Merlin Entertainments Share News (MERL)

LONDON (Alliance News) - The morning's optimism over US-China trade talks quickly faded on Monday to leave the FTSE 100 end the session in the red. Though London's blue-chip index was weighed down by losses for tobacco stocks and British Gas parent Centrica, it was a better session for retailers. Supermarkets were boosted by a cheery festive update from German discounter Aldi, while Dunelm shares climbed 15% as sales grew in a strong Christmas performance. The FTSE 100 index closed down 26.54 points, or 0.4%, at 6,810.88. The FTSE 250, however, ended up 180.27 points, or 1.0%, at 17,976.15, and the AIM All-Share closed rose 13.09 points, or 1.5%, to 887.46.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.4% at 11,556.36, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 1.2% at 16,084.18, and the Cboe Small Companies ended up 0.9% at 11,022.20."Whilst trade optimism boosted Asian markets overnight, the good spirits failed to lift European bourses across the session. After a brief move higher, the likes of the FTSE and the Dax edged steadily lower, weighed down in part by a weaker dollar and global growth concerns," said Fiona Cincotta, senior market analyst at City Index. Talks between the US and China started on Monday following the "ceasefire" reached by US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in December.As part of the 90-day truce, Washington postponed a planned increase of tariffs on USD200 billion worth of Chinese imports from 10% currently, to 25%. The Chinese side has compromised by suspending additional tariffs on US cars and by buying US soybeans.The dollar, meanwhile, continued to edge lower after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell noted Friday the central bank "will be patient" with monetary policy as it watches the economy evolve.The euro stood at USD1.1460 at the European equities close Monday, higher compared to USD1.1409 at the same time on Friday.Meanwhile, the pound was quoted at USD1.2755 at the London equities close Monday, up from USD1.2723 at the close on Friday.Stocks in New York were higher at the London equities close, with the DJIA up 0.4%, the S&P 500 index up 0.6%, and the Nasdaq Composite up 0.9%. In European equities on Monday, the CAC 40 in Paris ended down 0.4%, while the DAX 30 in Frankfurt ended down 0.2%.Eurozone retail sales grew for a second straight month in November and at a faster-than-expected pace, supported by lower oil prices and rising wages.Retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6% from October, when sales increased at the same pace, figures from Eurostat showed Monday. October sales growth was earlier reported as 0.3%. Economists had forecast 0.2% growth.Compared to the same month last year, retail sales grew a calendar-adjusted 1.1% in November, after a 2.3% increase in October, revised from 1.7%.In the fourth quarter, euro area retail sales are set for a modest gain after stagnating in the third quarter, ING economist Bert Colijn said."Continued uncertainty will curb the upside potential of household consumption, but at times when most indicators paint a bleak picture of where eurozone growth is headed, retail sales show that consumption could be an important driver of continued growth," said Colijn.In the UK, the House of Commons returned from the Christmas break on Monday with MPs set to resume a debate on UK Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit withdrawal agreement on Wednesday ahead of a vote the following week.May is said to be considering offering MPs further safeguards about the Irish backstop - the measure aimed at preventing a hard border on the island of Ireland which critics fear could leave the UK indefinitely bound into a customs union with the EU and prevent future trade deals with countries around the world.The prime minister is also seeking a written guarantee from the EU that a trade deal can be agreed within 12 months of the transition period ending. The Times reported that the prime minister will host Conservative Brexiteers for drinks on Monday and Wednesday as part of a charm offensive.Ending at the bottom of the FTSE 100 on Monday were tobacco giants over fears surrounding the rising popularity of e-cigarettes. Investment bank Cowen cut its ratings on both British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands to Market Perform from Outperform, expecting e-cigarette use among younger consumers will have an "increasingly negative impact" on traditional cigarette volumes.Shares in Imperial Brands closed down 5.1%, while BAT ended down 4.3%.British Gas parent Centrica also ended among the losers on Monday, shares shedding 4.7% after Jefferies cut its rating on the energy provider to Hold from Buy. Ending in the green were food retailers after some upbeat Christmas figures from German discounter Aldi. The German discounter said it experienced its "best-ever Christmas trading" in the UK as demand for premium product lines surged. During December, Aldi sold more than 17 million bottles of wine, champagne and prosecco, equivalent to 3.2 million glasses per day. It also sold nearly 50 million mince pies and almost 100 million sprouts.Shares in blue-chip grocers were higher in a positive read-across, with many due to report their trading performance over the Christmas period later in the week.Marks & Spencer ended up 2.9%, J Sainsbury up 2.2%, Tesco up 2.0% and Wm Morrison Supermarkets closed up 1.8%.Wm Morrison is the first of the major London-listed supermarkets to report on its Christmas trading on Tuesday, the supermarket's update coming on the same day as the latest grocery share figures from Kantar Worldpanel. Kantar's numbers for the 12 weeks ending December 30 will be released at 0800 GMT.In further good news for retailers on Monday, Dunelm posted a strong performance over Christmas.The homewares chain said like-for-like sales grew 6.9% in the 26 weeks to December 29. The retailer now expects its interim pretax profit to be around GBP70.0 million, up 17% from GBP60.0 million a year ago. Dunelm also said it expects to deliver annual profit "modestly ahead" of current analyst forecasts should the homewares market continue to grow at the same rate experienced in the first half. According to the company, analysts currently expect Dunelm's pretax profit for the year ending June 30 to be between GBP108.0 million and GBP112.0 million.Shares in Dunelm closed up 15%, the stock sat at the top of the FTSE 250. Merlin Entertainments gained 5.4% on plans to build a Legoland park in South Korea, scheduled to open by 2022.It will be Merlin's tenth Legoland park, it said. The company also noted that it is in advanced discussions with third parties about a number of sites for Legoland parks in China."It's been long in gestation, but I'm delighted that we are now in a position to move forward with opening Legoland Korea resort," said Merlin Chief Executive Nick Varney.The total cost of the resort, including the on-site accommodation, is expected to be GBP205 million. Merlin will invest GBP148 million into the development of the resort, it said, which will be fully owned and operated by Merlin.Gold was quoted at USD1,287.40 an ounce at the London equities close Monday against USD1,285.80 at the close on Friday.Brent oil was quoted at USD58.18 a barrel at the London equities close Monday from USD57.34 late Friday.In Tuesday's economic calendar is industrial production from Germany at 0700 GMT and the Halifax house price index in the UK at 0830 GMT. There is EU industrial confidence and economic sentiment figures at 1000 GMT, Irish retail sales at 1100 GMT and the US trade balance at 1330 GMT.Elsewhere in Tuesday's corporate calendar, pub chain Greene King and building products supplier SIG are due to publish trading statements.