Major UK stocks remain in the red at lunchtime on Wednesday as investors digest the fastest growth in the cost of living in Britain since 2008. ‘At 5.1% it’s uncomfortably above most analyst’s expectations and reaches the level the Bank of England had predicted for next spring,’ said AJ Bell analyst Danni Hewson.
However, it seems unlikely the Bank will move on rates tomorrow as the UK looks ahead to a potentially substantial wave of Omicron cases, although the inflation read suggests Andrew Bailey and his colleagues don’t have the luxury of too much time to see how the variant affects the economy.
At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE 100 is trading 0.2% down at 7,202.87, while mid-caps are also under pressure, the FTSE 250 nudging 0.12% lower to 22,524.02.
A mixed opening is anticipated for US stocks later this afternoon with investors across the pond also obsessing about inflation and interest rates. The outcome of the US Federal Reserve’s last policy-setting meeting of the year will come this evening following higher than expected producer inflation numbers on Tuesday.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.03% in Wednesday pre-market trading, while the broader S&P 500 index eased back 0.1% and those for the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite shed 0.34%.
US stocks finished Tuesday’s trading session lower following the release of the inflation data, with the Dow losing 0.3% to 35,544, while the S&P 500 fell 0.75% to 4,634 and the Nasdaq Composite declined 1.14% to 15,238.
CURRYS FLAGS SOFTER DEMAND
Electricals retailer Currys (CURY) lost 9% to 113p after flagging softer demand in the run-up to Christmas and ongoing supply chain issues, although the laptops-to-smart TVs seller insisted it is on track to meet guidance for full year adjusted pre-tax profit of around £160 million.
‘The immediate outlook has become more uncertain, with the omicron Covid-19 variant and associated government restrictions potentially further dampening market demand,’ cautioned Currys.
The unchanged guidance was supported by a strong performance in the first half ended 30 October 2021, with pre-tax profit improving from £45 million to £48 million year-on-year.
Cineworld (CINE) slumped 32% to 31.05p after the Ontario Superior Court of Justice awarded Cineplex C$1.23 billion in damages for lost synergies and C$5.5 million for lost transaction costs.
This follows Cineworld’s decision to pull out of buying the Canadian company in June 2020.
Stressing it disagrees with this judgment and will appeal the decision, Cineworld added that it does not expect damages to be payable whilst any appeal is ongoing.
Distribution and services group Bunzl (BNZL) inched up 1% to £29.19 on news it expects revenue in 2022 to be ‘slightly’ higher than in 2021 driven by the boost from acquisitions completed this year.
Limiting gains was the comment that operating margins in 2022 are expected to normalise to more historical levels, as the ‘mix of sector and product sales returns to more typical levels for the group’.
Shopping centre owner Hammerson (HMSO) lost earlier gains to nudge 0.6% lower to 31.56p following news it has raised £92 million from the sale of six non-core assets including a shopping centre in Glasgow.
AROUND THE MARKET
Elsewhere, online gambling company 888 Holdings (888) edged 0.2p down to 289.6p after it agreed to sell assets, including a bingo business to Broadway Gaming for up to $54 million, including a $4 million earn-out.
Avon Protection (AVON) narrowed earlier losses but remains 14% off at 925p as the beleaguered protective equipment firm delivered a cautious outlook on growth for 2022 amid supply chain woes and customer order volatility after swinging to a loss in fiscal 2021.
Specialist audio visual distributor Midwich (MIDW:AIM) was marked up 7.2% to 622p after the company forecast a full year profit ‘materially ahead’ of its previous expectations. Adjusted pre-tax profit for the year to December 2021 is now expected to be at least £30 million.
Advertising firm M&C Saatchi (SAA:AIM) rose 5% higher to 157p on news it now expects annual operating profit to be ‘materially ahead’ of previous forecasts.
The company said activity in the final quarter has been strong, ‘particularly in the Performance Media and Global and Social Issues divisions and the UK Agency’.
In The Style (ITS:AIM) softened 8.4% to 92.5p, despite reporting strong growth for the first half to September, as the online womenswear brand warned sales to wholesale partners have been lower than the prior year since the period end due to the timing of orders.
The retailer also cautioned that industry-wide supply chain disruption is expected to continue into the second half.
