FTSE 100 index fell out of bed in early deals on Monday as new figures showed the UK economy shrinking for the second straight month. London’s blue-chip index was down 73 at 7,245 in early trades.
Gross domestic product in April fell 0.3% on the previous month, according to the Office for National Statistics, when it had been forecast to grow 0.1%. This followed zero GDP growth in February and a 0.1% decline in March.
A big fire at a major Smurfit Kappa packaging plant has sent its shares tumbling. Over 30 fire engines were needed to put out the blaze that destroyed paper and cardboard bales.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng wants an brescia - dinamo sassari urgent CMA review into whether the 5p fuel duty cut has been passed on quickly enough to motorists. Kwarteng said there was "widespread concern" the reduction might not have been handed on.
Sirius Real Estate reported a strong operational and financial performance for the 12 months just gone. The business parks owner’s rent roll advanced by 73% to in the year to March.
Among the small caps, Wentworth Resources is to acquire Scirocco’s 25% stake in the Ntorya field development project in Tanzania. Ntorya lies adjacent to Wentworth’s yankees vs brewers 32%-owned flagship Mnazi Bay gas kim petras field.
Vast Resources has taken delivery of its second Mantis production drilling rig at the Baita Plai polymetallic mine in Romania. The rigs will increase drilling by up to 3.5 times with a reduction of labour at the face.
