Friday's corporate calendar is dominated by deal clearances and earnings upgrades, with the North Sea, Cheltenham engineering and Singapore insurance all in play. Regulatory approval for the Deltic Energy takeover headlines a session that also brings a bumper trading update from Renishaw and profit upgrades from discoverIE, alongside major portfolio moves from Reckitt Benckiser and HSBC.
Deltic Energy clears NSTA hurdle in NEO NEXT+ takeover
Deltic Energy (LSE:DELT) has secured approval from the North Sea Transition Authority for the change of control tied to NEO NEXT+'s cash acquisition of the company, clearing one of the last conditions standing in the way of the deal. Completion is now targeted for mid-August, with the regulatory sign-off removing a key source of uncertainty for the North Sea-focused explorer's shareholders.
Renishaw posts record fourth-quarter revenue as full-year profit beats forecasts
Renishaw (LSE:RSW) delivered record fourth-quarter revenue of £243m, prompting the precision engineering group to guide full-year profit ahead of expectations. The result caps a strong finish to the year for the Gloucestershire-based metrology and manufacturing specialist.
Victoria posts wider loss but flags improved Q1 trading
Victoria (LSE:VCP) swung to a statutory net loss of £326.3m for the year to 28 March, as weak end-markets and refinancing costs weighed on the flooring group's results. Despite the deterioration, management pointed to an encouraging start to the new financial year and guided to at least £115m of EBITDA in FY2027.
Antofagasta resumes Los Pelambres operations after weather shutdown
Antofagasta (LSE:ANTO) has restarted operations at its Los Pelambres copper mine in Chile following an orderly halt triggered by intense rainfall and power outages. The miner confirmed full-year production guidance remains unchanged despite the disruption.
discoverIE guides ahead as orders jump 31%
Discoverie Group (LSE:DSCV) said full-year adjusted earnings are tracking ahead of Board expectations after organic orders surged 31% in its first quarter, a marked acceleration in demand across the specialist electronics group's end markets.
Wise's US trust bank charter application denied by OCC
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has rejected a year-old application from Wise (LSE:WISE) for a national trust bank charter in the United States. The payments group said it plans to submit a fresh filing under a new regulatory framework as it continues to pursue direct access to the US financial system.
Reckitt sells Russia hygiene unit, books £175m loss
RECKITT BENCKISER GROUP (LSE:RKT) has agreed to sell its Russian Hygiene business to Arnest Management, booking a post-tax loss of approximately £175m in connection with the exit. The disposal marks Reckitt's formal withdrawal from the Russian hygiene category.
HSBC sells Singapore life insurance unit to Allianz for $2.1bn
Hsbc Holdings (LSE:HSBA) has agreed to sell its Singapore life insurance business to Allianz in a deal valued at $2.1bn. The bank framed the transaction as a strategic shift from underwriting insurance risk to distribution in what it called a crucial market, with Singapore remaining a key focus for investment and growth.
