Of the five FTSE 100 banks, domestic lenders are preferred to their Asia-focused peers by analyst Jonathan Pierce at Deutsche Numis Research, with Lloyds Banking Group PLC his top pick in the sector.
In a note to clients today as he assumes coverage for the London's five blue-chip banks, Pierce says: "The outlook for bank earnings, capital generation and book value, particularly in the context of future reductions in short rates, is a critical part of any investment thesis right now."
Panmure Gordon has initiated coverage on NetScientific PLC (AIM:NSCI) with a 'buy' recommendation and a price target of 137 pence, hailing its shift away from traditional venture capital (VC) investment models towards a focus on deep technology and life sciences sectors.
NetScientific, under the leadership of CEO Dr Ilian Iliev since 2020, has evolved to support innovation and growth in these sectors, the broker said.
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC (LSE:AML) continues to test investor patience as it emerges from a challenging second quarter, but the road ahead for the remainder of the year may become a little smoother.
Jefferies, the US investment bank, notes that luxury car maker's Q2 earnings are expected to mirror Q1, leading management to draw down recently expanded credit lines to maintain liquidity.
SSP Group PLC's (LSE:SSPG) shares fell 2% in afternoon trading after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock from ‘neutral’ to ‘sell’.
The Wall Street investment bank reviewed the European travel concessions sector and cited SSP’s relative underperformance over a 12-month investment horizon.
Citi has commented on the extension of the put-up-or-shut-up bid deadline for Keywords Studios PLC (AIM:KWS, OTC:KYYWF), indicating it is a mixed outcome.
While the extension suggests that the previously announced £25.50 offer is likely to proceed, it also points to complexities in the due diligence process, which was expected to be straightforward.
JP Morgan (JPM) has identified ASML Holding NV (NASDAQ:ASML) as a key beneficiary of the booming data centre artificial intelligence (AI) sector, projecting substantial upgrades to the company’s long-term guidance.
The investment bank's analysis highlights the increasing demand for semiconductor capacity driven by AI, particularly in data centres, as a critical growth driver for ASML over the next five years.
Rentokil Initial PLC (LSE:RTO) was one of the top FTSE 100 risers in early trading, up 1.8%, after RBC Capital Markets summed up the situation as the pest control group continues with the integration of Terminix (TMX), its major North American acquisition from late 2022.
The shares have been "very volatile", analysts at the London arm of the Canadian bank said, after the company issued a profit warning last autumn due to softer US trading.
Unilever PLC (LSE:ULVR) has suffered a blow with the departure of the chief executive of its Prestige Beauty business to set up an investment fund, says Deutsche Bank.
While the business accounts for only about 2% of sales, the bank notes that it has been growing “consistently double-digit” and Unilever has ambitions to double its size.
Tesco PLC (LSE:TSCO) is expected to continue eating up market share as the supermarket sector enters a “normalised environment”, analysts at Citi believe.
Shares in the country’s largest supermarket lifted by more than 2% on Friday after its first-quarter results highlighted market share gains and volume growth.