FTSE 100 pushed higher, up 52 points to 7,479. Bankers Barclays, Lloyds and HSBC all climbed higher, seen as beneficiaries of rising interest rates.
Bunzl hiked its half-year dividend to nearly 7% as inflation proved “somewhat supportive” to its profit margins. Sales came to £5.7bn in the first half, 16% higher than a year ago.
UK pubs and brewers risk closure within months as landlords struggle to pay "rocketing" energy bills. Bosses of six of the country's largest breweries urged the government for financial support.
Asda is the leading contender to buy the Co-op’s petrol forecourt business, which includes a sizeable convenience operation, for £450mln.
CentralNic expects to ‘comfortably trade towards the high end’ of the recently upgraded market expectations for the year. Total revenue almost doubled in the six months to June 30.
Spectral MD received an additional US$8.2mln in funding from the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. Funding will be used to accelerate the commercialisation of its DeepView technology.
Bango is acquiring the global payments business of Japanese mobile phone network operator NTT DOCOMO. It said the deal will be earnings enhancing in the first full year of ownership.