Good morning from London where the FTSE 100 opened lower and has been falling ever since. The markets are likely pricing in a tranche of PMI data expected later today.
There’s also some more negativity over the fate of London’s water supplier Thames Water, with water industry regulator Ofwat warning the beleaguered company would need more than the £1bn proposed to survive past early 2025.
Looking at some of those FTSE 100 stocks now, Unilever is up this morning after defending itself against the criticism its faced over remaining in Russia during the Ukraine war. The company says a sale of its assets in the country could actually benefit the state.
Shares in online retailer AO World rose after reporting full year profits of £7.6mln, after penning a £10.5mln loss in 2022.
Topps Tiles have also expressed confidence that full-year guidance could be met, after reporting higher sales during the first three quarters of the year.
But FirstGroup shares fell meanwhile, as reports emerged that rail companies were set to press ahead with plans to shut UK ticket offices, with an announcement reportedly due today.
And finally in small caps, Supreme PLC (AIM:SUP) soared after announcing full-year trading will be significantly ahead of forecasts thanks to a major contract to supply vapes to supermarkets.