ADVFN UK Market News

Blog

  • Market Open: Barratt Redrow Shareholder Returns, Audioboom Record First Half

    Market Open: Barratt Redrow Shareholder Returns, Audioboom Record First Half

    FTSE 100 opens flat as Barratt Redrow boosts shareholder returns, Audioboom posts record results and oil keeps markets focused.

    Market Overview

    The FTSE 100 opened down slightly at 10,529.05, while the Euronext 100 edged 0.01 per cent lower and Germany’s DAX fell 0.87 per cent. Overnight, the Nasdaq closed higher at 26,107.01 and the S&P 500 finished up at 7,543.59 as investors weighed renewed US-Iran hostilities, rising oil prices and corporate earnings against continued resilience in technology shares.

    Commodity markets remained dominated by higher energy prices following renewed attacks linked to the US-Iran conflict, supporting Brent crude while gold also edged higher on safe-haven demand. Copper traded lower and natural gas strengthened. Against sterling, the US dollar, Swiss franc, euro and Japanese yen were little changed, while the Australian dollar was marginally firmer. Bitcoin was down.

    Market Numbers

    FTSE 100: Down (0.001%), 10,529.05

    Euronext 100: Down (-0.01%), 1,913.94

    DAX: Down (-0.87%), 24,928.12

    NASDAQ: Up, 26,107.01

    S&P 500: Up, 7,543.59

    In the Headlines

    Capital Returns – Barratt Redrow (LSE:BTRW)

    Barratt Redrow increased planned shareholder returns after delivering a resilient financial year despite challenging housing market conditions. The housebuilder announced a stronger capital return programme centred on share buybacks, underlining confidence in its balance sheet and future cash generation.

    Record Half-Year – Audioboom (LSE:BOOM)

    Audioboom reported record first-half revenue and profit, reflecting continued growth across its podcast advertising business. The results reinforce the company’s improving operational momentum and expanding monetisation strategy.

    Currencies (vs GBP)

    USD: Down (-0.01%), $1.3396

    CHF: Down (-0.01%), Fr.1.0839

    EUR: Unchanged (0.00%), €1.1726

    JPY: Up (+0.04%), ¥217.2795

    AUD: Down (-0.01%), $1.9202

    Bitcoin (BTC/GBP): Down, £48,157.37

    Commodities

    Copper: Down

    Gold: Up

    Brent Crude: Down

    Natural Gas: Up

  • FTSE 100 slips as Middle East tensions and weaker China data weigh on sentiment

    FTSE 100 slips as Middle East tensions and weaker China data weigh on sentiment

    The FTSE 100 traded lower on Wednesday as investors reacted to escalating conflict between the United States and Iran, while weaker-than-expected economic growth in China added to concerns over the global outlook. The UK benchmark fell 0.60 percent in early trading, with Germany’s DAX down 0.90 percent and France’s CAC 40 losing 0.28 percent. Sterling strengthened 0.17 percent against the US dollar to 1.3414.

    China slowdown and geopolitical tensions pressure markets

    China’s economy expanded by 4.3 percent year on year during the second quarter, marking its slowest pace of growth since late 2022. The figure fell short of market expectations and below the Chinese government’s annual growth target, raising concerns about demand in one of the world’s largest commodity-consuming economies.

    Investor sentiment was also affected by a fourth consecutive day of military action between the United States and Iran. The United States confirmed further strikes on Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and reinstated a naval blockade affecting vessels travelling through Iranian ports.

    US President Donald Trump warned that military operations could intensify further unless Iran returned to negotiations. Iran responded with retaliatory strikes against US military assets in the region, while attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz heightened concerns over global energy supplies.

    Oil rises as supply concerns increase

    Brent crude climbed 1.4 percent to 85.90 dollars a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.2 percent to 80.32 dollars as investors assessed the potential impact of disruption to Middle East oil exports.

    Gold prices moved lower despite the geopolitical uncertainty, with futures falling 0.85 percent to 4,034.40 dollars an ounce and spot gold declining 0.60 percent to 4,029.69 dollars.

    UK corporate news

    B&M (LSE:BME) reported 2 percent revenue growth in the first quarter, supported by strong trading in France and Heron Foods despite weaker like-for-like sales in the UK.

    Barratt Redrow (LSE:BTRW) completed homes at the upper end of its guidance for the 2026 financial year and announced plans for a 400 million pound share buyback programme during 2027.

    Thames Water said it has sufficient funding through the fourth quarter of 2026 as it continues discussions with creditors, regulators and the UK government regarding its recapitalisation plans.

    Rio Tinto (LSE:RIO) increased first-half copper equivalent production by 3 percent and maintained full-year production guidance across its major commodities.

    Antofagasta (LSE:ANTO) reported a 9.5 percent decline in first-half copper production but kept its full-year production forecast unchanged.

    Hunting (LSE:HTG) maintained full-year EBITDA guidance after first-half performance met expectations, supported by continued strength in its subsea and perforating businesses.

    ICG (LSE:ICG) reported a 10 percent increase in fee-earning assets under management, driven by strong fundraising for its flagship European structured capital strategy.

  • ICG grows assets under management as flagship Europe fund exceeds fundraising target (ICG)

    ICG grows assets under management as flagship Europe fund exceeds fundraising target (ICG)

    ICG Plc (LSE:ICG) reported strong growth in assets under management during the first quarter of its financial year, supported by continued fundraising success for its flagship European structured capital strategy.

    Fee-earning assets continue to expand

    Total assets under management reached 126 billion dollars at 30 June, while fee-earning assets under management increased 3 percent during the quarter and 10 percent over the past year to 88 billion dollars.

    The company added 2.4 billion dollars of net new fee-earning assets, as gross inflows of 4.4 billion dollars more than offset 2.0 billion dollars of realisations. ICG also reported 36 billion dollars of available investment capital, including 18 billion dollars that has yet to begin generating management fees.

    Europe IX fund drives fundraising

    Total fundraising during the quarter reached 4.1 billion dollars.

    The Structured Capital and Secondaries division attracted 2.2 billion dollars, with the majority coming from the Europe IX fund, which raised 2.1 billion dollars during the quarter. By 30 June, the fund had reached 11 billion euros in commitments.

    ICG said the fund is expected to close well above its original 10 billion euro target and will be around 50 percent larger than its predecessor, making it the firm’s largest commingled fund to date.

    The company said, “Europe IX is ICG’s largest-ever co-mingled fund and at €12bn will be the largest co-mingled structured capital fund ever raised globally. It is materially oversubscribed, reflecting the highly differentiated nature of the strategy and its strong track record.”

    New fund launches support future growth

    Within its Real Assets business, ICG launched the SRE III European real estate equity fund, with the first close expected before end of FY27.

    The total fund size for SRE II was €0.7bn.

    The company also launched SDP VI within its Debt division, with a first close expected before the end of the current financial year.

    Across its investment strategies, ICG deployed 3 billion dollars during the quarter, bringing capital deployed over the previous 12 months to 14.3 billion dollars.

    Dividend confirmed and credit rating maintained

    ICG confirmed its final dividend for the 2026 financial year of 59.3 pence per share, which is scheduled to be paid on 31 July.

    The company also noted that Fitch Ratings reaffirmed its BBB+ credit rating with a stable outlook on 10 July, reflecting continued confidence in its financial position.

  • Anglo Asian Mining reports record first-half production as Demirli copper mine gathers momentum (AAZ)

    Anglo Asian Mining reports record first-half production as Demirli copper mine gathers momentum (AAZ)

    Anglo Asian Mining Plc (LSE:AAZ) delivered record production during the first half of 2026 as output from its Demirli copper mine continued to increase, while the company’s net cash position strengthened significantly.

    Copper output surges as Demirli ramps up

    Copper production reached 5,129 tonnes during the second quarter, an increase of 38 percent from the 3,711 tonnes produced in the first quarter.

    The Demirli mine contributed 3,250 tonnes during the quarter, while the Gedabek operation produced a further 1,879 tonnes. Total first-half copper production rose to 8,840 tonnes, compared with 1,188 tonnes in the same period last year, reflecting the rapid expansion of Demirli.

    Strong cash generation improves balance sheet

    The company increased its net cash position by 39.9 million dollars during the second quarter.

    Cash balances stood at 69.8 million dollars at the end of June, while outstanding debt declined to 12.2 million dollars, resulting in a net cash position of 57.6 million dollars.

    During the first half, Anglo Asian sold 58,577 dry metric tonnes of concentrate with a total value of 125.9 million dollars. Of that total, Demirli accounted for 71.4 million dollars of sales.

    Full-year guidance unchanged

    Gold production totalled 12,329 ounces during the first six months of the year, while silver production reached 92,855 ounces.

    The company maintained its full-year production guidance, forecasting copper output of between 20,000 and 25,000 tonnes, gold production of between 28,000 and 33,000 ounces, and silver production of between 170,000 and 210,000 ounces.

    Management expects the Demirli mine to reach steady-state production during the third quarter, providing further support for production growth over the remainder of the year.

  • Iofina reports record iodine production and raises expectations for second half (IOF)

    Iofina reports record iodine production and raises expectations for second half (IOF)

    Iofina plc (LSE:IOF), a producer of iodine and manufacturer of specialty chemical products, delivered record operating performance during the first half of 2026 after exceeding its upgraded production guidance.

    First-half production surpasses forecast

    The company produced a record 393.3 metric tonnes of crystalline iodine during the first six months of the year, representing a 29 percent increase compared with the 305.5 metric tonnes produced in the same period of 2025.

    Production also exceeded the company’s upgraded guidance of 385 tonnes by 8.3 tonnes. Iofina attributed the stronger-than-expected performance to higher brine volumes at its central Oklahoma production facilities.

    New capacity expected to drive second-half growth

    Looking ahead, Iofina expects second-half iodine production to reach between 460 and 485 metric tonnes, supported by increased output from its IO#11 facility and the planned commissioning of IO#12.

    The new IO#12 plant, which will become the company’s largest IOsorb facility, is scheduled to enter service during the third quarter. Production is expected to begin towards the end of September, with the plant designed to deliver annual output of between 170 and 220 metric tonnes.

    Strong market demand continues

    Iodine spot prices remained in the mid-70 US dollars per kilogram range during the reporting period, providing continued support for the company’s operations.

    Iofina also reported robust demand for its specialty chemical products, particularly those serving the animal health and animal feed sectors.

    Alongside expanding production capacity, the company is finalising an additional 10 million US dollar project loan facility as it continues working towards its long-term objective of producing 2,000 metric tonnes of iodine annually.

  • Ashtead Technology maintains full-year outlook while monitoring Middle East conflict (AT.)

    Ashtead Technology maintains full-year outlook while monitoring Middle East conflict (AT.)

    Ashtead Technology (LSE:AT.) said it remains confident in meeting full-year market expectations despite disruption to activity in the Middle East during the first half of 2026. The Aberdeen-based subsea technology specialist said its outlook assumes geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran ease during the second half of the year, allowing customer projects to progress as planned.

    Revenue edges higher despite regional disruption

    The company generated revenue of 100.2 million pounds during the first six months of 2026, representing a 1 percent increase compared with the same period last year.

    EBITDA margin declined to 25.0 percent from 27.3 percent a year earlier, reflecting weaker rental activity in the Middle East and Asia, together with a higher proportion of lower-margin, non-rental revenues linked to project scheduling.

    Ashtead said: “The impact of the geopolitical tension in the Middle East continues to be monitored closely, and the group is working with its customers and partners in the region to manage changing vessel schedules and project priorities.”

    The company added: “Assuming that the disruption associated with the Middle East conflict eases through the second half, and there are no major changes to project scheduling, the board is comfortable with full-year market expectations.”

    Energy security continues to support demand

    Ashtead expects stronger trading during the second half of the year and continues to target a full-year EBITA margin in the high twenties.

    The latest update follows heightened tensions in the Middle East after the United States carried out strikes on multiple targets in Iran on 12 July. Iran subsequently launched retaliatory attacks, including strikes that reportedly hit three Kuwaiti border posts and a Kuwait Oil Company drilling platform.

    The company said growing attention on energy security, combined with a strong customer project backlog, continues to support confidence in its medium-term growth prospects.

    Management remains focused on long-term opportunities

    Ashtead’s latest comments build on remarks made by Chief Executive Allan Pirie during the company’s 2025 annual results in March, when he said the business remained alert to developments in the Middle East.

    At the time, Pirie said the company was, “mindful of the evolving situation” and would be “closely monitoring” the impact of the conflict on its operations.

    Ashtead is scheduled to publish its full first-half 2026 results at the beginning of September.

  • Barratt Redrow increases shareholder returns after resilient year in challenging housing market (BTRW)

    Barratt Redrow increases shareholder returns after resilient year in challenging housing market (BTRW)

    Barratt Redrow (LSE:BTRW) delivered a solid performance during the 2026 financial year despite continued challenges across the UK housing market. The company completed 17,667 homes and reported adjusted profit before tax in line with market expectations. Careful cost management, lower land expenditure and disciplined operations helped protect margins, while the group ended the year with net cash of approximately 772 million pounds.

    Stable demand supports outlook

    Customer demand remained affected by wider economic and geopolitical uncertainty, although reservation rates improved slightly during the year and affordable housing completions increased.

    Looking ahead, Barratt Redrow expects to complete between 17,700 and 18,200 homes during the 2027 financial year. Management anticipates limited house price inflation, while build cost inflation is expected to remain in the range of 3 percent to 4 percent.

    Capital allocation shifts towards share buybacks

    The board has introduced a revised capital allocation strategy that places greater emphasis on share buybacks instead of ordinary dividends. Management believes the company’s share price continues to trade at a significant discount to tangible net asset value, making buybacks a more attractive use of capital.

    During the 2027 financial year, Barratt Redrow intends to return around 400 million pounds to shareholders, with the majority expected to be delivered through share repurchases. The company said it will continue to invest in land acquisitions and work in progress while meeting ongoing commitments related to land creditors and building safety remediation.

    Strong balance sheet supports long-term strategy

    Management said the revised capital allocation approach reflects confidence in the company’s financial strength and its ability to generate cash over the long term.

    The business continues to focus on improving returns through integration synergies following the Redrow combination, increasing the number of active sales outlets and maintaining disciplined land investment. These initiatives are intended to strengthen shareholder returns while preserving balance sheet flexibility.

    Although Barratt Redrow benefits from a solid balance sheet, healthy revenue growth and an attractive valuation, investors continue to monitor weaker cash flow and softer technical share price performance.

    About Barratt Redrow plc

    Barratt Redrow plc is one of the United Kingdom’s largest residential property developers, operating through three complementary housebuilding brands that deliver private and affordable homes across the country.

    The company serves owner occupiers, private rental investors and institutional customers while maintaining a strong focus on build quality and customer satisfaction. Following the integration of Redrow, Barratt Redrow continues to pursue cost synergies, operational efficiencies and disciplined capital allocation to support long-term shareholder value.

  • Audioboom delivers record first half as revenue and profit accelerate (BOOM)

    Audioboom delivers record first half as revenue and profit accelerate (BOOM)

    Audioboom (LSE:BOOM) reported its strongest first-half performance to date, with revenue increasing 30 percent year on year to 45.7 million dollars and gross profit rising 33 percent to 9.9 million dollars. Growth was driven by continued strength in the company’s Showcase advertising marketplace, alongside a significant increase in podcast downloads and video views. Adjusted EBITDA climbed 80 percent to 3.2 million dollars, while higher margins and a stronger cash position reflected improving operational performance.

    Revenue momentum continues to build

    Cash balances more than doubled during the period to 5.4 million dollars, and Audioboom has already secured more than 81 million dollars of revenue for 2026, surpassing total revenue generated during the previous year.

    Management said the results demonstrate the scalability of the business model and continued demand from advertisers and content creators across its podcasting platform.

    Strategic partnerships support future growth

    During the period, Audioboom expanded its strategic relationships with Spotify and Apple to strengthen video monetisation opportunities. The company also continued to grow its creator network by signing several high-profile podcast shows while benefiting from the integration of the Adelicious acquisition, which has strengthened its presence in the UK advertising market.

    Following a strategic review, the board decided not to pursue three takeover proposals after concluding they did not reflect the company’s long-term value. Instead, Audioboom plans to continue pursuing growth through acquisitions, supported by a proposed 10 million dollar revolving credit facility.

    Management said expanding scale, continued investment in technology and sustainable profitable growth remain the company’s key strategic priorities.

    Profitability improves despite valuation concerns

    Audioboom continues to benefit from improving profitability and a relatively low-debt balance sheet, strengthening its financial position.

    However, investors continue to monitor weaker cash flow reported during 2025, while the shares remain in a longer-term technical downtrend despite recent oversold conditions. The company’s relatively high price-to-earnings ratio also continues to present a valuation challenge.

    About Audioboom Group

    Audioboom Group is a global podcasting company that provides advertising technology, content distribution and monetisation services for more than 8,000 podcast creators.

    The company distributes podcasts across major platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Amazon Music and is one of the largest podcast publishers in the United States. Its network reaches approximately 183 million monthly downloads and video views and around 58 million unique listeners worldwide.

  • Bloomsbury expects record annual profit after strong start to the financial year (BMY)

    Bloomsbury expects record annual profit after strong start to the financial year (BMY)

    Bloomsbury Publishing (LSE:BMY) said trading during the first four months of the 2026 to 2027 financial year has been strong, giving the Board confidence that the company is on track to deliver record adjusted profit in line with market expectations. Ahead of its annual general meeting, the publisher highlighted a strong release schedule in its Consumer Division, continued growth in its Academic and Professional business and ongoing contributions from artificial intelligence licensing agreements.

    Publishing pipeline supports outlook

    The Consumer Division is benefiting from a strong publishing programme featuring new releases from several bestselling authors. Bloomsbury also expects additional demand from the upcoming HBO Harry Potter television series, which is anticipated to introduce the books to a new generation of readers.

    The Academic and Professional Division continued to deliver underlying growth across all geographic markets, providing a stable source of recurring revenue alongside the consumer publishing business.

    Management said revenue generated through artificial intelligence licensing agreements also continues to support financial performance.

    Further details on trading are expected when the company publishes its interim results in October 2026.

    Strong financial position underpins confidence

    Bloomsbury continues to benefit from healthy free cash flow generation and a low leverage balance sheet, supporting investment in new publishing opportunities while maintaining financial flexibility.

    The shares also trade on what management considers to be an attractive valuation, supported by a relatively low price-to-earnings ratio and a solid dividend yield.

    Technical indicators remain positive, with the share price trading above key moving averages. However, the company noted that lower revenue and earnings reported during 2026 continue to provide a degree of caution when assessing the longer-term outlook.

    About Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC is an independent publishing company listed on the London Stock Exchange. The business operates through its Consumer and Academic and Professional divisions, publishing bestselling fiction, non-fiction and specialist academic content for readers and institutions worldwide.

    Alongside its traditional publishing activities, Bloomsbury has expanded its revenue streams through licensing agreements that allow artificial intelligence developers to access selected content. The company continues to focus on building long-term value through a combination of bestselling authors, digital publishing and specialist academic resources.

  • Cohort delivers record annual results as defence demand drives order book to new high (CHRT)

    Cohort delivers record annual results as defence demand drives order book to new high (CHRT)

    Cohort plc (LSE:CHRT) reported record financial results for the year ended 30 April 2026, with revenue increasing 13 percent to 306.4 million pounds and adjusted operating profit rising 32 percent to 36.3 million pounds. The group’s adjusted operating margin improved to 11.8 percent, while adjusted earnings per share increased 14 percent. Order intake reached 314.2 million pounds, exceeding annual revenue for another year, and the company increased its dividend by 10 percent, marking its twentieth consecutive year of dividend growth.

    Record order book supports future growth

    Cohort ended the financial year with a record order book of 618.8 million pounds, extending through to 2037. Following contract awards secured after the year end, the order book now covers almost 88 percent of expected market revenue for the 2026 to 2027 financial year.

    Growth was led by the Communications and Intelligence division, which benefited from the first full year contribution from EM Solutions. Performance in the Sensors and Effectors division remained broadly stable during the year.

    Financial flexibility strengthened

    The company renewed and significantly expanded its banking facilities, increasing available funding to 175 million pounds with an additional 50 million pound accordion facility. Management said the enhanced financing provides greater flexibility to support future investment, acquisitions and long-term growth.

    Cohort also noted that trading and earnings exceeded market expectations, supported by strong international demand for defence technologies. Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, rising geopolitical tensions in the Asia-Pacific region and increased NATO defence spending continue to drive customer demand across its markets.

    Positive outlook backed by strong pipeline

    Management reiterated its target of delivering double-digit earnings growth during the 2026 to 2027 financial year and the following two years. The company is also targeting around 120 million pounds of cash generation before capital expenditure and dividend payments over the same period.

    The combination of a record order book, improving margins and healthy demand provides a strong foundation for continued expansion in global defence technology markets.

    About Cohort plc

    Cohort plc is a UK-based defence technology company listed on AIM that develops communications, intelligence, surveillance, sonar and defence systems for military and government customers.

    The group operates through seven subsidiaries across the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Portugal and is organised into two main divisions: Communications and Intelligence, and Sensors and Effectors. Its businesses supply secure communications, electronic warfare systems, sonar technology, surveillance equipment and fire control solutions to customers across NATO countries and international defence markets.

    Cohort employs more than 1,700 people and has increased its dividend every year since its stock market listing in 2006, reflecting its long-term focus on defence technology and disciplined financial management.