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Young’s (LSE:YNGA) has reported a strong opening to its new financial year, with favourable weather and a packed summer sporting calendar helping to drive higher sales despite ongoing pressures across the hospitality sector.

The London and south-east-focused pub and hotel operator said total revenue increased by 9.4% during the 14 weeks to 31 March compared with the same period last year. On a like-for-like basis, which excludes the contribution from newly acquired venues, sales rose by 5.5%.

The company said trading was particularly strong over the late May bank holiday weekend, describing performance as “exceptional”, especially at pubs with outdoor gardens and riverside locations that benefited from the warm weather.

Young’s also pointed to increased customer demand generated by the FIFA World Cup, with England’s progress in the tournament encouraging higher footfall. Extended licensing hours for later evening matches allowed a number of venues to remain open into the night for supporters. The Wimbledon Championships also contributed to trading, with the group operating several pubs close to the tournament.

Chief executive Simon Dodd said the business had made a positive start to the financial year.

“This was supported by favourable weather, a busy summer of sport, with England’s success in the World Cup so far, a welcome boost and contributions from our expanded estate, as we integrate the Cubitt House pubs.”

Young’s recently completed the acquisition of eight gastropubs and pubs with rooms from Cubitt House London Pubs, further expanding its portfolio.

Commenting on the outlook, Dodd added:

“While the backdrop remains challenging, we are well-positioned and looking ahead to the rest of the year with confidence.”

The wider hospitality sector continues to face rising operating costs, with businesses citing increases in the National Living Wage, higher employer National Insurance contributions, additional regulatory costs and renewed pressure from higher energy prices.

The chief executive of rival pub operator Fuller’s recently criticised what he described as “government interference, additional taxes and regulations”, warning that rising costs “come with consequences” including pub closures and fewer employment opportunities.

More about Young’s

Young & Co.’s Brewery PLC is a premium pub, hotel and hospitality operator focused primarily on London and the south-east of England. The company owns and operates a portfolio of traditional pubs, gastropubs and boutique hotels, with a strategy centred on premium food, drink and accommodation offerings in high-quality locations. Recent acquisitions, including the Cubitt House estate, form part of Young’s long-term expansion strategy.

Keller Group plc (LSE:KLR) has raised its outlook for 2026 ahead of publishing its interim results, citing stronger-than-expected trading across the business, led by exceptional performance in North America. Demand for infrastructure and data centre projects in the United States and Canada has continued to accelerate, driving record activity levels and offsetting weaker conditions in the south Florida residential market.

The group’s Europe and Middle East division also delivered a solid performance, with strong trading in Scandinavia, Central Europe and the Middle East compensating for softer markets in western Europe. In Asia Pacific, trading remained broadly in line with expectations as strong results from Austral balanced pricing pressures affecting the Australian foundations business. Supported by robust tendering activity and a record order book of approximately £1.9 billion, the Board now expects both full-year revenue and underlying operating profit for 2026 to come in materially ahead of current market forecasts, reflecting confidence in the group’s growth strategy and long-term prospects.

Keller’s outlook continues to be supported by improving financial performance and an attractive valuation, with a relatively low price-to-earnings ratio. Recent management commentary has also highlighted strong free cash flow generation, a net cash balance sheet and enhanced returns to shareholders. Technical indicators remain positive, although elevated RSI and stochastic readings suggest the shares could be vulnerable to a short-term pullback after their recent gains.

More about Keller Group plc

Keller Group plc is the world’s largest geotechnical engineering contractor, specialising in advanced foundation engineering and ground improvement solutions for the global construction industry. The company employs around 10,000 people across five continents and completes approximately 5,500 projects each year, generating annual revenue of around £3 billion from infrastructure, commercial and large-scale construction developments.

North America is Keller’s largest market, contributing around 60% of group revenue, with continued investment in infrastructure and data centre construction providing significant growth opportunities. The company’s diversified international operations and expertise in complex engineering projects underpin its long-term strategy for sustainable growth in geotechnical services.

Capita (LSE:CPI) has responded to criticism of its administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme following a statement from the Paymaster General, acknowledging that service standards have fallen below expectations. The company said performance has been particularly disappointing in handling bereavement, retirement and pension quotation cases, and apologised to affected scheme members for the disruption and distress caused.

The outsourcing group said it is working closely with the Cabinet Office to improve operations and resolve outstanding issues as quickly as possible. According to Capita, new processes and automation have already been introduced to help reduce the backlog and improve service delivery. The company is reviewing the implications of the ministerial statement and said it will provide a further market update if necessary. It also confirmed that a scheduled trading update later this week will outline progress against its wider strategic objectives.

Capita’s outlook continues to be affected by weak financial performance, including losses during 2025, pressure on margins, inconsistent and negative free cash flow, and a highly leveraged balance sheet with limited equity. These factors are partly offset by positive technical indicators, with the shares trading above key moving averages and maintaining strong momentum, although overbought signals suggest there may be increased risk of a short-term pullback. Valuation remains challenging due to ongoing losses and the absence of a dividend.

More about Capita plc

Capita plc is a UK-listed outsourcing and business services company that provides technology-enabled services to organisations across the public and private sectors. Operating in eight countries, with a primary focus on the UK and Europe, the company helps clients manage complex operational processes while improving customer and citizen experiences.

Its services span areas including government administration, customer management, digital transformation and business process outsourcing, supporting millions of people through essential public and commercial services.

Shell (LSE:SHEL) has updated its outlook for the second quarter of 2026, indicating broadly stable to slightly higher production across most of its operations. Output from the Integrated Gas division is expected to be affected by the conflict in the Middle East and production volumes from Qatar. Despite these challenges, the company anticipates a significant improvement in trading and optimisation performance within Integrated Gas, while marketing earnings are forecast to remain broadly in line with the first quarter. Refining margins are also expected to remain strong, although realised margins will be lower due to ongoing market dislocations.

The Chemicals and Products division is expected to benefit from stronger indicative refining and chemical margins, supported by refinery utilisation rates close to full capacity. Chemical plant utilisation is, however, expected to ease slightly. Shell also expects cash flow from operations to improve as working capital reverses following the substantial outflows recorded in the previous quarter during a period of heightened commodity price volatility. The updated guidance highlights the continuing impact of geopolitical uncertainty and fluctuating energy prices on quarterly production volumes, margins and trading performance across the group’s operations.

The company’s outlook continues to be supported by a reasonable valuation, with a price-to-earnings ratio of around 12 and a dividend yield of approximately 3.47%. Recent management commentary has also been positive on shareholder returns, cost reduction initiatives and growth opportunities linked to ARC. These strengths are balanced by moderating financial momentum, including softer revenue and free cash flow trends, as well as weaker technical indicators and continued short-term disruption from volatile commodity markets.

More about Shell

Shell is one of the world’s largest integrated energy and petrochemicals companies, operating across integrated gas, upstream exploration and production, marketing, chemicals and products, as well as renewables and energy solutions. The company produces, trades and supplies oil, natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), while also operating refineries, chemical manufacturing facilities and an extensive global fuels and lubricants network. Alongside its traditional energy operations, Shell continues to expand its presence in lower-carbon energy and electricity markets.

As global competition for critical minerals intensifies, Guardian Metal Resources(AMEX:GMTL)(LSE:GMET)(USOTC: GMTLF) is positioning itself at the forefront of North America’s effort to secure domestic supplies of tungsten, one of the world’s most strategically important metals.

The company’s recently released Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) for its Pilot Mountain Project in Nevada highlights a development opportunity that combines robust economics, favourable jurisdictional advantages, and growing geopolitical importance. With an after-tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 59.6% and a projected capital payback period of just one year at the base-case tungsten price, Pilot Mountain is emerging as one of the most compelling critical mineral projects in the United States.

According to Guardian Metal Resources CEO Oliver Friesen, the project’s strength is underscored by its unique position within the Western tungsten sector.

“Pilot Mountain is highly competitive,” Friesen explained. “In the United States, it is currently the only tungsten project with a prefeasibility-level study completed in the last decade, which places us in a unique leadership position.”

Tungsten remains a vital material for defence, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies. Yet approximately 90% of global mine supply currently originates from China, Russia, and North Korea, creating significant supply chain concerns for Western governments and industries seeking secure, reliable sources of critical minerals.

Against this backdrop, Pilot Mountain’s location in Nevada provides a major strategic advantage. Widely regarded as one of the world’s premier mining jurisdictions, Nevada offers established infrastructure, a supportive regulatory environment, and strong mining expertise. Friesen believes these factors, combined with increasing government support for domestic critical mineral production, create ideal conditions for project advancement.

“Timing is everything in mining,” said Friesen. “We’re developing this project at a time when the United States is actively supporting domestic critical metal production and strengthening supply chain security.”

The economics become even more compelling at current tungsten spot prices. Guardian estimates that Pilot Mountain’s after-tax Net Present Value (NPV) rises to more than US$1.3 billion under prevailing market conditions, while the capital payback period shortens to approximately six months.

Importantly, the company is not starting from scratch. Guardian has spent more than three years advancing the project and completing the extensive technical work required to reach the PFS stage. This preparation gives the company a meaningful first-mover advantage as interest in tungsten projects accelerates globally.

With the PFS now complete, Guardian has already shifted its focus toward the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), permitting activities, detailed engineering, and future construction decisions.

Friesen emphasized that speed of execution will be critical as demand for tungsten continues to grow, driven by both defence requirements and technological innovation.

“We want to move as quickly as possible toward production,” he said. “The work we’ve completed gives us confidence to advance financing, engineering, permitting, and ultimately construction.”

The project’s planned open-pit mining operation further enhances its competitiveness. Compared with many underground tungsten deposits being explored elsewhere, open-pit mining can offer lower operating costs, greater flexibility, and improved long-term project economics. Guardian’s engineering team has also identified multiple operational levers that can help maintain profitability through future commodity price cycles.

As governments across North America and allied nations prioritize critical mineral security, Pilot Mountain’s strategic value continues to grow. Beyond its strong financial metrics, the project represents a potential domestic source of a mineral that is increasingly recognized as essential for economic resilience and national security.

Under the leadership of CEO Oliver Friesen, Guardian Metal Resources is advancing a project that not only offers attractive economics but also aligns closely with the broader objective of reducing Western dependence on foreign critical mineral supply chains. As the company moves toward development, Pilot Mountain is increasingly being viewed as one of the most significant emerging tungsten projects in North America.

For more information visit – https://guardianmetalresources.com/