As expected, the Bank of England kept its interest rates unchanged yesterday, with six out of nine members of the Monetary Policy Committee voting to keep rates at 5.25%. However, Governor Andrew Bailey welcomed "good news" on the inflation front. Equities fell on Thursday after the BoE decision, which forced investors to reassess their expectations regarding the timing of the first rate cut.

Pan African Resources, a gold producer based in Rosebank, expects a significant increase in interim earnings, with a projected rise of at least 41% due to robust revenue growth. This improvement is largely due to a 24% increase in revenue, with gold sold volumes up 8.9% and the average gold price rising 14%. Shares rose 3.8%.

Ryanair and Wizz Air saw an increase in passenger numbers in January, despite lower load factors.

AstraZeneca's drug acoramidis improved survival in a Japanese late-stage study for patients with transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy, a rare heart disease.

YouGov expects to meet its FY24 goals after a strong first half.

J Sainsbury's is looking for additional cost savings to maintain competitive pricing and may announce a share buyback plan.

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