The FTSE 100 closed Thursday up 0.3% to 7440 points, amid positive trading along the global markets, on the back of increased optimism that the U.S. Federal Reserve will soon end its hawkish monetary policy after U.S. producer prices indicated a cooling of inflation, IG Group says in a note. "The labour market remains solid but with prices easing investors are allowing themselves to contemplate the possibility that Powell may actually achieve his goal of bringing down inflation without tipping the economy into recession," IG Group chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp writes. ConvaTec led the index top risers, closing up 2.9%, followed by Glencore and Entain, up 2.5% and 2.2% respectively.


COMPANIES NEWS:

Barratt Developments Prices Rose But Completions Fell in FY 2023

Barratt Developments PLC said Thursday that selling prices rose but completions fell in fiscal 2023, and that it sees fewer completions in the current fiscal year.

---

Experian 1Q Total Revenue Rose; Backs FY 2024 Guidance

Experian said Thursday that revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 rose and was in line with the board's expectations, and backed its guidance for the year.

---

Watches of Switzerland FY 2023 Profit Rose; Backs FY 2024 Guidance

Watches of Switzerland Group said Thursday that its fiscal 2023 pretax profit and revenue rose on higher volumes and prices, and backed its fiscal 2024 guidance.

---

Dr. Martens to Focus on Americas After Lower 1Q Performance

Dr. Martens said Thursday that revenue in the Americas over the fiscal first quarter was lower on year, driven by wholesale and as expected, and that the board's priority for this year is to address this performance.

---

Hays 4Q Net Fees Fell 2%, FY 2023 Operating Profit Was in Line With Market Views

Hays said Thursday that group net fees fell 2% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, and that it expects to report operating profit for the full fiscal year in line with market consensus.

---

John Wood Group 1H Revenue Jumped, Backs Full-Year Guidance

John Wood Group on Thursday backed it full-year guidance after revenue in the first half of 2023 rose on growth across businesses.

---

Gym Group 1H Revenue Rose on Membership Growth; Expects to Meet Market Views

Gym Group said Thursday that its first-half revenue rose following good growth in membership and average revenue per member, and that it expects to meet full-year market expectations.

---

Spirent Communications 1H Revenue Declined; Keeps Guidance as Momentum Gains

Spirent Communications said Thursday that despite its first-half performance being materially hit by a slowdown in customer spending, momentum improved in the second quarter, and left its full-year guidance unchanged.

---

finnCap Swung to FY 2023 Pretax Loss; 1Q Revenue Soared

finnCap Group said Thursday it swung to a pretax loss for fiscal 2023 as revenue fell, but that revenue in the first quarter of the new fiscal year was up 32% at 8.7 million pounds ($11.3 million).

---

Trustpilot Raises 2023 Adjusted Ebitda Guidance After Strong 1H Performance

Trustpilot on Thursday raised its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization guidance for the year after a strong first half where it returned to profit as previously guided.

---

C&C Group's March-To-June Revenue Rose on Core-Brands Performance

C&C Group said Thursday that revenue in the March-to-June period rose on growth in core brands.

---

Diploma Nine-Month Revenue Rose; Backs FY 2023 Guidance

Diploma PLC said Thursday that its performance in the first nine months of fiscal 2023 has been strong and backed its full-year guidance.

---

Brooks Macdonald FY 2023 Funds Under Management Rose 7.5% on Positive 4Q Inflows

Brooks Macdonald Group said Thursday that funds under management grew 7.5% over fiscal 2023 after positive inflows in the last quarter, while cautioning that it expects investor sentiment to remain subdued while markets remain uncertain.

---

Renewi 1Q Revenue, Earnings Fell on Lower Prices

Renewi said Thursday that revenue and EBIT for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 fell as prices for recycled materials reached a peak in the year-prior period, and that it expects full-year results to be in line with market expectations.

---

UK's Domino's Pizza Group Names Andrew Rennie as Incoming CEO

Domino's U.K. Pizza Group said Thursday that it has appointed Andrew Rennie as chief executive officer, effective Aug. 7.

---

TClarke Backs 2023 View Despite 1H Pretax Profit Fall

TClarke said Thursday that pretax profit declined in the first half of 2023 and revenue was flat on year, and that it backed its full-year revenue growth target on an expectation of strong second-half results.

---

Jarvis Securities 1H Profit, Revenue Rose on Higher Interest Rates

Jarvis Securities said Thursday that its fiscal first-half pretax profit and revenue rose as higher interest rates offset reduced volumes and clients.

---

GreenX Metals Raises GBP2.1 Mln via Placing to Fund Greenland Projects

GreenX Metals said Thursday that it has raised 2.1 million pounds ($2.7 million) via a share placing and will use the money toward exploration at its projects in Greenland.

---

Diploma Buys European Fluid Power Platform for up to GBP189 Mln -- Deal Digest

ACQUIRER: Diploma

---

Ilika FY 2023 Pretax Loss Widened on Higher Costs; To Invest GBP1.9 Mln in Equipment

Ilika said Thursday its pretax loss widened for fiscal 2023 after booking higher costs, and that it plans to invest around 1.9 million pounds ($2.5 million) in capital equipment using funds raised in 2021.

---

GAM's largest shareholder backs Liontrust takeover -- Financial News

London-based investor Silchester has thrown its support behind Liontrust's GBP96m acquisition of GAM

---

Aptitude Software Shares Fall After 1H Annual Recurring Revenue Growth Slowed; CEO Steps Down

Shares in Aptitude Software Group fell Thursday after the company said annual recurring revenue growth slowed, and that Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Suddards will be stepping down with immediate effect.

---

Allen & Overy's partner profit slips to GBP1.82m ahead of Shearman & Sterling merger -- Financial News

Average profit per equity partner fell amid tough market conditions and soaring inflation

---

Corero Network Security Shares Rise on Higher 1H Adjusted Earnings, Revenue

Corero Network Security shares rose Thursday after it said that it expects increased adjusted earnings and revenue in the first half of 2023, and said it had repaid its bank debt in full.

---

Avingtrans Sees FY 2023 Earnings in Line With Market Views

Avingtrans said Thursday that earnings for fiscal 2023 are expected to be in line with market expectations and that the momentum has continued into the new year, with a record order book for this time of year.

---

Helical Making Good Progress in FY 2024 to Date, Letting In Line With Estimated Values

Helical said Thursday that it had made good progress in fiscal 2024 to-date, with momentum maintained in letting spaces, which are in line with estimated rent value rates and strong rent collection.

---

Polar Capital 1Q Assets Under Management Rose

Polar Capital Holdings said Thursday that assets under management in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 rose 3% on quarter as demand and inflows continued.

---

Avingtrans Tables GBP3 Mln Offer to Buy Adaptix

Avingtrans said Thursday that it has put forward a proposal to buy Adaptix, an emerging MedTech business based in Oxford, for up to 3.0 million pounds ($3.9 million), or 100 pence a share.

---

Co-operative Group Names Debbie White as Next Chair; Allan Leighton to Step Down Feb

Co-operative Group said Thursday that it has appointed Debbie White as its new chair, replacing Allan Leighton who is stepping down in February when his nine-year term ends.

---

Castings Launches Share Buyback Program

Castings said Thursday that it has approved a share buyback program of up to 100,000 ordinary shares for 10 pence (13 cents) each.

---

Great Southern Copper Names Martin Page as New CFO; Paul Williams to Retire

Great Southern Copper said Thursday that it has appointed Martin Page as chief financial officer from Aug. 1, replacing Paul Williams who is retiring on that date.

---

Anglo Asian Mining Backs Full-Year Gold Production View

Anglo Asian Mining on Thursday backed its full-year gold production target despite a decline in the first half of the year.

---

Rockhopper Exploration Reports Progress in Italy Award Dispute

Rockhopper Exploration said Thursday that the stay of enforcement, which prevents Rockhopper from taking legal action against Italy in regards to a concession award, will be lifted once relevant escrow arrangements are in place.

---

System1 Group 1Q Revenue Rose on Platform Growth

System1 Group said Thursday that revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 rose, driven by a 32% increase in platform revenue and partially offset by a reduction on other consultancy revenue.

MARKET TALK:

Schroders Looks Better Placed Than Amundi

1423 GMT - Schroders looks set to benefit from the China asset-management and U.K. wealth markets, though rival Amundi looks less attractive, Barclays says. Barclays increases its recommendation on Schroders to overweight from equal-weight, pointing to strong progress in the attractive China asset-management markets. The firm's exposure to the attractive growth of the U.K. wealth sector and the latest potential changes to MiFID regulations also offer earnings potential, the bank says, increasing its price target to 530 pence from 510p. Still, Barclays downgrades rival asset manager Amundi to equalweight from overweight and cuts its price target to EUR68 from EUR74, citing potential hurdles in China and Europe. Schroders shares rise 1% to 441p and Amundi stock gains 0.5% to EUR55.70. (philip.waller@wsj.com)

---

Softcat's Shares Could Do Better than Expected

(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires

07-13-23 1204ET