FTSE 100 made another weak open with investors still concerned about the impact of the Delta variant on economic recovery. London’s main index slumped 58 points to 7,035 in early trading.
Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC (LSE:MRW) (LSE:MRW) expects retail prices to inflate due to commodity price increases, freight inflation and the shortage of HGV drivers. The grocer posted a drop in half-year profits.
‘Memestock’ favourite GameStop Corp (NYSE:GME) (NYSE:GME) disappointed the market as it didn’t explain any plans for the future alongside its quarterly results. The chief executive’s conference call lasted less than ten minutes and he didn’t provide any financial forecasts.
888 Holdings (LSE:888) Plc (LSE:888) has agreed with Caesars Entertainment to buy the non-US business of William Hill for £2.2bn. William Hill has 1,400 retail betting shops across the UK and is present in other European and Latin American countries.
EasyJet meanwhile is raising £1.2bn through a rights issue to shore up its balance sheet. The airline also said it has secured a new US$400mln debt facility and received a bid approach recently that fizzled out.
Greatland Gold PLC (AIM:GGP, OTC:GRLGF, FRA:G8G) said high-grade gold and copper was found outside the initial resource area of the Havieron deposit in Western Australia. New results from the Growth Drilling programme under the Crescent Sulphide Zone and around the Northern Breccia continue to support the potential for resource expansion, it said.
Blackbird PLC (AIM:BIRD, OTCQX:BBRDF) said its software is now being used in 35 US states by 75 TV stations after TownNews expanded the digital news production service. It is the sixth time TownNews has rolled out the video editing platform to further stations since the partnership began in 2018.