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UK markets opened lower ahead as investors weighed the latest updates from corporates including a strong report from the London Stock Exchange, ahead of the monthly US jobs report due later today.
The FTSE 100 is down 0.1%, or 10.24 points, at 7,110.19, while the FTSE 250 has lost 0.4% at 23,423.83 at 08.29am BST.
London Stock Exchange has soared 2.7% to £76.68 after it reported that profit rose in the first half of the year to £510 million, prompting it to declare an interim dividend of 25.0 pence per share, an increase of 7% from last year.
Hikma Pharmaceuticals is 1.7% lower to £25.97 after it raised guidance on annual performance of its generics business following a jump in profit in the first half of the year to $319 million.
Precious metals miner Polymetal International has shed 0.4% to £15.43 on the news that MSCI upgraded the company's ESG rating to AA from A, and in its review acknowledged the miner's safety initiatives and improvements, robust governance structure and 'robust approach' to mitigating the risk of dam-related incidents.
Capita has gained 1% to 36.4p as the business process outsourcing services company swung to a profit in the first half of the year, driven by new business wins and efforts to cut costs.
For the six months ended 30 June 2021, pre-tax profit was £261.1 million compared with a loss of £28.5 million last year.
Sanne has lifted 0.8% to 919p after the alternative asset services provider reported that discussions with Cinven are ongoing and that it has granted an extension to the date by which Cinven is required to announce a firm intention to make an offer for Sanne or not.
Trainline has put the brakes on, down 0.4% to 349.2p after announcing it has repurchased £28.6 million in aggregate principal amount of the £150 million of senior unsecured convertible bonds due in 2026.
CyanConnode climbed 2.1% to 12.0p having reported it narrowed annual losses as revenue was bolstered by jump in shipments and new business wins.
The Renewable Infrastructure Group has declined 0.3% to 133.9p after the wind farm investor reported NAV total return for the first half of 2021 was 2% and reiterated dividend guidance for the full year.
Power generation business ContourGlobal has nudged up 0.1% to 196.1p on the news that it is raising full-year 2021 guidance to $780-$810 million and will pay a Q2 2021 dividend of 4.465 USD cents per share.