Author: Fiona Craig

Optima Health PLC (LSE:OPT) posted robust half-year results for the period ending September 2025, reporting a 17% increase in revenue to approximately £59 million — in line with market forecasts. The company continued to strengthen its growth trajectory through targeted acquisitions, including Ireland-based Cognate Health and the Care first Employee Assistance Business, expanding both its international reach and UK market presence.

In addition to its acquisition strategy, Optima is investing in technology to enhance its service platform, aiming to drive further organic growth and margin improvement. The company’s ongoing £210 million contract with the UK Armed Forces, alongside a healthy pipeline of new business opportunities, underpins its position as a leading provider in the occupational health sector.

More about Optima Health PLC

Optima Health is the UK’s largest provider of occupational health and wellbeing services, delivering clinically led, technology-enabled solutions to clients across both public and private sectors. The company employs more than 1,600 people, including over 800 clinicians, and operates a network of more than 50 clinics nationwide. Expanding under the brand Optima Health Ireland, the company now offers occupational health services across Ireland, further extending its regional footprint.

Shuka Minerals Plc (LSE:SKA) has encountered delays in securing financing for its planned acquisition of Leopard Exploration and Mining Limited and the Kabwe Zinc Mine in Zambia. The setback stems from administrative complications involving Gathoni Muchai Investments Limited. Despite the funding holdup, Shuka reaffirmed its commitment to completing the transaction under favorable terms and continues to explore interim measures to support liquidity.

To generate additional cash flow, the company is considering sales of stockpiled materials from its Rukwa operation in Tanzania. While operating with constrained financial resources, Shuka remains confident that the funding challenges will be resolved in the near term.

Edenville Energy’s financial outlook, meanwhile, continues to reflect weak performance, with ongoing losses and negative cash flow weighing on valuation. Although technical indicators point to some bullish potential, the absence of a dividend and a negative P/E ratio underline persistent market concerns. The lack of recent earnings calls or corporate updates has not influenced this outlook.

More about Shuka Minerals Plc

Shuka Minerals Plc is a mining and development company focused on African resource assets. Listed on both the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s AltX board, the company specializes in acquiring, operating, and advancing mining projects across the continent, with an emphasis on sustainable resource management and value creation.

Buccaneer Energy (LSE:BUCE) has commenced drilling the Allar #1 well in the Pine Mills Field, Texas, where it holds a 32.5% working interest. The project is part of the company’s broader strategy to boost production and strengthen cash flow from its existing asset base. Results from drilling and evaluation are expected to be announced once the operation is completed.

In a parallel initiative, Buccaneer has successfully raised £500,000 to support a new Bitcoin mining venture within its Fouke area development program in Texas. The company plans to use associated gas from its wells to power the mining operations, turning what would otherwise be flared gas into a revenue-generating resource. Buccaneer is also launching a Bitcoin Treasury division to oversee digital asset management and yield generation, marking a significant step toward integrating blockchain-based assets into its business model.

This diversification is designed to enhance operational efficiency and open new revenue streams, though the company acknowledges the inherent risks tied to the volatility and regulatory uncertainty of digital assets.

More about Buccaneer Energy

Buccaneer Energy Plc is an international oil and gas exploration and production company with core assets located in Texas, USA. The company focuses on maximizing value from its energy operations while pursuing growth opportunities in digital asset management, particularly through sustainable Bitcoin mining powered by natural gas resources.

Unite Group PLC (LSE:UTG) has unveiled plans to acquire Empiric Student Property plc, marking a major strategic move to strengthen its position in the UK student accommodation market. The acquisition aims to enhance occupancy levels across Empiric’s portfolio while generating estimated annual cost synergies of at least £13.7 million through Unite’s established operating platform and long-standing university partnerships.

Empiric shareholders have already approved the transaction, which is now under review by the UK Competition and Markets Authority. Subject to regulatory clearance, completion is expected by the second quarter of 2026. Unite expressed confidence that the deal will boost both earnings and dividends, supported by the company’s track record of successful integrations, including its 2019 acquisition of Liberty Living.

While Unite Group’s strong fundamentals and attractive valuation support a positive long-term outlook, recent bearish technical signals have weighed on sentiment, mirroring current market trends. The lack of recent corporate events or earnings call updates has had no material effect on the company’s assessment.

More about Unite Group plc

Unite Students is the UK’s leading owner, manager, and developer of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), catering to the higher education sector. The company provides housing for around 68,000 students across 152 properties in 23 university towns and cities, working in partnership with more than 60 universities nationwide.

Focused on offering safe, high-quality, and affordable accommodation, Unite Students also emphasizes sustainability, targeting net zero carbon operations by 2030. Established in 1991, Unite Group operates as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

European equities edged lower on Friday, even as new data signaled that inflation across the Eurozone continued to moderate in October, largely reflecting another drop in energy costs.

According to a preliminary estimate from Eurostat, the harmonized index of consumer prices rose 2.1% year-on-year in October, easing slightly from 2.2% in September and matching economists’ forecasts.

The core inflation rate, which excludes volatile items such as energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco, remained stable at 2.4%, defying expectations for a minor decline to 2.3%.

Earlier in the session, French inflation data showed further moderation, slipping below the European Central Bank’s 2% target, even as the country’s economy delivered an unexpectedly solid performance.

In equity markets, the German DAX Index fell 0.3%, while both the U.K.’s FTSE 100 and France’s CAC 40 lost 0.2% each.

On the corporate front, several major movers stood out. Fuchs (TG:FPE3), the German lubricants manufacturer, jumped after posting better-than-expected third-quarter earnings. Norway’s Aker Solutions (BIT:1AKRO) also traded sharply higher on strong quarterly results, while Danske Bank (TG:DSN) advanced after delivering a profit beat for the same period.

In contrast, French insurer AXA (EU:CS) slipped after reporting a 6% increase in gross written premiums and other revenues for the first nine months of the year, a result that investors viewed as underwhelming.

U.S. stock futures pointed to a higher open on Friday, signaling a potential recovery for Wall Street after Thursday’s declines, with upbeat earnings from Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) boosting investor confidence in the tech sector.

Market optimism grew early in the day after both companies delivered results that exceeded analyst expectations, suggesting resilience in consumer and cloud spending despite macroeconomic uncertainty.

Amazon shares jumped 13% in premarket trading after the e-commerce and cloud leader reported third-quarter earnings that surpassed forecasts, driven by a surge in Amazon Web Services (AWS) revenue. The performance marked a notable turnaround for its cloud business, which had shown signs of slowing earlier this year.

Apple stock also traded sharply higher before the bell following strong fiscal fourth-quarter results and an upbeat revenue outlook for the holiday quarter, fueled by demand for the iPhone 17 and continued growth in its services division.

In addition, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) may attract buyers after announcing its board approved a 10-for-1 stock split, a move designed to increase liquidity and broaden retail participation.

On the downside, Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) shares could face pressure as the energy giant posted lower third-quarter profits year over year, reflecting the impact of weaker oil prices and softer refining margins.

Thursday Recap: Tech Drag Pulls Markets Lower

U.S. equities ended mostly in the red on Thursday after a volatile session. The Nasdaq Composite led losses, tumbling 1.6% (−377.33 points) to 23,581.14, while the S&P 500 fell 1% to 6,822.34. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.2% to 47,522.12.

The selloff followed mixed earnings from major tech firms, with Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) plunging 11.3% after warning that AI investment costs will rise despite stronger-than-expected earnings. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) also dropped 2.9%, even after beating estimates, as it projected faster capital expenditure growth for the year ahead.

Meanwhile, Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) provided some relief, climbing 2.5% after delivering better-than-expected quarterly results, and Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) surged 3.8% after a strong beat and raised full-year guidance.

Trade Developments Fail to Lift Sentiment

Traders largely shrugged off encouraging trade signals from President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, where the U.S. agreed to cut fentanyl-linked tariffs from 20% to 10%, and China committed to resume soybean purchases and pause new rare-earth export restrictions.

Despite the positive headlines, sentiment was weighed down by sector weakness. Software stocks sank alongside Microsoft, dragging the Dow Jones U.S. Software Index down 2.2%. Telecom stocks also retreated, with the NYSE Arca North American Telecom Index dropping 2%.

Elsewhere, steel, hardware, retail, and semiconductor stocks struggled, while gold, networking, and pharmaceutical sectors managed modest gains.

Heading into Friday’s session, investors are cautiously optimistic that Amazon and Apple’s upbeat results could help reignite market momentum and reverse the prior session’s losses.

Gold prices slipped during Asian trading on Friday, on track for a second straight weekly loss, as the Federal Reserve’s cautious outlook on future rate cuts and signs of improving U.S.-China trade relations reduced investor appetite for the precious metal.

Spot gold fell 0.4% to $4,008.65 an ounce by 01:49 ET (05:49 GMT), giving back part of Thursday’s sharp gains, while U.S. gold futures inched up 0.1% to $4,019.90. Despite a more than 2% surge in the previous session, bullion was still set to end the week down 2.6%.

Fed’s cautious tone and U.S.-China trade progress weigh on gold

The Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday to a range of 3.75%-4.00%. However, Chair Jerome Powell noted that another cut in December was “far from a foregone conclusion.”

His remarks lifted U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar, both of which typically pressure gold prices since the metal pays no interest.

Risk appetite also improved following comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said trade talks with China had made “amazing” progress and that a deal could come “pretty soon.”

The two leaders met in South Korea on Thursday, where they agreed to cut a 10% tariff on fentanyl-linked imports. In turn, China resumed purchases of U.S. soybeans and paused new restrictions on rare-earth exports.

The thaw in trade tensions removed one of the main drivers of safe-haven demand, prompting investors to rotate back into risk assets on hopes of a potential deal.

Even so, analysts noted that central bank buying and ongoing global uncertainty could provide a floor for gold prices, despite weak short-term momentum.

Metals trade steady as markets eye weak Chinese data

Other precious and industrial metals traded within narrow ranges on Friday. Silver futures slipped 0.3% to $48.48 per ounce, while platinum futures rose 0.4% to $1,617.45.

On the London Metal Exchange, benchmark copper futures fell 0.4% to $10,866.20 per ton, and U.S. copper futures were down 0.6% to $5.07 per pound.

Fresh data from China showed manufacturing activity contracted for the seventh consecutive month in October, underscoring persistent weakness in the world’s second-largest economy. The figures have fueled speculation that Beijing could soon roll out additional policy support to stabilize growth.

Oil prices slipped on Friday, setting up for a third consecutive monthly decline, as a stronger U.S. dollar and weak Chinese economic data dampened sentiment. Meanwhile, higher output from top global producers continued to outweigh the impact of Western sanctions on Russian crude exports.

By 07:44 GMT, Brent crude futures were down 12 cents, or 0.18%, at $64.88 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped 21 cents, or 0.35%, to $60.36 a barrel.

“A stronger USD weighed on investor appetite across the commodities complex,” ANZ analysts said in a client note.

The greenback strengthened after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that an interest rate cut in December was “not guaranteed,” lifting the dollar and pressuring dollar-denominated commodities.

Oil prices also weakened after official data showed that China’s factory activity contracted for the seventh consecutive month in October, underscoring the fragile state of demand in the world’s top crude importer.

Both Brent and WTI are on track for losses of roughly 3% in October, with global oil supply expected to outpace demand growth this year. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, known as OPEC+, have been gradually increasing production to protect market share.

Additional supply is expected to help absorb the effects of Western sanctions that have disrupted Russian exports to key buyers such as China and India.

Sources familiar with discussions said OPEC+ members are leaning toward a modest output increase in December, ahead of the group’s meeting on Sunday. The alliance has already raised production targets by over 2.7 million barrels per day (bpd) — around 2.5% of global supply — through a series of monthly adjustments.

In Saudi Arabia, crude exports reached a six-month high of 6.407 million bpd in August, according to data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative, and are expected to rise further. Meanwhile, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported record domestic production of 13.6 million bpd last week.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that China had agreed to begin purchasing U.S. energy, adding that “a very large-scale transaction may take place involving the purchase of oil and gas from Alaska.”

However, analysts expressed doubts about whether a U.S.-China trade deal would lead to a meaningful boost in Chinese demand for American energy. “Alaska produces only 3% of total U.S. crude oil output (not significant), and we think Chinese purchases of Alaskan LNG likely would be market driven,” said Barclays analyst Michael McLean in a note.

The U.S. dollar edged higher on Friday, consolidating recent gains after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s hawkish comments earlier in the week, while the euro also advanced in the wake of the latest European Central Bank meeting.

At 05:10 ET (09:10 GMT), the Dollar Index — which measures the greenback against six major currencies — was up 0.1% at 99.380, after hitting a three-month high on Thursday.

Dollar steady as Powell tempers rate cut hopes

The greenback continued to benefit from Powell’s post-meeting remarks following the Federal Reserve’s widely expected 25-basis-point rate cut on Wednesday. Speaking afterward, Powell emphasized that another similar move in December was “far from” a foregone conclusion.

As a result, traders have pared back expectations for another rate cut at the December 10 policy meeting. According to CME Group’s FedWatch tool, futures now imply a 74.7% probability of a quarter-point reduction, down from 91.1% a week earlier.

“The government shutdown has prevented jobs data from offering that catalyst, and Powell’s caution on a December cut has to be taken more at face value now,” analysts at ING said in a note.

ECB maintains steady stance

The euro strengthened slightly, with EUR/USD up 0.1% to 1.1570, after French inflation came in a touch weaker than expected — up 0.9% year-on-year in October, compared with 1.1% in September. The broader eurozone inflation report due later Friday is expected to show annual consumer price growth easing to 2.1% from 2.2%.

The European Central Bank kept its key deposit rate unchanged at 2% for a third straight meeting, repeating that monetary policy remained in a “good place” as economic risks recede.

“The coming weeks will see Governing Council members offering their nuances to the policy-inflation-growth assessments. But don’t expect much. The ECB is clearly in a ‘good place’ at 2% and the bar for more easing remains high,” ING said.

Pound dips amid UK political uncertainty

Sterling slipped 0.1% to 1.3143 amid renewed speculation about British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves’s future. “Markets are wary that a change in Chancellor could herald more relaxed fiscal rules and additional borrowing, at a time when gilt issuance remains elevated. A surprise resignation, which looks unlikely, would, in our view, cause elevated volatility in gilts and the pound,” ING added.

Yen weakens despite upbeat inflation data

In Asia, the yen gave up earlier gains, with USD/JPY rising 0.2% to 154.36. Tokyo’s consumer price index rose more than expected in October, with core inflation staying well above the Bank of Japan’s 2% target. Industrial output also beat expectations, though retail sales growth slowed.

The BOJ left interest rates unchanged on Thursday, as anticipated, but Governor Kazuo Ueda signaled the possibility of rate hikes ahead — contingent on wage growth trends.

China and Australia currencies under pressure

The Chinese yuan edged 0.1% lower to 7.1143 against the dollar, after the People’s Bank of China set a slightly weaker daily midpoint. Official PMI data showed China’s manufacturing sector contracted for the seventh straight month in October, with the composite PMI hovering near contraction territory as weak domestic demand and high U.S. tariffs continued to weigh on business activity.

Despite this, the yuan remains near its strongest level in a year, supported by the central bank’s consistent firm fixings.

Meanwhile, the Australian dollar slipped 0.2% to 0.6542, reversing gains as stronger-than-expected CPI data cooled expectations of further rate cuts from the Reserve Bank of Australia. The Aussie ended October down nearly 1%.

U.S. stock futures edged higher Friday, signaling a potential rebound to close out October, as upbeat results from Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) lifted investor mood. Meanwhile, Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) announced a new supply deal in South Korea, and fresh data showed that China’s manufacturing sector contracted more than expected.

Futures edge higher

By 02:20 ET, S&P 500 futures rose 0.6% (up 42 points), Nasdaq 100 futures gained 1.1% (up 290 points), and Dow futures were little changed. Investors weighed new tech earnings alongside signs of easing trade tensions as the month drew to a close.

The previous session saw declines across major U.S. indices, dragged lower by Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). Both companies revealed plans to significantly boost spending on artificial intelligence, sparking concerns over compressed profit margins and uncertain returns. Meta shares dropped 11.3%—their steepest one-day fall in three years—while Microsoft slipped 2.9%. Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), however, rose 2.5% after surpassing forecasts on the back of strong advertising and cloud revenue.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell tempered hopes of further policy easing, saying another rate cut in December was “far from a foregone conclusion.” Meanwhile, trade deals between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to shift sentiment materially. Nvidia, which this week became the first company to surpass a $5 trillion market valuation, retreated 2%.

Amazon surges on strong cloud and AI-driven results

Amazon reported third-quarter revenue of $180.2 billion, up 13% year-over-year and above expectations of $177.75 billion. Earnings per share came in at $1.95, topping estimates of $1.56 despite a one-off legal settlement and workforce reduction costs.

Growth at Amazon Web Services—central to the company’s AI ambitions—accelerated to 20%, its fastest pace since 2022. For the holiday quarter, Amazon projects sales between $206 billion and $213 billion, implying growth of 10%–13%, and operating income in the range of $21 billion to $26 billion.

The company said it spent nearly $90 billion in capital expenditures during the first nine months of the year, with full-year investment expected to reach $125 billion, as it expands its AI infrastructure.

Apple forecasts record holiday quarter

Apple shares also traded higher premarket after the company delivered an upbeat forecast for the final quarter of 2025. The tech giant expects revenue to climb 10%–12% during the holiday season—well above analyst projections.

CEO Tim Cook told CNBC the iPhone 17 would drive the best December quarter “in the history of the company.” Demand for the latest model has outpaced that of its predecessors, particularly in the U.S. and China.

Apple posted fiscal Q4 earnings of $1.85 per share on revenue of $102.5 billion, compared with expectations of $1.76 per share and $102 billion in sales. While iPhone revenue of $49 billion came in slightly below forecasts due to supply constraints, CFO Kevan Parekh highlighted that investments in artificial intelligence are set to increase, adding around $1.5 billion to expected December-quarter operating expenses.

Nvidia strikes major AI chip deal in South Korea

Nvidia announced plans to supply over 260,000 advanced AI chips to South Korea’s government and major conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, SK Group, and Hyundai Motor. Each company plans to deploy up to 50,000 chips in smart factory operations, while the government will use its allocation to bolster domestic AI development.

“Just as Korea’s physical factories have inspired the world with sophisticated ships, cars, chips and electronics, the nation can now produce intelligence as a new export that will drive global transformation,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement.

Huang, who met with President Lee Jae Myung and corporate leaders in Gyeongju, did not disclose the deal’s value or timeline. The announcement further cements Nvidia’s dominance amid the global AI boom.

China’s manufacturing slowdown deepens

Official data showed China’s manufacturing PMI fell to 49.0 in October, below expectations of 49.6 and down from 49.8 in September, signaling a sharper contraction. The sector has now remained below the 50-point threshold for seven consecutive months.

The report indicated that weak domestic demand and persistent U.S. trade tariffs continue to weigh on factory sentiment. Analysts said the figures underscore growing pressure on Beijing to introduce additional stimulus measures as the world’s second-largest economy battles deflation, sluggish consumer spending, and soft private investment.