2nd Oct 2026 07:58
(Alliance News) - IG Group's third quarter revenue was hurt by weaker over-the-counter retention, while Wizz Air and Ryanair both report growth in September passenger numbers.
Here is what you need to know before the London market open:
----------
MARKETS
----------
FTSE 100: called up 0.3% at 10,460.17
GBP: up at USD1.3217 (USD1.3204 at previous London equities close)
----------
BROKER RATINGS
----------
JPMorgan adds Centrica to 'analyst focus list'
----------
COMPANIES - FTSE 100
----------
IG Group expects to report a decline in third quarter revenue but it hails growth in active customers. Total revenue for the third quarter to September 30 amounted to GBP240 million, down 14% on-year from GBP280.1 million, the online trading platform provider says. Third quarter revenue is hurt by lower over-the-counter revenue retention. "Within OTC derivatives, revenue retention in Q3 2026 was approximately 70%, below the approximately 80% averaged since the introduction of market-making optimisation measures in H2 2025 to the end of Q3 2026. As previously guided, the board remains confident that these measures will structurally increase OTC revenue retention over the medium to long term, albeit with greater expected short-term variability," IG adds. Organic first trades shot up 25% on-year in the quarter, with organic active customer growth at 17%. It adds: "The underlying business remains strong. While Q3 2026 OTC net trading revenue of approximately GBP155 million was around 18% lower year-on-year, OTC customer income increased by approximately 8%." IG now expects total revenue growth in a "mid-single-digit" percent range for the whole of 2026. IG adds: "The board remains confident of meeting its medium-term guidance beyond 2026, reflecting customer growth, driven by investment in product and brand, together with higher OTC revenue retention."
----------
COMPANIES - FTSE 250
----------
Pub firm JD Wetherspoon maintained its annual dividend, as yearly profit fell but revenue climbed. Trading in recent weeks, meanwhile, was supported by "exceptional weather". In the year ended July 26, pretax profit declined 13% to GBP77.7 million from GBP89.3 million a year prior, though revenue climbed 5.2% to GBP2.24 billion from GBP2.13 billion. Like-for-like sales rose 4.2%. Operating costs climbed 6.7% to GBP2.12 billion. Before "separately disclosed items", pretax profit was 28% lower at GBP58.6 million, the firm adds. JD Wetherspoon maintains its dividend at 12.0 pence per share. In the nine weeks to September 27, like-for-like sales rise 8.6%, "helped, no doubt, by exceptional weather", Chair Tim Martin says. "The company has made substantial progress in recent years in increasing the number of beer gardens and outside seating areas. This has resulted in sales improving in hot weather whereas, in the past, sales sometimes declined," the chair adds. "Wetherspoon has made a good start to the financial year, although it is at least partially due to weather, which will inevitably revert to the norm. At this early stage, we continue to anticipate profit before tax and separately disclosed items in line with current market expectations." JD Wetherspoon puts market consensus at GBP74 million for pretax profit before separately disclosed items.
----------
Budget carrier Wizz Air says it grew passenger numbers and capacity last month. Capacity grew 25% on-year to just under 8.5 million seats, while passenger numbers were 24% higher at just under 7.8 million seats. Wizz Air's load factor slipped to 92.0% from 92.8% a year prior, "although this in part reflected a stronger pricing environment, with a notable improvement seen in the month compared to earlier periods", it adds.
----------
OTHER COMPANIES
----------
Ryanair reports a 4% rise in passenger numbers in September, though it notes a number of flights were cancelled last month. Passenger numbers increased to 20.1 million in September from 19.4 million a year prior. The low-cost airline says it operated over 111,700 flights last month, though more than 1,000 were cancelled. It says this was due to UK air traffic control woes, Belgian strikes and eruptions of Mount Etna in Italy.
----------
Outsourcing and business services provider Capita notes that the UK National Audit Office is reviewing the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Capita took over the administration of the scheme, which has some 1.7 million members, in December 2025. But it has been mired by delays and backlogs and Capita in August admitted "that the service delivered on the Civil Service Pension Scheme has not been good enough since the transition in December 2025". Capita says on Friday: "Since Capita's H1 announcement on 4 August, we have made good operational progress in both August and September across priority areas of CSPS. Capita recognises the need for continued service improvement, and we are implementing further automation along with stronger governance including improved management information. This will continue to improve operational output and member experience. Capita accepts that performance remains below the standards that scheme members and the government rightly expect. The remediation of CSPS remains the Group's top priority."
----------
By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor
Comments and questions to [email protected]
Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Related Shares:
CentricaIGWetherspoon (J.D)Wizz AirRYA.LCapita