Sterling Stays Higher Even After Weaker PMI Data

0948 GMT - Sterling stays higher even after a key survey showed growth in manufacturing and services activity slowed in December due to tighter restrictions to contain coronavirus infections. The IHS Markit/CIPS U.K. services purchasing managers' index fell to a 10-month low of 53.2 in December from 58.5 in November and the manufacturing PMI dropped to a three-month low of 57.6 from 58.1 in November. A level above 50 signals an expansion in sector activity. Economists polled by the WSJ expected a services PMI of 56.0 and a manufacturing PMI of 57.5. GBP/USD and EUR/GBP are little changed after the data at 1.3296 and 0.8510, respectively, as investors' main focus Thursday is the Bank of England's interest rate decision at 1200 GMT. (renae.dyer@wsj.com)


 
Companies News: 

Domino's Pizza Agrees to Investments With Franchisees; Lifts Mid-Term Outlook

Domino's Pizza Group PLC said Thursday that it has reached a resolution with its franchisees to make strategic investments of around 20 million pounds ($26.5 million) to improve growth, and raised its medium-term expectations.

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United Talent Agency Acquires MediaLink for $125 Million

United Talent Agency said it has acquired MediaLink, a marketing and media consulting firm that is owned by Ascential PLC, for $125 million, as the Hollywood talent firm seeks to ramp up its marketing practice.

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Aviva to Increase, Extend Share Buyback to GBP1.0 Bln

Aviva PLC said Thursday that it will increase and extend its share buyback program to 1.0 billion pounds ($1.33 billion).

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Schroders Is in Talks to Buy Significant Stake in Greencoat Capital

Schroders PLC said Thursday that it is in advanced talks to buy a significant stake in Greencoat Capital, but cautioned that there is no certainty any deal will be struck.

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Boohoo Downgrades FY Guidance on Covid-19 Uncertainty

Boohoo Group PLC said Thursday that it has downgraded its guidance on full-year net sales growth and its adjusted Ebitda margin due to increased consumer uncertainty related to the new Covid-19 variant.

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Gym Group Says It Is Performing in Line With Market Views for 2021

Gym Group PLC said Thursday that it is performing in line with full-year market expectations in terms of its key profit measure of adjusted Ebitda less normalized rent.

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Robert Walters Expects 2021 Pretax Profit to Beat Market Views

Robert Walters PLC said Thursday that it expects 2021's full-year pretax profit to be comfortably ahead of current market expectations.

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Walker Crips Swung to 1H Pretax Profit; Flags Challenges Ahead

Walker Crips Group PLC reported Thursday a swing to a pretax profit for the first half of fiscal 2022, though it said it still has a difficult year ahead.

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ITM Power Says 1H Revenue Rose

ITM Power PLC said Thursday that it expects to report that revenue rose sharply in the first half of fiscal 2022, and that its contracts backlog increased at year end.

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McBride Shares Down After It Expects Wider Adjusted Loss in 1H

McBride PLC shares fell in early trading Thursday after the company said it expects to book a wider loss for the first half of 2021 due to rapidly rising costs as a result of supply-chain issues and inflationary pressures.

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Trackwise Designs Shares Dive on Heavily Discounted Equity Issue

Shares of Trackwise Designs PLC fell 38% on Thursday after the company said it is planning to raise up to 7.0 million pounds ($9.3 million) via a heavily discounted equity issue and will use the money to fund capital expenditure as well as working capital.

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Hunting Expects Break-Even 2021 Ebitda After Improved 4Q

Hunting PLC said Thursday that a notably-improved final quarter of 2021 has met its expectations with a broadly break-even earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization result expected for the full-year.


 
Market Talk: 

Boohoo's 3Q Update Seen as Disappointing; Shares Drop

0818 GMT - Boohoo Group's update for 3Q was weak and disappointing, Jefferies says. The London-listed, online fashion retailer's revenue growth of 10% is well below the guided 2H run-rate of 20% and 30%, Jefferies says. Boohoo's full-year Ebitda guidance has been cut to GBP128 million at the mid-point, the U.S. bank notes, 35% below its estimates. Jefferies has a buy recommendation on the stock and a target price of 430 pence. Shares are down 15% at 117.30 pence. (sabela.ojea@wsj.com; @sabelaojeaguix)

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

12-16-21 0508ET