The FTSE 100 closed Thursday up 0.29% though it lagged peers, after Nvidia's earnings report boosted global risk appetite and sent stock markets surging around the globe. The boost to Nvidia's share price after another monster earnings report and super forecast has led to a collective relief rally across markets, says Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB in a note. The FTSE 100 did rise but lagged other global indices--largely because it of its comparably smaller tech sector--Brooks says. Tech accounts for just over 1% of the index's market, and today wasn't the day for energy or financial firms to shine, Brooks says.


COMPANIES NEWS:

Mondi Pretax Profit Halves as Lower Prices, Volumes Hurt Revenue

Mondi PLC reported a more-than-halved pretax profit for last year as revenue fell due to lower selling prices and sales volumes given a softer market demand and customer destocking.

---

Hikma Pharmaceuticals Net Profit Rose on Double-Digit Revenue Growth

Hikma Pharmaceuticals reported a strong performance with a rise in 2023 net profit alongside double-digit revenue growth across all businesses, and said it remains confident in delivering continued growth in 2024.

---

Indivior Swings to Pretax Profit on Revenue Rise; Mulls U.S. Primary Listing

Indivior said it swung to a fourth-quarter pretax profit as net revenue rose, and that it is considering moving its primary listing to the U.S. in 2024.

---

WPP Pretax Profit Falls on Impairments -- Update

WPP reported a fall in pretax profit for 2023 after booking a large impairment, but said that its AI-powered platform WPP Open is rapidly growing its number of customers.

---

Hays Cuts More Jobs After Profit Sharply Fell on Market Slowdown

Hays plans to cut more jobs after profit nearly halved during the fiscal first half on a trading slowdown, but kept an unchanged dividend payout.

---

Hargreaves Lansdown Profit Falls on Restructuring Costs; Warns of Persistent Challenges -- Update

Hargreaves Lansdown said pretax profit fell in its fiscal-year first half, dragged by one-off costs related to its restructuring and despite a revenue increase, and warned that the challenging backdrop is expected to remain in fiscal 2024.

---

M&C Saatchi Names Zaid Al-Qassab as CEO

M&C Saatchi appointed Zaid Al-Qassab as chief executive officer, replacing Moray MacLennan, who retired in September.

---

Anglo American Cuts Dividend After Profit Plunged on Impairments, Commodity Price Weakness -- Update

Anglo American's trimmed its dividend after full-year profit declined more than expected and it booked $2.1 billion in impairments as it grapples with weak commodity markets across its portfolio.

---

Morgan Sindall Revenue, Pretax Profit Rise on Stronger Order Book

Morgan Sindall said pretax profit and revenue rose on a stronger order book, and that it is on track to deliver results in line with the board's expectations this year.

---

Safestore Holdings Revenue Slips in Challenging Environment; Names New CFO

Safestore Holdings said that group revenue slipped in the first quarter of the fiscal year given the challenging economic environment but it looks to the future with confidence.

---

Jupiter Fund Management Profit Drops on One-Off Costs, Outflow Moderates

Jupiter Fund Management reported a sharp fall in pretax profit for 2023 due to one-off impairments related to previous acquisitions, while outflow moderated.

---

Tortilla Mexican Grill Appoints Andy Naylor as CEO; Richard Morris to Step Down

Tortilla Mexican Grill said Chief Executive Officer Richard Morris intends to step down at the end of March and that Andy Naylor will succeed him as CEO.

---

Lloyds Banking Puts Aside GBP450 Mln For Motor Finance Regulator Review -- Update

Lloyds Banking Group booked a 450 million pound ($568.7 million) provision for the potential impact of the U.K.'s financial regulator's review into the motor finance industry, the British lender said as it launched a GBP2.0 billion share buyback program and posted better-than-expected profit for the fourth quarter of 2023.

---

Beazley's Unexpected Capital Return, Guidance Raise Boosts Shares to Near One-Year High

Beazley shares jumped to near one-year highs after the specialty insurer said it would pay out around $300 million to shareholders after its undiscounted combined ratio improved over 2023 on a better underwriting performance.

MARKET TALK:

Rolls-Royce's Free Cashflow Guidance May Disappoint Some Bulls

1230 GMT - Given Rolls-Royce's free cash flow strength in 2023, Rolls-Royce's 2024 FCF guidance of GBP1.7 billion to GBP1.9 billion might be disappointing to some bulls, UBS analysts say in a note. Although sell-side consensus is at the low end of guidance, analysts say some investors were expecting 2024 FCF guidance to be as high a GBP2 billion. Still, results and guidance are well ahead of market consensus and there is strong evidence that the turnaround continues, "Although those with elevated expectations into the print may be disappointed by FCF guidance," the analysts say. Shares are up 11% at 364.70 pence. (anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com)

---

Indivior Switching to a US Listing Makes Sense But Would Be a Blow to UK

1229 GMT - Indivior could be the next U.K. stock to pack its bags and set up shop in the U.S., AJ Bell analyst Russ Mould says in a note. The pharmaceutical--currently the FTSE 100's 47th largest company--can expect to receive a higher valuation on the U.S. market, a key reason why companies switch listing locations, he says. Nearly half its shares are owned by U.S. investors, and the country is one of its major regions, so it makes sense to list there, but nonetheless it would be another blow to the U.K. as a listing venue, he says. "The more companies that follow this path, the harder it will be to attract new names to the U.K.," he says. Shares are up 14% to 1,550 pence. (anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com)

---

Rolls-Royce's Results Reflect Well on Turnaround Plan

1226 GMT - Rolls-Royce's results represent a good start for a company, which has spent a year convincing the market of the merits of CEO Tufan Erginbilgic's turnaround plan, AJ Bell analyst Russ Mould says in a note. Most significant is the substantial increase in cash flow after the patchy cash generation that had dogged it for at least a decade and had been an area of focus albeit with little success, Mould says. The company's defense business is benefiting from an improved outlook as countries prioritize military spending on increased global tensions, and aviation's recovery translates into higher revenue, profit and cashflow, he says. Combined with Erginbilgic's efficiencies there is a powerful driver helping underpin 2024's robust guidance, Mould says. Shares are up 9.7% at 361.40 pence. (anthony.orunagoriainoff@dowjones.com)


Contact: London NewsPlus, Dow Jones Newswires;


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

02-22-24 1209ET