London's FTSE 100 retreated in early trading after another drop in US markets overnight. London’s blue chip index was down 46 at 7,508.
Apple saw record quarterly sales as the tech giant shrugged off chip shortages. Revenues jumped 11% to US$124bn as iPhone sales surged to US$72bn with profits up 24%.
GCHQ, Britain’s cyber security centre, has urged companies to test their cyber defences amid concerns of Russian attacks. The warning comes in the wake of Ukraine tension and 70 government websites being hacked a fortnight ago.
A national insurance hike is going ahead in April despite reports that Boris was considering delaying it. Technology minister Chris Philip said extra funds are needed for the NHS and social care.
Character Group said it will return around £13.5mln to its shareholders via a tender offer priced at 630p per share. The buyback is equivalent to 10% of the company's share capital, the distributor of Peppa Pig, Scooby-Doo and Fireman Sam toys said.
Greatland Gold reported more high-grade intercepts from the Havieron project in Western Australia including a new zone outside the resource defined in October's pre-feasibility study. "The latest set of drilling results at Havieron continue to astound” said chief executive Shaun Day.
NetScientific noted an upbeat filing from Nasdaq-listed portfolio company PDS Biotechnology of preclinical data for its universal flu vaccine. The treatment was shown to be effective against multiple strains of the influenza virus in studies sponsored by US agency NIAID.