Raise GBP26 Mln via Discounted Share Placing

On the Beach Group PLC said Wednesday that it will raise around 26 million pounds ($35.9 million) after completing the non-preemptive share placing announced late Tuesday.

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Somero Enterprises Expects to Surpass Its 2021 Views, Boosted by US Growth

Somero Enterprises Inc. said Wednesday that it now expects to exceed its guidance for 2021 following a stronger-than-anticipated performance in the U.S. at the end of the first half, momentum that has continued into the second half.

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Robert Walters Sees Full-Year Profit Ahead of Views After 2Q Acceleration

Robert Walters PLC said Wednesday that profit for the full year is expected to be significantly ahead of current market forecasts after its performance accelerated through the second quarter as client confidence improved.

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i3 Energy to Acquire Cenovus Energy for $52.2 Mln; Shares Fall

Shares in i3 Energy PLC dropped Wednesday after it said that it has agreed to acquire Cenovus Energy Inc. for 65 million Canadian dollars (US$52.2 million), and intends to raise at least 40 million pounds ($55.2 million) to fund the deal.

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Accesso Technology Expects 2021 Revenue Rise

Accesso Technology Group PLC said Wednesday that it expects to report a rise in revenue for 2021 and that it has continued to benefit from pent-up customer demand combined with the accelerating trend toward ecommerce.

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Rank Group Gets GBP25 Mln Revolving Credit Line

Rank Group PLC said Wednesday that it has signed an agreement for a two-year revolving credit line of 25 million pounds ($34.5 million) with Lloyds Bank PLC, which will give it room to accelerate investment.

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MyHealthChecked Says 1H Revenue Jumped, Shares Rise

Shares in MyHealthChecked PLC rose Wednesday in early trading after the company said that its revenue increased significantly in the first half of the year, driven by Covid-19 testing services.

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Sabien Technology FY 2021 Revenue Increased; Shares Rise

Shares in Sabien Technology Group PLC rose after the company said that revenue for fiscal 2021 rose, and that open orders into fiscal 2022 are around 43,000 pounds ($59,331).

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Woodbois 1H Revenue Rose Amid Timber, Veneer Production Growth

Woodbois Ltd. said Wednesday that its performance for the first half of the year was strong, boosted by revenue growth, as well as increases in sawn timber and veneer production.

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BBGI Global Infrastructure to Raise GBP50 Mln

BBGI Global Infrastructure SA said Wednesday that it will raise around 50 million pounds ($69 million) via a discounted share placing.

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Impax Asset Management's 3Q Assets Under Management Rose

Impax Asset Management Group PLC said Wednesday that assets under discretionary and advisory management for the third quarter of fiscal 2021 rose.

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Foxtons Group Chairman to Retire

Foxtons Group PLC said Wednesday that Chairman Ian Barlow plans to retire from the board once a successor has been found, but no later than Dec. 31.

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Redde Northgate FY 2021 Pretax Profit Rose; Confident on FY 2022

Redde Northgate PLC said Wednesday that pretax profit for fiscal 2021 rose thanks to higher revenue and merger synergies, and that it is well positioned for further growth in the year ahead.

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Wincanton's Strong 2H Revenue Performance Continues Into New Fiscal Year

Wincanton PLC said Wednesday that the strong revenue performance of the second half of fiscal 2021 has continued into the first quarter of fiscal 2022, and that it is trading in line with expectations.

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K3 Capital to Acquire Two Advisory Firms, Raise GBP10 Mln

K3 Capital Group PLC said Wednesday that it is acquiring advisory firms, Knight Corporate Finance Group Ltd. and Knight R&D Ltd., and intends to raise 10 million pounds ($13.8 million) to fund the deal.

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AdEpt Technology Swung to Pretax Loss in FY 2021

AdEpt Technology Group PLC on Wednesday reported a swing to pretax loss for fiscal 2021 as costs rose and revenue fell, but said the strong momentum from the last quarter of the financial year has continued into fiscal 2022.

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Ten Entertainment Returns to Profitability, Sales Growth Following Site Reopenings

Ten Entertainment Group PLC said Wednesday that it has returned to cash generation and profitability since reopening its centers.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

07-07-21 0431ET