London's FTSE 100 trades lower again on Friday, as investors fret over fighting in Yemen, a slowing US economy as well as Greece's precarious finances, with the blue-chip benchmark off 20.7 points at 6,874.63 early on.
Among the risers is high-flying HomeServe (HSV), the boiler cover-to-drainage insurance play marked up 11.9p (3.3%) to 375p on a well received pre-close trading statement. The home emergency services specialist highlights good trading in the key fourth quarter of the year to March, flagging a positive UK performance and 'pleasing levels of customer growth' across its international businesses.
Pub company Enterprise Inns (ETI) gains 1.4% to 99p after the Market Rent Option receives Royal Assent, effectively abolishing the beer tie. The group, which has suffered a 22% fall in its share price since MPs voted in favour of the Market Rent Option on 18 November 2014, says Royal Assent 'brings greater certainty as we continue to work with our publicans'.
InterContinental Hotels (IHG) climbs 1.8% to £26.14 on news it has signed a 251-room Crowne Plaza hotel in the heart of New York City. The property is scheduled to open in 2017 and will be managed by InterContinental on behalf of the owner, LRR.
Medicine re-developer Oxford Pharmascience (OXP) jumps 10.5% to 10p on news it is preparing to put its OXPzero Naproxen gastro-intestinal irritation treatment into proof-of-concept trials after positive initial tests.
Social care provider Cambian (CMBN) slips 3.1% to 219p after announcing a £26 million placing to pay down debt and fund its £36 million acquisition of By the Bridge, a fostering specialist. The placing price has not yet been confirmed, but the acquisition marks a further step forward in the running Play of the Week's growth plans.
West Midlands-focused property company Real Estate Investors (RLE:AIM) gains 1.7% to 59.5p on plans to raise at least £40 million from a placing to fund a shopping spree in the region. If successful the company would raise almost two-thirds of its £65 million market cap. The deal is priced at 60p a share - a 2.6% premium to Thursday’s closing price.
Oil firms Egdon Resources (EDR:AIM) and Europa Oil & Gas (EOG:AIM) are up 17.2% at 8.5p and 7.8% at 6.88p respectively on positive flow test results from the Wressle find in Lincolnshire. We've got more on the story here.
Home improvement specialist Entu (UK) (ENTU:AIM) gains 1.5p at 133.5p as investors welcome the £200,000 acquisition of Astley Facades, a deal boosting its growth prospects in the energy efficient products arena.
Bombed-out Israeli tailor Bagir (BAGR:AIM) rebounds 8.3% to 6.5p as poor full-year results come in a tad better than downgraded expectations and the micro cap says its two year recovery plan is underway.
Agricultural supplies small cap NWF (NWF:AIM) is to receive a £2 million settlement from a legal claim, helping shares 3.3% higher at 140p.
