LONDON (Alliance News) - Share prices in London got off to a steady start on Wednesday despite a mixed session in Asia overnight, with DS Smith among the risers as it agreed to sell its Plastics division. Meanwhile, Legal & General shares declined despite the financial services firm reaching GBP1 trillion in assets under management.The FTSE 100 index was 7.57 points higher, or 0.1%, at 7,191.00 early Wednesday. The mid-cap FTSE 250 was up 8.56 points at 19,451.70, while the AIM All-Share index was 0.2% higher at 917.31.The Cboe UK 100 index was flat at 12206.35, while the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.1% at 17388.07, and the Cboe UK Small Companies up 0.3% at 11193.01.In mainland Europe, the CAC 40 in Paris was down 0.1% while the DAX 30 in Frankfurt was 0.3% lower. In Asia on Wednesday, the Japanese Nikkei 225 index closed down 0.6%. In China, the Shanghai Composite ended up 1.6%, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong finished up 0.3%.DS Smith was among best performers in early trade, up 5.0%, amid news of the disposal of its Plastics division to Olympus Partners for an enterprise value of USD585 million, or GBP450 million."This sale represents an important step in DS Smith's continued progress as a leader in sustainable packaging and accelerates the programme of deleveraging, alongside organic cashflow," the blue-chip packaging firm explained.The net proceeds are expected to be used to reduce financial gearing.Turning to current trading, DS Smith said business has continued to be strong and in line with expectations.The firm said it has continued to see good corrugated box volume growth, while its US unit has been generating strong margins.Legal & General fell 3.3% despite managing to reach GBP1 trillion in assets under management and growing annual profit.Pretax profit rose slightly to GBP2.13 billion from GBP2.09 billion last year, with operating profit up 10% to GBP1.90 billion. Assets under management at the end of the year stood at just over GBP1 trillion, up 3% on GBP983 billion in 2017, with external net flows of GBP42.6 billion, versus GBP43.5 billion last year. Total gross written premiums were up 3% to GBP2.62 billion.Burberry, likewise shedding 3.3%, was downgraded to Sell from Neutral by Goldman Sachs.FTSE 250-listed Just Eat dipped 3.8% despite expecting revenue and earnings growth in 2019 following a strong set of results for 2018.Revenue for 2018 rose 43% on last year to GBP779.5 million, leading the online takeaway platform to swing to a pretax profit of GBP101.7 million from a GBP76.0 million loss the year before. Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose 6% to GBP173.9 million.UK revenue was up 27% despite "exceptionally hot weather" in July and August, Just Eat said, with the segment seeing 112.8 million orders in 2018, which was 17% higher than last year.Looking ahead, Just Eat expects another strong revenue showing in 2019. Sales are expected between GBP1.0 billion to GBP1.1 billion, with underlying Ebitda between GBP185 million to GBP205 million. In the economic calendar on Wednesday, US ADP employment change is at 1315 GMT, a precursor to Friday's nonfarm payrolls, while the Federal Reserve's Beige Book is at 1900 GMT."We are looking for a 180k rise today, slightly below the consensus forecast for 190k. The big picture is that US labour market activity remains strong and we anticipate further evidence on Friday of wage growth picking up," said Lloyds Banking. In the UK, Prime Minister Theresa May will face questions from members of Parliament after two members of her Cabinet held fresh talks in Brussels in a renewed effort to secure changes to the controversial Irish backstop.The prime minister is likely to be pressed on the negotiations, after the trip by Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, when she appears before the Commons for PMQs.Cox and Barclay were seeking to allay fears that the backstop could leave the UK trapped in a customs union with the EU, in a bid to win over Tory MPs ahead of further votes next week.May is set to bring her deal back to the Commons for a vote by March 12.If it is rejected, MPs will get the chance to either back a no-deal Brexit or call for the UK's departure from the EU to be delayed beyond the current March 29 deadline.
UK dividends calendar - next 7 days
Friday 31 May | |
abrdn Property Income Trust Ltd | dividend payment date |
Albion Development VCT PLC | dividend payment date |
Alternative Income REIT PLC | dividend payment date |
Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Balanced Commercial Property Trust Ltd | dividend payment date |
Bankers Investment Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Bellevue Healthcare Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
City of London Investment Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
CQS New City High Yield Fund Ltd | dividend payment date |
Custodian Property Income REIT PLC | special dividend payment date |
CVC Income & Growth Ltd EURO | dividend payment date |
CVC Income & Growth Ltd GBP | dividend payment date |
Derwent London PLC | dividend payment date |
Diverse Income Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Dunedin Income Growth Investment Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Ecofin Global Utilities & Infrastructure Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
EJF Investments Ltd | dividend payment date |
Elementis PLC | dividend payment date |
Global Opportunities Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Greencoat UK Wind PLC | dividend payment date |
Henderson Far East Income Ltd | dividend payment date |
Henderson International Income Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Henry Boot PLC | dividend payment date |
Ibstock PLC | dividend payment date |
IWG PLC | dividend payment date |
JPMorgan American Investment Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
JPMorgan Global Core Real Assets Ltd | dividend payment date |
Kier Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Marwyn Value Investors Ltd | dividend payment date |
Mobeus Income & Growth VCT PLC | dividend payment date |
NB Global Monthly Income Fund Ltd | dividend payment date |
Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Picton Property Income Ltd | dividend payment date |
Portmeirion Group PLC | dividend payment date |
PPHE Hotel Group Ltd | dividend payment date |
PRS REIT PLC | dividend payment date |
Reach PLC | dividend payment date |
Robert Walters PLC | dividend payment date |
Senior PLC | dividend payment date |
Shaftesbury Capital PLC | dividend payment date |
Sherborne Investors (Guernsey) C Ltd | dividend payment date |
STV Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Target Healthcare REIT PLC | dividend payment date |
Taylor Maritime Investments Ltd | dividend payment date |
TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Ltd | dividend payment date |
Vesuvius PLC | dividend payment date |
Weir Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Monday 3 June | |
4imprint Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Ascential PLC | special dividend payment date |
Ashtead Technology Holdings PLC | dividend payment date |
BAE Systems PLC | dividend payment date |
J Smart & Co (Contractors) PLC | dividend payment date |
JPMorgan China Growth & Income PLC | dividend payment date |
JPMorgan Claverhouse Investment Trust PLC | dividend payment date |
Vector Capital PLC | dividend payment date |
Zotefoams PLC | dividend payment date |
Tuesday 4 June | |
GCP Asset Backed Income Fund Ltd | dividend payment date |
GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd | dividend payment date |
Spectra Systems Corp | ex-dividend payment date |
Wednesday 5 June | |
Carr's Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Ecora Resources PLC | dividend payment date |
Epwin Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Genuit Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Glencore PLC | dividend payment date |
Porvair PLC | dividend payment date |
Sabre Insurance Group PLC | special dividend payment date |
Thursday 6 June | |
Aberforth Split Level Income Trust | ex-dividend payment date |
Abrdn European Logistics Income PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
AJ Bell PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Albion Technology & General VCT PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Assura PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Balanced Commercial Property Trust Ltd | ex-dividend payment date |
Billington Holdings PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
BlackRock Sustainable American Income Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Bodycote PLC | dividend payment date |
Capital Gearing Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Computacenter PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Downing Strategic Micro-Cap Investment Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Edinburgh Investment Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Energean PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Equals Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
FDM Group Holdings PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Gemfields Group Ltd | ex-dividend payment date |
Good Energy Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Helios Underwriting PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Henderson European Focus Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Informa PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Integrafin Holdings PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
J Sainsbury PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Jersey Electricity PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
JLEN Environmental Assets Group Ltd | ex-dividend payment date |
Johnson Matthey PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Judges Scientific PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Learning Technologies Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Legal & General Group PLC | dividend payment date |
Marshalls PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Menhaden Resource Efficiency PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Microlise Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
National Grid PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
National World PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Pets At Home Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Renew Holdings PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Restore PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Riverstone Credit Opportunities Income PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Robinson PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
RTC Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Smiths News PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
STS Global Income & Growth Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Topps Tiles PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Utilico Emerging Markets Trust PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
VH Global Sustainable Energy Opportunities PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Vodafone Group PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
Wickes Group PLC | dividend payment date |
WPP PLC | ex-dividend payment date |
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