The UK equity market continued to trade lower by lunchtime on Friday with the FTSE 100 off 0.25% at 7,231.48 points and the FTSE 250 falling by 0.23% to 23,145.67.
The market was uninspired by NatWest’s (NWG) third quarter results, with market weakness compounded by supply chain-related warnings from technology leviathans Apple and Amazon.
Fantasy miniatures maker Games Workshop (GAW) also impacted the performance of the FTSE 250 index, its shares falling by 7.1% after brokerage firm Jefferies reduced its price target.
COMPANY NEWS
High street lender NatWest was the worst performer on the FTSE, dropping 4.8% to 224p despite posting better than expected third quarter revenues and earnings, as investors preferred to focus on a slight narrowing of the bank’s net interest margin.
Group income was £2.77 billion against forecasts of £2.6 billion while pretax profits reached £1.07 billion compared with consensus forecasts of £735 million.
Chief executive Alison Rose highlighted economic growth, low unemployment and ‘limited signs of default’ for the beat.
In a brief third quarter trading update, copper and zinc producer Glencore (GLEN) maintained its full year output targets but raised its gross operating profit forecast to above the top end of its $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion long-term guidance range.
Glencore shares rose 0.6%% to 361p.
Ostomy and wound care firm ConvaTec (CTEC) raised its full year revenue growth forecast and operating margin target after solid third quarter trading and ‘continued progress’ with its latest strategic plan, sending its shares 5% higher to 208p.
Sales are now seen rising by 5% compared with a previous forecast range of 3.5% to 5% while earnings before interest and tax are seen reaching between 18% and 19% of sales.
Technology hardware supplier Computacenter (CCC) drifted 1.8% lower to £27.02 after it reported trading in the third quarter was ahead of expectations, which combined with its fourth quarter outlook meant it was ‘very comfortable’ with its full year forecasts.
The firm also said product supply shortages were ‘not as severe as some market predictions’, although it had seen some delays in getting hold of components. Without these, ‘our expected record performance would be even stronger’, it added.
Meat packaging firm Hilton Food (HFG) reported trading in the third quarter had been in line with expectations with demand up in Australia and New Zealand due to greater in-home consumption but flat in Europe as more people ate out after the reopening of hospitality venues. The shares edged up 0.3% to £11.62.
The company also announced it had acquired UK Meat supplier Fairfax Meadow, which supplies the foodservice market, for £23.8 million. Although the business made a loss last year due to the impact of Covid, operating earnings were a respectable £4.4 million in 2019.
Insolvency and financial advisory firm Begbies Traynor (BEG:AIM) published its latest ‘Red Flag Report’ measuring financial distress among UK companies during the third quarter.
The report found 14% fewer businesses were in ‘significant’ financial distress compared with the second quarter, but many more companies were being chased through the courts for outstanding debts which it said ‘paints a gloomy picture’ for future insolvencies.
