The FTSE 100 is on the back foot on Friday after the US Federal Reserve kept rates on hold for now overnight but hinted at a fresh hike in December. Early on the index of leading UK shares is down 0.6% to 7,100.9.
Information services and events group Informa (INF) reports revenue grew by nearly a third in the 10 months through October, keeping the group on track to meet its full year expectations.
For the period to the 31 October, reported revenue grew 31.8%, while underlying revenue growth for the standalone Informa group - ignoring its combination with UBM - increased 4.1%.
The performance, in line with management's expectations, keeps the group on track to meet its full year underlying revenue growth target of 3.5%, despite continued macro uncertainties from US and China trade relations, Middle East political tensions and Brexit negotiations, the company says.
Energy provider SSE (SSE) falls nearly 3% to £11.49 as it announced after the market close last night that its combination with npower might be delayed beyond the first quarter of 2019 thanks to recent market developments including the new cap on energy prices.
Online electronics retailer AO World (AO.) slumps 3.9% to 129.8p on news it has paid £32.5m to acquire online phone seller Mobile Phones Direct. An unscheduled trading update reveals slowing growth in its core markets in the UK and Germany.
Power cord and cable assembly supplier Volex (VLX:AIM) gains 3.3% to 87.9p as it books a 17% rise in first-half profit and tipped a full-year performance 'slightly' ahead of market expectations.
Ex-WPP boss Martin Sorrell's new advertising company S4 Capital (SFOR) jumps 2.1% to 120p as it confirms media speculation that it is talking to the owners of several potential acquisition targets.
