The Market Report with Katie Pilbeam.
FTSE 100 fell in early dealings as investors reflected on the big Tory revolt over Plan B and the surge in UK inflation. London’s blue-chip index fell 18 to 7,199.
People in England must show a covid pass to get into nightclubs, sport matches and other big events from today. These restrictions passed through the House of Commons thanks to Labour support after the prime minister suffered the biggest rebellion in his time at the helm.
UK prices surged by 5.1% in the 12 months to November, which was the biggest annual rise since September 2011. Grant Fitzner, ONS chief economist, said a rise in the costs of fuel, energy, clothing and second-hand cars were the reason.
Currys said its pre-Christmas sales have weakened due to supply issues and uncertainty caused by the Omicron variant. The electricals retailer said it is increasing market share, nonetheless.
Tesla has been hit with six new sexual harassment lawsuits claiming the atmosphere at the EV firm was rife with misogyny. One plaintiff said the issues were exacerbated every time CEO Elon Musk tweeted something inappropriate.
Among the small caps, Bango has partnered up with pray.com - the world’s number one app for daily prayer and faith-based media content. Payments specialist Bango will help with the app’s global expansion.
Eckoh has entered into an agreement to acquire Syntec Holdings Ltd for £31mln in cash and shares. A placing by the payments group will help fund the acqusition.
OptiBiotix has signed an exclusive supply agreement with Saudi pharmacy chain Nahdi Medical. The deal involves the sale of its Go Figure and SlimBiome medical weight management product range.