(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London were little changed at midday on Wednesday, with investors digesting easing oil prices and steady UK inflation, while awaiting the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision later in the day. Read More
Blackrock Smaller Cos Trust PLC - investment trust focused on smaller UK quoted companies - Says Managing Director and Head of Emerging Companies Team Dan Whitestone decides to leave Blackrock to take some time away from the industry. Notes Lead Manager Roland Arnold continues as sole manager of the portfolio, and will replace Whitestone as head of the emerging companies team. Read More
Metlen Energy & Metals PLC - Athens-based aluminium producer and electricity generator - Executive Chair Evangelos Mytilineos, through Kilteo Ltd, buys 15,000 shares at EUR41.12 for EUR616,800 on Tuesday in Athens. Read More
WH Smith PLC - Swindon, England-based travel retailer - Opens new store, described as a "one-stop-shop retail destination," at Belfast International Airport, which is part of Vinci SA's Vinci Airports network. The store is in the airside departures concourse and caters to leisure and business travelers, offering "a comprehensive range" of foods and drinks, health and beauty products, "travel essentials" and other items. Company and airport also highlight "clear navigation, efficient checkout areas, and a layout tailored to high passenger flow." Announcement follows WH Smith, earlier in June, again lowering its full-year guidance for the second time in three months to forecast headline pretax profit before non-underlying items of GBP75 million to GBP90 million for the year ending August 31. This would be down on-year from GBP108 million. Company also said it had raised GBP106 million via a placing, subscription and retail offer. Read More
(Alliance News) - Dar Global PLC on Wednesday marked its fifth anniversary, highlighting its USD23 billion gross development value and noting plans for further growth in asset management, real estate technology solutions and hospitality. Read More
IG Design Group PLC - Buckinghamshire, England-based celebration products and gift packaging firm - Anders Hedlund, the company's founder and a current non-executive director, buys 16.6 million shares from a Hedlund family controlled company at 88.0 pence, worth GBP14.6 million, on Tuesday. The family's holding remains unchanged at 22.9 million shares in total, a 23.3% stake. Anders Hedlund now holds 16.7 million of these shares directly, with the remainder held by another family company and a family trust. Read More
(Alliance News) - Ireland's trade surplus widened sharply in April, boosted by a surging positive balance with the US, data published by the Central Statistics Office showed Wednesday. Read More
Everyman Media Group PLC - London-based chain of 49 premium cinemas - Interim Creative Director Charles Dorfman buys 1.1 million shares at 33.63 pence, worth GBP377,626, on Tuesday. Dorfman now has 7.4 million shares, an 8.1% stake. Everyman Media on Tuesday said Dorfman is among a group of director-shareholders who want to de-list the company from the AIM market in London. The director group holds about 46% of Everyman Media shares, with shareholders representing a further 11% also supporting taking the company private. Read More
International Workplace Group PLC - Zug, Switzerland-based provider of hybrid workspace under Regus and other brands - Increases the size of its 5.125% bonds due 2032 to EUR500.0 million from EUR300.0 million. The tap issuance will form a single series with the original bond and will be traded on the London Stock Exchange. The proceeds will be use for general corporate purposes. Read More
(Alliance News) - Saba Capital Management LP is expected to appoint four nominees to the board of Impax Environmental Markets PLC on Wednesday, as it also moved toward the replacement of non-executive directors at Workspace Group PLC. Read More
Roadside Real Estate PLC - Abingdon, England-based investor in roadside property such as petrol stations and convenience stores - Completes the acquisition of a group of 12 petrol stations and separately agrees the purchase of one more. Roadside Real Estate in April agreed to buy Hoch Group Ltd for GBP28.6 million. Hoch owns a portfolio of 12 petrol station forecourts and one standalone convenience store in Cumbria, north west England. Roadside Real Estate funds the acquisition with a new GBP25.0 million revolving credit facility from HSBC and a drawdown of its existing facility with Tarncourt. The HSBC facility has a starting margin of 2.6 percentage points above the sterling overnight index average and is drawn down by GBP12.5 million. Tarncourt facility is charged at 3 percentage points over the Bank of England base rate and is drawn down by GBP4 million. Read More
(Alliance News) - UK ministers have said "the age of outsourcing is over" as the Cabinet Office set out a plan for bringing services like cleaning and security back in-house. Read More