The index of the UK’s leading shares drifted 11.2 points or 0.16% in early trading, with broadcaster Sky (SKY) leading the fallers. The company slipped 4.3% to 912.7p on paying £4.1 billion to show Premier League football for another three years. This is 83% more than it handed over three years ago for the rights. Telecom and broadcaster BT (BT.A), however, improved 2.7% to 456.2p on spending £960 million for two of the broadcast packages.
In other news, analysts at Deutsche Bank reiterate a 400p price target on Royal Mail (RMG), sending shares 2.8% lower to 420p.
Bookmaker William Hill (WMH) rises 2.6% to 387p as the market reacts positively to yesterday’s confirmation it is in talks to acquire online gambling company 888 (888) for £750 million. 888, whose shares spiked 28% yesterday to 185.7p, is up by 0.9% this morning to 173p.
Discount retailer Poundland (PLND) falls 5.5% to 393.8p after private equity investor Warburg Pincus reduced its holding, selling 35 million shares at 405p each. It is left with a 16.4% stake. Click here to read our recent Plays of the Week story on Poundland.
Emergency boiler repair outfit Homeserve (HSV) falls 0.4% to 334p on an in-line trading statement. Chief executive Richard Harpin reports solid customer retention in the UK and growth in the international division.
Troubled platinum producer Lonmin (LMI) slumps 5.5% to 163p after 23.9% owner Glencore (GLEN) said it would get rid of its entire stake. The FTSE 100 commodities giant will give the Lonmin shares free to its shareholders. Given that Lonmin - once a FTSE 100 constituent itself - has struggled operationally and financially, the market clearly reckons Glencore shareholders will sell their Lonmin stock as soon as possible.
Margin pressure at niche electronics distributor Electrocomponents (ECM) weighs on investor sentiment following a trading update. The stock sheds 3.2% to 205p.
DP Poland (DPP:AIM), the Domino's Pizza (DOM) franchise in Poland, soars 25.7% to 11.6p on an 18% increase in like-for-like gross profit for the year ending December 2014. Like-for-like system sales are up 19%, the ninth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, and the group is targeting 'significant' store openings in 2015.
Portable hotels group Snoozebox (ZZZ:AIM) adds 1.7% to 7.6p on an encouraging pre-close trading statement. Revenues for 2014 set to be £0.2 million ahead of consensus at £2.8 million. The business is expected to generate an EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) loss in line with expectations of £3.5 million. Management is accelerating its entry into Europe which it says positions it for profitable growth in 2016.
Southeast Europe-focused real estate company Secure Property Development & Investment’s (SPDI:AIM) plans to sell €10 million worth of shares sees the stock dive 12.7% to 27.5p. At 25p a share the offer is 20.6% discounted.
ValiRx (VAL:AIM) is one of the largest climbers in early trading rising 16.6% to 0.2p on securing the European patent for using biomarker testing to diagnose and monitor sufferers of B-cell lymphomas, a form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
