MMX.L Share News (MMX)

LONDON (Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices on Friday.----------FTSE 100 - WINNERS----------Pearson, up 4.6%. The education publisher reiterated its annual earnings expectations, and said that adjusted revenue for the first quarter rose 1% year-on-year, with growth in North America and core business segment offset by phasing of sales in its South African school courseware business. The company's North America business recorded 3% year-on-year growth in revenue, excluding currency movements, portfolio changes and impact of adopting IFRS 15, for the three months to March. The core business segment, which includes the UK, Australia and Italy, posted 6% growth in adjusted revenue. Pearson has retained its 2018 operating profit guidance range of GBP520 million to GBP560 million, adjusted earnings per share range of 49 pence to 53p and cash conversion in excess of 90%. It also said its US K-12 courseware business remains classified as held-for-sale with negotiations on the disposal progressing.International Consolidated Airlines Group, up 4.1%. The British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus owner reported a rise in profit in the first quarter of 2018, as passenger revenue grew. IAG said pretax profit before exceptional items in the three months to the end of March more than doubled to EUR246.0 million from EUR93.0 million recorded in the same period the year before. Pretax profit for the period rose to EUR885 million from EUR74 million a year ago, on a revenue of EUR5.02 billion, up 2.1%. During the period, IAG carried 23.0 million passengers, up 8.5% versus prior year period. Looking ahead, the company expects both passenger unit revenue and non-fuel unit costs for 2018 to improve at constant currency. Operating profit is predicted to increase year-on-year.easyJet, up 1.6%. The low-cost carrier said passengers and load factor improved in April, with volumes at Berlin's Tegel Airport remaining in line. Passengers in April rose 4.7% to 7.5 million from 7.1 million a year before, as load factor improved 0.5 percent points to 93.4% from 92.9%. For the rolling 12 months ending April, passengers rose 8.0% to 82.8 million from 76.7 million last year, with load factor increasing by 1.4 percentage points to 93.3% from 92.0%. These figures do not include operations from Tegel. However, the company said passenger numbers at Tegel continue to be in line with expectations. Midcap peer Wizz Air was up 3.5%. ----------FTSE 100 - LOSERS----------HSBC, down 3.3%. The Asia-focused bank said increased operating expenses have caused a dip in first quarter profit, though it did announce a USD2.00 billion share buyback. HSBC posted reported pretax profit of USD4.76 billion for the three months to March, down 4% year-on-year from USD4.96 billion. On an adjusted basis, the figure declined 3% to USD6.03 billion. HSBC's revenue rose, however, to USD13.71 billion from USD12.99 billion the prior year and from USD12.30 billion in the last quarter of 2017. The company said a 13% increase in reported operating expenses to USD9.38 billion, reflecting business investment and spending on digital capabilities, "more than offset" higher revenue. The bank is also planning a share buyback of up to USD2.00 billion, which will start "shortly". It expects this is likely to be the only buyback this year. ----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - WINNERS----------Microsaic Systems, up 13%. The medical instruments manufacturer said it is confident in its long-term prospects as its collaboration with scientific instrumentation firm is progressing "in line with the board's expectations". Microsaic said that it received orders from a broader customer base than last year and, as of today, they cover the entire order volume of the whole 2017. Two new contracts were signed with US-based Unimicro Technologies to sell a mass spectrometry detector in China in March and with Knauer Wissenschaftliche Gerate for the sale of Microsaic products in Germany.----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - LOSERS----------Mind + Machines, down 10%. The internet domain name owner and operator said it entered into conditional deal to buy the entire membership interests of the US company ICM Registry. The group said it will fund USD10.0 million of acquisition costs in cash from existing reserves and will issue 225.0 million shares, worth USD31.0 million. The company said that in expects the acquisition to be earnings enhancing in the current financial year, as ICM Registry reported sales of USD7.3 million and income of USD3.5 million in 2017. Minds + Machines said 2017 was a maiden year of profitability achieved with pretax profit of USD3.8 million. The prior year, it posted pretax loss of USD2.4 million. Revenue declined, however, to USD14.3 million versus USD15.0 million year-on-year. Minus partner payments, revenue was GBP12.0 million versus USD13.5 million in 2016.----------