Author: Fiona Craig

Fiinu (LSE:BANK) reported an unaudited loss after tax of £2.15 million for the six months ended 30 June 2026, with cash of £2.70 million at the end of the period.

The group continued implementation of its white-labelled Plugin Overdraft® with Conister Bank and moved the platform into a production environment. Fiinu is targeting a launch around the end of 2026 and has continued developing the technology for use across UK and European Economic Area open banking systems.

After the reporting period, Fiinu agreed an updated implementation timetable and long-term commercial framework with Conister Bank. The initial deployment is intended to serve approximately 1.5 million customers of Payment Assist Limited before a potential broader rollout.

The company also reduced group overheads and continued restructuring subsidiary Everfex towards what it described as a leaner, self-funded operating model. Legacy creditor matters remain outstanding at Everfex.

Fiinu said it sees a potential European market encompassing approximately 5,000 banking institutions and an estimated 120 million consumers experiencing short-term liquidity constraints. These figures represent the company’s assessment of the addressable opportunity for its Plugin Overdraft® platform.

The directors also identified material uncertainty regarding the group’s ability to continue as a going concern. The uncertainty relates to the unpredictability of future revenue, the timing of commercial deployments and Fiinu’s future cash requirements.

More about Fiinu Plc

Fiinu Plc is an AIM-quoted financial technology group focused on developing and licensing its Plugin Overdraft® platform.

The white-label credit platform is designed to integrate with banks’ existing infrastructure and open banking systems in the UK and Europe, allowing partner banks to provide overdraft and other credit products without requiring customers to move their primary banking relationships.

Gateley (Holdings) Plc (LSE:GTLY) has published its Annual Report for the year ended 30 April 2026 and issued the notice for its 2026 Annual General Meeting.

The documents are available through the company’s investor website. Gateley said hard copies will also be sent to shareholders who have elected to receive physical communications.

The AGM is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, at Gateley’s London office at 1 Paternoster Square, EC4M 7DX.

Shareholders will have the opportunity to consider the matters set out in the AGM notice at the meeting.

More about Gateley (Holdings)

Gateley (Holdings) Plc is a UK-listed professional services group whose shares trade on AIM under the ticker GTLY.

The group provides legal and related advisory services to corporate and institutional clients.

CT Automotive Group plc (LSE:CTA) said it will publish its interim financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2026 on 16 September 2026.

The publication date is later than the company’s previously indicated early-September timetable.

Chief Executive Officer Simon Phillips and Non-Executive Chair Ray Bench will host a live online presentation for existing and potential shareholders through the Investor Meet Company platform on the same day.

Investors will be able to submit questions ahead of the presentation and during the live event.

More about CT Automotive Group Plc

CT Automotive Group plc is a UK-headquartered designer, developer and manufacturer of bespoke automotive interior finishes and kinematic assemblies.

The company operates manufacturing facilities in China, Mexico and Türkiye, with design and administrative functions in India and distribution and assembly operations across Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Its customer base includes Nissan, Ford, GM, Volkswagen Audi Group, Bentley, Lamborghini and Rivian, as well as a major U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer. CT Automotive supplies components for more than 64 vehicle models across 21 OEMs.

Atlantic Lithium (LSE:ALL) released its audited financial results for the year ended 30 June 2026 alongside an update on the proposed all-cash takeover by Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt.

The company’s board has unanimously recommended that shareholders support the proposed scheme, under which Huayou would acquire all Atlantic Lithium shares. Shareholder votes are expected in November, with implementation targeted for December, subject to regulatory and court approvals.

During the financial year, Ghana’s parliament ratified the mining lease for the Ewoyaa Lithium Project, approving development of the proposed mine and processing plant. The updated terms include royalties aligned with new national regulations.

Atlantic Lithium also secured access to multiple funding lines during the period and continued exploration activities in Côte d’Ivoire.

The company appointed Andrew Watt as an alternate director during the year.

More about Atlantic Lithium

Atlantic Lithium Limited is an Africa-focused lithium exploration and development company listed on AIM, ASX and the Ghana Stock Exchange.

The company’s principal asset is the Ewoyaa Lithium Project in Ghana, where it plans to develop a lithium mine and processing plant.

Integrated Diagnostics Holdings (LSE:IDHC) reported revenue of EGP 4.9 billion for the first half of 2026, an increase of 37% from the prior-year period, as test volumes rose 20% and revenue per test increased 14%.

Gross profit increased 41%, while EBITDA rose 38% and net profit was 47% higher. The company attributed the performance to higher operating leverage, procurement efficiencies and cost management, alongside continued investment in new branches and specialised services.

Second-quarter revenue increased 42% year on year, while EBITDA rose 50%. The company said the quarterly performance reflected demand across its core markets and higher utilisation in both contract and walk-in patient segments.

IDH expanded its network to 839 branches during the period. The group opted not to pay an additional dividend, saying it had decided to retain cash because of geopolitical uncertainty and planned expansion projects.

Founding shareholder vehicle Hena Holdings increased its ownership of IDH to 56.67%, leaving 43.33% of the company’s shares in public hands.

The company ended the first half with a positive net cash position. IDH said operating cash generation and working capital management supported its liquidity while capital expenditure requirements increased.

The group is retaining balance-sheet flexibility and US dollar liquidity as it continues investment across its diagnostics and radiology operations.

More about Integrated Diagnostics Holdings

Integrated Diagnostics Holdings is a London-listed medical diagnostics provider operating across Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The group provides laboratory testing and radiology services to contract and walk-in patients through its branch network.

IDH has been expanding its branch presence, including in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, while investing in specialised services including radiology and Biolab KSA.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries reduced its estimate for global oil demand growth in 2026 to 380,000 barrels per day in its latest monthly report.

The change represents OPEC’s fifth consecutive monthly reduction to its 2026 demand growth projection.

OPEC continues to forecast higher oil consumption than the International Energy Agency. The IEA expects global oil demand to decline in 2026, citing a greater impact from the Iran war on consumption patterns.

OPEC’s report also raised the producer group’s forecast for global oil demand growth in 2027.

The European Central Bank raised its deposit rate by 25 basis points to 2.50% on Thursday, as higher energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict continued to affect the inflation outlook.

Brent crude moved back above $100 a barrel this week following renewed attacks between the United States and Iran. The conflict, now in its seventh month, has restricted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which handled roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows before the war began in late February.

The Eurozone is a major energy importer, and regional gas prices have recently reached their highest levels since 2023.

The ECB had previously raised rates in June before leaving them unchanged in July.

In its latest statement, the ECB said the Middle East conflict “continues to generate inflation pressures,” adding that inflation is expected to remain above its 2% target “for an extended period.”

Capital Economics analysts, including Andrew Kenningham, described the statement as “somewhat hawkish” and said they now “think one more hike is likely” in 2026. Markets were also pricing in another rate increase by this time next year and a 40% probability of an additional increase.

ECB Raises 2027 and 2028 Inflation Forecasts

Updated ECB staff projections showed headline inflation averaging 3.0% this year. The central bank raised its forecasts for 2027 and 2028 to 2.5% and 2.1%, respectively.

Speaking at a press conference following the decision, ECB President Christine Lagarde said the “energy shock” resulting from the Iran war could intensify further and that secondary effects on other prices and wages could be greater than previously anticipated.

Lagarde nevertheless described the Eurozone economy as “resilient,” pointing to the labour market and a recovery in the services sector. She said the economy’s resilience was expected to continue into the third quarter.

Following the decision, Germany’s benchmark 10-year government bond yield traded around its highest level since the Eurozone economic crisis in 2011, while France’s 10-year yield remained around its highest level since 2008.

U.S. equity futures pointed lower on Thursday as crude oil prices extended their recent increase and producer price data showed annual inflation accelerating in August.

U.S. crude futures climbed nearly 5% after rising more than 3% in the previous session, taking prices above $100 a barrel. Brent crude also moved above the $100 level on Wednesday for the first time since July.

The increase in oil prices followed further exchanges between U.S. and Iranian forces. President Donald Trump indicated that the conflict could continue beyond November’s midterm elections.

Separately, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials, that White House advisers had discussed with Trump the possibility that the conflict could continue through the remainder of his presidential term.

Producer Price Inflation Accelerates to 5.4%

U.S. stock futures extended their declines following the release of August producer price data.

The Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand increased 0.4% month on month after a revised 0.1% rise in July. The August increase matched economists’ expectations.

Annual producer price inflation accelerated to 5.4% from 4.8%, exceeding the 5.3% forecast.

The data comes ahead of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy meeting next week, with investors assessing the implications of higher energy prices and inflation data for interest rates.

“Brent crude pushing above $100 a barrel has had a psychological effect on the market, pushing a hypothetical inflation worry gauge to ‘serious’ status and dragging down financial assets,” said Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell.

“The oil price has now jumped by 28% since early August,” he added. “This type of ascent could leave businesses and consumers feeling sick at the thought of sharp cost increases and potentially higher borrowing costs if central banks choose to fight inflation with interest rate hikes.”

U.S. Indices Close Lower for Third Session

Wall Street’s major indices declined for a third consecutive session on Wednesday, with the Dow closing at its lowest level in more than a month.

The Dow fell 0.8% to 52,380.66, the Nasdaq declined 0.6% to 26,253.34 and the S&P 500 lost 0.5% to 7,636.36.

Retail and networking stocks recorded larger declines, while telecom, housing and transportation shares also moved lower. Oil and gold stocks advanced alongside their respective commodity prices.

TotalEnergies (LSE:TTE) announced an oil discovery in Angola and said it has signed agreements to acquire a 40% operated interest in two exploration blocks in the country.

The French energy company said the Acacia-5 discovery, made in June 2026, is expected to add 6,000 barrels per day of production from Block 17.

TotalEnergies expects the fast-track development to begin producing oil within three months of the discovery.

TotalEnergies Agrees 40% Interests in Exploration Blocks

The company also signed agreements with Angola’s petroleum regulator, Agência Nacional de Petróleo, Gás e Biocombustíveis, to enter Blocks 17/25 and 32/21 in the Lower Congo Basin.

Under the agreements, TotalEnergies will hold a 40% operated interest in each exploration block.

Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne said Wednesday that TotalEnergies and its partners plan to invest $10 billion in Angola over the next five years.