DS Smith, up 4.0%, announced that it has invested €13m in its Margarethen am Moos and Kalsdorf bei Graz plants in Austria to expand production capacity, improve efficiency and strengthen its long-term competitiveness.
Nexteq, up 9.4%, announced that it would release its full year results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2023 on 13 March 2024.
Bango, up 9.2%, announced that it has expanded its partnership with Sam Media to offer its extended reality (XR) services with the help of Digital Vending Machines (DVM).
CyanConnode Holdings, up 8.4%, announced that it secured a significant Letter of Award (LOA) from its partner, the JST Group for 101,360 Omnimesh Cellular Modules (CNICs). Checkit, up 7.3%, in its trading update, announced that its revenue has risen by 17% to £12.0m, while its annual recurring revenue (ARR) grew by 16% to £13.3m, in line with expectations despite the challenging global economy.
Sareum Holdings, down 18.8%, announced that it has completed the single ascending dose (SAD)part and the food effect study of its Phase 1a clinical trial for the lead programme SDC-1801.
Dialight, down 1.0%, in its interim results, announced that revenues fell to £75.60m from £88.90m recorded in the same period of the previous year. Loss before tax widened to £10.20m from £1.10m. The Directors have not declared an interim dividend for 2023 (2022: nil).
Quartix Technologies, down 0.9%, announced that it has appointed Ian Spence as independent Non-Executive Director, with effect from 19 February 2024.
Oracle Power, unchanged at 0.03p, today, along with its joint venture company, Oracle Energy Limited (Oracle Energy), announced that they have commenced the Environmental & Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the Renewable Power plant on its project land site in Jhimpir, in the Sindh Province of Pakistan. Oracle Energy has appointed SGS Pakistan (SGS) a leading inspection, verification, testing, and certification company, to conduct the ESIA Study.
UK markets closed mostly higher last week, amid optimism surrounding interest rate cuts. On the macro front, UK’s manufacturing production climbed more than expected in December, while the nation’s industrial production unexpectedly advanced in December. Moreover, UK’s ILO unemployment rate fell more than expected in December, while the nation’s retail sales rose at its fastest pace since April 2021 in January. Meanwhile, UK’s gross domestic product dropped more than expected in 4Q23, entering into recession, while the nation’s consumer price index rose less than expected in January, amid a drop in food and household goods prices. The FTSE 100 index advanced 1.8% to settle at 7,711.7, while the FTSE AIM 100 index rose 2.1% to close at 3,692.6. Meanwhile, the FTSE techMARK 100 index lost 0.7% to end at 6,869.6.
US markets ended lower in the previous week, as more-than-expected US inflation data dented hopes for early rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. On the data front, US retail sales fell sharply in January, while the nation’s Michigan consumer sentiment index advanced less than expected in February. Additionally, the US building permits dropped in January, while the nation’s housing starts declined sharply in January. Meanwhile, the US consumer price index advanced more than anticipated in January, amid a rise in rental housing costs, while the nation’s producer price index rose more than expected in January. Additionally, the US NY Empire State manufacturing index rose more than expected in February, while the nation’s Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index advanced for the first time since August in February. Moreover, the US weekly jobless claims unexpectedly fell in the week ended 09 February 2024. The DJIA index fell 0.1% to end at 38,628 while the NASDAQ index lost 1.3% to close at 15,775.7.
