6 April 2021 | 08:37am
StockMarketWire.com - UK stocks emerged from the Easter holiday break on Tuesday with a substantial gain following the release of strong US jobs and services data.
At 0821, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 72.41 points, or 1.1%, at 6,809.71.
Oil major BP gained 2.2% to 296.1p after it said it was on track to reach its $35 billion net debt target in the first quarter of its financial year.
Disposal proceeds in 2021 were forecast to be at the top end of BP s previously announced $4‑to-$6 billion range, the company said.
Home repairs and improvements business HomeServe fell 1.5% to £11.94 on guiding for annual adjusted pre-tax profit to rise to around £191 million in line with consensus expectations.
6 April 2021 | 12:06pm
StockMarketWire.com - The FTSE 100 held on to its early gains to trade up 1.2% to 6,820.37 by midday on Tuesday. Hopes for a recovery from Covid, boosted by strong economic data from the US and China over the Easter weekend, helped lift travel and resources stocks.
Oil major BP gained 3.3% to 299.4p after it said it was on track to reach its $35 billion net debt target in the first quarter of its financial year.
Disposal proceeds in 2021 were forecast to be at the top end of BP s previously announced $4‑to-$6 billion range, the company said.
Home repairs and improvements business HomeServe fell 1.5% to £11.94 on guiding for annual adjusted pre-tax profit to rise to around £191 million in line with consensus expectations.
6 April 2021 | 07:19am
StockMarketWire.com - Oil major BP said it was on track to reach its $35 billion net debt target in the first quarter of the year following earlier than expected income from asset sales and very strong performance in the quarter.
Disposal proceeds in 2021 is forecast to be at the top end of the previously announced $4‑to-$6 billion range, the company said. This is a result of earlier than anticipated delivery of disposal proceeds combined with very strong business performance during the first quarter, it added.
During the first quarter, the oil major received around $4.7 billion of disposal proceeds.
10 March 2021 | 09:10am
StockMarketWire.com - Infrastructure company Balfour Beatty increased its buyback programme to £150 million from £50 million, citing confidence in future cash generation.
The update was provided alongside full-year results showing a sharp fall in profit as the pandemic dented productivity and increased costs.
For 2020, pre-tax profit fell to £15 million from £93 million, while revenue rose to £8.59 billion from £8.41 billion.
Underlying profit from operations fell to £51 million £221 million as the company repaid the loan under the UK Job retention scheme. As a result of the market uncertainty generated by COVID-19, the number of transactions in 2020 was relatively low for the infrastructure investments business with only two new projects and no disposals, the company said.