Archived article
Please note that tax, investment, pension and ISA rules can change and the information and any views contained in this article may now be inaccurate.
The FTSE 100 was up 0.5% to 7,172.78 on Monday morning as investors continued to digest the worse than expected US jobs figures from Friday.
Otherwise it was an extremely quiet day with very little corporate news and US markets closed for Labor Day.
Veterinary drugs group Dechra Pharmaceuticals reported an 81% rise in first-half profit, underpinned by bumper sales of treatments for pets and horses and lifted its dividend 18%.
The shares fell 8.7% to £46.44 as the departure of its chair was announced and the company flagged that Covid-19 restrictions had crimped its acquisition efforts.
Rental property and student accommodation developer Watkin Jones said the majority of its developments planned for delivery in the current financial year were completed.
So far in the second half, the company had completed and handed over 857 build-to-rent apartments, from four developments, in Reading, Stratford, Sutton and Wembley. The shares advanced 1.5% to 243.2p.
Oil company United Oil & Gas downgraded its annual output forecast after a higher proportion of water started being produced at key wells in Egypt. The shares slumped 15% to 2.85p.
Property franchise and financial services group Belvoir upped its interim dividend on the back of a 51% rise in first-half profit.
Pre-tax profit for the six months through June increased to £4.8 million, up from £3.2 million year-one-year, as revenue rose 41% to £13.8 million.
However a lack of any upgrade to full year guidance despite first half profit being ahead of expectations saw the shares slump 5.3% to 265.15p.
Healthcare services provider Totally said it was trading 'strongly', in line with market expectations, and that 'long Covid' cases presented a growth opportunity for the company.
Totally's current cash position was around £14.7 million as at 31 August 2021, with no debt financing, it said in a trading update for its annual general meeting. Its shares were flat 39.2p.
Consultancy firm Science Group said it was considering a new debt facility and also was continuing to assess the merits of an equity raising.
Science Group said it was mulling taking on more debt 'in order to increase capital efficiency' and enable shareholders to benefit from an increase in leverage. It ticked up 0.7% to 433p.