Truth Social, the new social media platform being launched by Donald Trump, is slated to go live next month.
The app is being developed by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), which raised US$1bn from private investors last month, and is due to launch on February 21, according to an Apple App Store listing.
Pembridge Resources PLC (LSE:PERE) said Minto Metals Corp, which was recently demerged and listed in Toronto, has made an agreement with previous owner Capstone Mining to delay part of the contingent element of purchase price, as copper production increased 46% last year to 26mln lbs.
Of the original purchase by Pembridge for up to US$20mln, Minto paid US$5mln last March and was due to pay the remaining US$15mln by the end of last month.
The New York Times is set to purchase The Athletic, a subscription-based sports media platform.
The deal is worth US$550mln, with The New York Times to absorb the acquired business which spans coverage of more than 200 sports organisations around the world.
Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) chief executive Tim Cook earned US$98mln in 2021 and gained access to US$754mln worth of the iPhone maker’s shares, according to filings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Cook, who has a net worth of approximately US$1.5bn (making him a rare ‘non-founder’ in the tech billionaire’s list) received US$82mln stock awards in early 2021 representing the majority of his compensation for the year, though they are yet to vest.
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC (LSE:AML) said it will miss its earnings (EBITDA) target for 2021, blaming weaker than anticipated fourth quarter sales.
The company said only 10 units of the Aston Martin Valkyrie and Valkyrie AMR Pro vehicles were shipped to customers in the final quarter of the year.
Shares in takeover target M&C Saatchi PLC (AIM:SAA) tumbled 9.5% to 190p after its suitor, AdvancedAdvT Limited, confirmed it is interested in making an offer for the company but its preference is for a share exchange.
The City seemed less keen on this option than a takeover option that includes a cash element.
Whitbread PLC (LSE:WTB) is well placed for the coming financial year, with the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic set to be over by then, according to broker Peel Hunt, which reiterated its ‘buy’ rating and 3,600p target price on the hotel and restaurant group.
“We believe that the recovery will quickly re-establish itself from early in Whitbread’s new financial year”, which starts in March, the broker said in a note.
AstraZeneca PLC (LSE:AZN) said it entered into a collaboration with Neurimmune AG for NI006, an investigational human monoclonal antibody currently in Phase Ib development for the treatment of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM).
ATTR-CM is a systemic, progressive, fatal and often underdiagnosed condition that leads to progressive heart failure and high rate of fatality within four years from diagnosis.
Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LSE:LLOY) and NatWest Group PLC (LSE:NWG) continue to offer upside despite the interest rate-driven rally in recent weeks, analysts at Barclays (which also happens to be a UK bank) said in a note on Friday.
Upside for UK banks is seen as being driven by "an underappreciated EPS tailwind from low deposit betas".
Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ:LULU) appoints former Twitch boss Mike Aragon as the chief executive officer of its fitness tech unit MIRROR along with lululemon Digital Fitness, coming into effect on 17 January.
Aragon replaces the founder of MIRROR Bryn Putnam, who unexpectedly left the company last year.
Ethereum was outpacing Bitcoin in decline in Friday’s early deals, falling 5.6% whilst BTC gave up another 1.7% to trade at US$42,375.
It so far has been a detrimental start to 2022, fuelled in recent days by the latest Chinese regulations which effectively made digital currencies illegal to trade in the People’s Republic.
Air Partner (LSE:AIR) PLC, the global aviation services group, said it expects underlying pre-tax profit for the year to 31 January 2022 to be “materially” ahead of the current market consensus, following strong customer demand in December.
The company said its performance in December had again been driven by high levels of freight bookings, notably for the continued transportation of vaccines.
Google last night was ruled to have infringed several patents with its smart speaker system, phones and laptop computers.
The US International Trade Commission said the Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) arm was in violation of five Sonos (NASDAQ:SONO) audio technology patents relating to smart speakers.
Lookers PLC (LSE:LOOK) forecast record underlying profits for 2021, above the market consensus of £82mln, and said it intends to resume dividend payments alongside its full-year results.
In a trading statement, the car dealer said it is starting 2022 with an “excellent” new car order bank, although it sounded a cautious note on ongoing global supply chain constraints, uncertainty over the availability of new vehicles and the impact of inflation and rising energy costs.
GameStop Corp (NYSE:GME)'s share price surged in out-of-hours dealing last night as speculation intensified it is entering the crypto and non-fungible token (NFT) world.
The US video games retailer is forming a separate division to form partnerships related to cryptocurrency assets alongside the creation of an NFT marketplace, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Royal Dutch Shell PLC (LSE:RDSB) said it expects stronger results from its gas business in the fourth quarter, despite supply chain issues, while demand at its oil division was hit by the Omicron variant of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a trading update, the energy giant predicted fourth-quarter results in its Integrated Gas business will be significantly higher than in the third quarter, “overcoming ongoing supply issues and capturing unique optimisation opportunities generated through the large scale and scope of our LNG trading portfolio in the prevailing high LNG spot price environment”.
Clarkson PLC (LSE:CKN) said trading at the end of last year was "stronger than anticipated" and profits will be considerably higher than the previous few years.
The FTSE 250-listed shipping services group said underlying pre-tax profit will be at least £69mln, subject to audit.
Red Rock Resources PLC (AIM:RRR) released what it called “extremely encouraging” results for nine drill holes at the Mikei Gold Project (MGP) in Kenya.
Seven of the nine holes intercepted gold mineralisation and five of those were described as having good grades.
Gemfields Group Limited (AIM:GEM) confirmed it cut its direct stake in Sedibelo Platinum Mines Limited (SPM) to 6.54% after a simplification of the ownership structure of the platinum mines owner.
Gemfields previously held its stake via Pallinghurst Ivy Lane Capital, an investment vehicle that held a 27.64% interest in SPM, which owns and operates the Pilanesburg Platinum Mines.
Essentra PLC (LSE:ESNT) reported a strong finish to 2021 and said it is mulling the best way to sell or spin off its packaging and filters divisions as part of its plan to become a pure play components business.
Full year operating profit is expected “in the range of analysts' forecasts”, namely between £80.7mln and £84.3mln, it added.
Supermarket Income REIT PLC (LSE:SUPR), which has a stake in the Sainsbury's Reversion Portfolio, welcomed the supermarket giant’s decision to acquire eight stores in the portfolio.
Supermarket Income REIT has a 50% stake in a joint venture with the British Airways Pensions Trust and in turn that joint venture has a 51% beneficial interest in the Sainsbury’s Reversion Portfolio, which comprises the freeholds to 26 Sainsbury supermarkets.
Argo Blockchain PLC (LSE:ARB, OTCQX:ARBKF, NASDAQ:ARBK, ETR:0XP) said it increased the amount of monthly bitcoin mined in December and construction of its new ‘Helios’ cryptocurrency mining facility in Texas is on time to complete in the first half of this year.
Some 214 bitcoin or equivalent (BTC) were mined in the past month, the cryptocurrency miner told investors in a statement, up from 185 BTC the month before and 96 in December 2020.
Recce Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:RCE, OTC:RECEF) is trading higher after receiving positive data from a Phase I intravenous clinical trial of RECCE® 327 (R327), demonstrating safety and tolerability amongst nine healthy male subjects in the first cohort.
Based on clinical data readouts, an independent safety committee has approved a threefold increase (from 50mg to 150mg) among 7-10 healthy subjects in the second cohort, with subjects expected to be dosed today at Adelaide's CMAX clinical trial facility.
Royal Dutch Shell PLC (LSE:RDSB) is again the most valuable company in the FTSE 100, taking its crown back from drug maker AstraZeneca PLC (LSE:AZN), as oil shares have been bought up amid rising fuel prices.
Shell has made a strong start to the New Year, up 6% in London since the turn of the year, as crude oil advanced over US$80 per barrel.
The coronavirus pandemic recovery is the key driver behind Berenberg analysts' top UK consumer and leisure mid-cap picks for 2022, though cost inflation, government policy, bond yields and supply chain disruption remain important factors in each sub-sector.
Selecting top stocks from a sector coverage of 55 companies, the investment bank's analysts had six top picks, a pair each from the retail, leisure and consumer staples sectors.
Analysts at Barclays see more than 20% upside to the Royal Mail PLC (LSE:RMG) share price ahead of next month’s trading update.
Barclays today lifted its price target to 640p, compared to a prevailing market price of 521.5p, as the investment bank noted a positive recent performance and looks ahead to anticipated growth through the coming financial year.
Synairgen PLC (AIM:SNG, OTC:SYGGF) has announced a partnership with Ashfield Engage, a specialist in strategic engagement and commercialisation in the healthcare sector, as it advances the SNG001 antiviral product for the treatment of COVID-19.
Ashfield will support the company as it builds commercialisation infrastructure for the needs of SNG001, Ashfield said in a statement, initially in the US, pending completion of pivotal trials and regulatory authorisations.
Hydrogen Utopia International PLC (AQSE:HUI) (HUI), a company that is partnering with Powerhouse Energy Group PLC (AIM:PHE, ETR:BT81) aims to turn non-recyclable waste plastics into hydrogen in several European countries, saw its shares surge higher as it began trading on London’s AQSE Growth Market today.
Under the ticker ‘HUI’, the company has been admitted to the access segment of AQSE after an initial public offer where it raised £3mln before expenses at a price of 7.5p.
Primary Health Properties PLC (LSE:PHP) (PHP) said today it plans to pay four interim dividends to its shareholders in equal installments throughout the year.
The first quarterly dividend in 2022, which will be 1.625p per ordinary share, will be paid on 25 February to those on the company’s register at the end of business on 14 January.
Seeing Machines Ltd (AIM:SEE, OTC:SEEMF) announced today a collaboration with US semiconductor designer Ambarella to bring integrated advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) and occupant and driver monitoring system (OMS and DMS) solutions to the market.
The AIM-listed computer vision technology company says its OMS and DMS solutions will be provided to Ambarella’s edge artificial intelligence perception systems-on-chip to create complete and integrated DMS and ADAS solutions.
Red Rock Resources PLC (AIM:RRR) has announced the acquisition of two prospective exploration projects, known as Bilbale and Boulon, in Burkina Faso.
The projects, located in the prolific Boromo and Banfora Greenstone belts respectively, span some 348 square kilometres and include artisanal activity, which shows evidence presence of high-grade gold.
December saw the mining royalty and streaming sector once again move into positive territory, with the average share price up 1.1%, with 62% of the sector experiencing positive share price movements.
For the year, the average share price was up 10.6%, a nice return for anyone with wide exposure to the sector, but with 50% of companies experiencing positive share price movements, stock picking has been key for investors seeking above the market returns. Of that 50% of companies that had positive share price movements, the average share price gain was 39%, demonstrating the importance of quality and not quantity.
Apollon Formularies PLC (AQSE:APOL) has received a renewed medical cannabis licence from the Jamaican government, allowing processing and retail activities for another three years.
The Caribbean island's Cannabis License Authority approved the renewal of Apollon's Processing (Tier 1) and Retail (Therapeutic) licences, adding to the company's current CLA approved Research & Development licence.
Ocado Group PLC (LSE:OCDO) has issued a teaser, saying it will unveil “the next leap of game-changing technology and innovation” later this month.
“We have a long tradition of solving some of the toughest technology challenges of our age – join us and be among the first to see the next leap in innovation.” the company said, announcing that the virtual product launch would take place on 26 January.
Angus Energy PLC (AIM:ANGS) shares soared as the company launched a strategic review which could lead to the sale of the company.
The company, in a statement, said that a ‘valuation mismatch’ – which it says are ‘also experienced by many other smaller energy companies’ – has resulted in a series of series of approaches including an indicative non-binding offer for the company’s 51% stake in the Saltfleetby gas field asset. The offer is under consideration.
Spending on subscription streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and NowTV soared by 28% to £3.16bn in the UK last year.
Overall spending on entertainment, which covers digital and physical video, music and gaming – including sales of CDs, DVDs and video games – rose to £9.7bn in 2021, up by 4.6% from 2020, according to preliminary figures from Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA).
Team17 Group PLC (AIM:TM17) told investors it continued to trade above management expectation through the second half of 2021 whilst also announcing a pair of new acquisitions with a potential total deal value of around £60mln.
The publisher of indie games and ‘edutainment’ said full year revenue and earnings (adjusted EBTIDA) will be ahead of its prior expectations and ahead of 2020, which was previously described as benefitting from “a significant one-off benefit across the whole back catalogue” driven by the pandemic triggered surge in gaming.
Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) cars were the second best selling new car last year, as battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 12% of total annual sales in Britain.
Sales of EVs rose to 190,000 in 2021, up from 108,000 in 2020, when they represented 6% of total sales, and more than had been purchased in the previous five years combined.
The government will soon unveil new measures to provide assistance to low-income households facing soaring energy bills, according to a news report.
Energy market regulator Ofgem will announce the new price cap on household energy bills on or before 7 February, and the cap is expected to rise from the current £1,277 a year to around £1,877 when it comes into force on 1 April.
Sativa Wellness Group Inc (AQSE:SWEL, CSE:SWEL, OTC:SCNNF) said it gained an ISO 22000 certification for food safety in relation to cannabis extraction at its plant in Poland.
The plant also passed the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements, including good hygiene and manufacturing practice.
Glencore PLC (LSE:GLEN) and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) today announced the closure of the sale and purchase of Glencore’s 100% interest in the Ernest Henry copper-gold mine in Queensland, Australia.
Glencore received A$800mln and is set to receive another A$200mln in a year.
M&C Saatchi PLC (AIM:SAA) confirmed it received a preliminary approach from an investment vehicle connected with its deputy chairman. The statement came in response to press speculation.
A statement said the company was approached by AdvancedAdvT Limited, a vehicle connected with Murria, perhaps best known as the former chief executive officer of Advanced Computer Software Group.
BiVictriX Therapeutics PLC (AIM:BVX, OTC:BVTXF) said it appointed Glyn Baker as chief financial officer, in a non-board role.
Baker joins the biotechnology company with around 20 years of experience in the industry, holding consultancy positions in finance and IT before moving onto various management roles.
Pod Point Group Holdings PLC (LSE:PODP), the provider of charge points for electric vehicles (EVs), said it expects its results for 2021 to be in line with management forecasts after trading remained strong in the second half.
The company, which floated on the London Stock Exchange on 9 November last year, said the positive momentum and trends seen during 2021 have continued since its Initial Public Offering (IPO), with increased demand for its charge points.
Dr Martens PLC (LSE:DOCS) said it largest shareholder, private equity group Permira, sold a 6.5% stake in the company, a year after bringing the shoemaker to market.
Permira, via its Luxembourg-based IngreLux fund, sold roughly 65mln shares at a price of 395p for total proceeds of around £257mln.
Pantheon Resources PLC (AIM:PANR, OTC:PTHRF) said the ice road from the Dalton Highway to the Talitha #A location in Alaska has been completed.
In an operations update, the AIM-quoted oil and gas company, which has working interests in a number of oil projects immediately adjacent to transportation and pipeline infrastructure on the Alaska North Slope, said the pad at the Talitha #A location has also been completed and the camp has been set up.
MGC Pharmaceuticals Ltd (LSE:MXC, OTC:MGCLF, ASX:MXC) said its ArtemiC Rescue food supplement was granted import approval in India, opening a potentially significant new market for the bio-pharma company.
ArtemiC Rescue which helps alleviate symptoms associated with Coronavirus (COVID-19) was approved by Indian regulators for import, distribution, marketing, and sales.
DeepVerge PLC (AIM:DVRG) said its environmental division Modern Water completed the installation of its Microtox water testing equipment in Beijing, China ahead of athletes arriving for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The company’s Microtox CTM toxicity monitor measures the chemical toxicity of a water source, giving instant indication of water health. Microtox FX provides a rapid test to detect pathogens and toxic chemicals that may contaminate drinking water or wastewater.
Red Rock Resources PLC (AIM:RRR) updated the market on its interests in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Results from drilling at the Galaxy (Luanshimba) project are being analysed. In addition the company continues to pursue a dispute settlement relating to the 50.1% owned VUP project.
NextEnergy Solar Fund Ltd (LSE:NESF) signed its first co-investment transaction for a 25% stake in a Spanish 50 megawatt (MW) solar project currently under construction.
The specialist solar power renewable energy investment said in a statement the energisation of the project, in Cadiz, is expected to take place in the first half of 2022.