Cigarettes and alcohol are one of the bigger drags on UK shares as early Monday trading starts with a whimper. The benchmark FTSE 100 index slips around 25 points, or 0.4%, lower to 6,390 as mega caps British American Tobacco (BATS), Imperial Tobacco (IMT), Diageo (DGE) and SAB Miller (SAB) each fall between 0.5% and 1%.
Infrastructure contractor Carillion (CLLN), the market’s most shorted stock, jumps 8.4% to 327p on £1.7 billion of contract wins since June 2015. Wolverhampton-headquartered Carillion sealed work in the UK on rail electrification projects, road, schools and hospital Public Private Partnership agreements. Other contract wins were in Canada and the Middle East.
Financially stricken miner Glencore (GLEN) nudges around 1% lower to 127.75p as the troubled group begins the process of selling two of its copper mines in Australia and Chile.
At the smaller end of the mining spectrum, Sefton Resources (SER:AIM) crashes 40% to 0.03p as its hopes of replacing its nominated advisor, or nomad, fallen through. Allenby Capital, the firm's existing nomad, will continue to support the current board, but planned to quit when two proposed directors joined and two incumbents resigned.
Mobile apps business minnow Mobile Streams (MOS:AIM) rallies 31% to 6.25p as it posts better-than-expected full year results showing a pre-tax profit of £0.83 million despite a massive 40% slump in revenues. It continues to diversify its revenues into new markets beyond Argentina and Latin America, especially India and Nigeria.
eServGlobal (ESG) slumps 14% to 6.25p as it warns of delays in closing several high-margin orders.
Pollster Yougov (YOU:AIM) is up 3% to 119p as full year results reveal a £2 million year-on-year increase in pre-tax profits to £2.7 million as it benefited from work around the Scottish independence referendum in September 2014 and May's UK General Election.
Broadcaster UTV Media (UTV) is up 8.6% to 177p as it confirms the £10 million sale of Liverpool radio station Juice FM and amid a report in the Sunday Times that ITV (ITV) will complete a £100 million acquisition of UTV this week.
Investors react to dilution at legal services marketing play NAHL (NAH:AIM) as it announces a £14.2 million placing to fund the £25 million acquisition of specialist expert witness, immediate needs assessment and case management services provider Bush & Company.
Ad tech play Adgorithms (ADGO:AIM) remains under pressure after Friday's profit warning - down 11.2% to 43.5p.
Bank of Georgia (BGEO) climbs 6.4% to £20.18 on its medical services and insurance division preparing to list on the official list to expand the business.
Contamination control products-maker Tristel (TSTL:AIM) gains 5.2% to 111p on it is chasing approval for its products in 10 countries after a strong year to 30 June when it made its first sales in Latin America and pre-tax profits increased 44% to £2.6 million.
High-purity stevia ingredients producer PureCircle (PURE:AIM) puts on 8p at 417.5p on the granting of a US patent for the use of its 'Rebaudioside M' sweetener product in beverages.
Disclosure: One of the author's of this report owns shares in British American Tobacco
