STM Group Plc provided earnings guidance for the full year ending 31 December 2018. It is anticipated that in the last quarter of 2018 there will be a significant release from the London & Colonial Assurance plc technical long term insurance fund which the Directors currently anticipate will be at least £0.5 million, which will contribute to the Group's anticipated profit before tax for the year. The exact amount to be released is currently being calculated by the Group's appointed actuary. The anticipated release of the technical reserve provides a significant positive contribution to earnings, as it has done in previous years. Including this anticipated contribution, the Board remains confident that the Group will report overall profit before tax for 2018 in line with its previous expectations, with underlying profit before tax (excluding the impact of profits from reserve releases and one off costs) expected to increase year on year. Trading across all other Group divisions has been in line with management's expectations.