NMC.L Share News (NMC)

LONDON (Alliance News) - Stock prices in London are seen opening in the red on Monday tracking US and Asian markets lower amid persisting trade fears and weak macroeconomic data from China and Japan. In early UK corporate news, NMC Health reiterated its guidance for 2018 and Hollywood Bowl declared its second consecutive special dividend payout to shareholders. IG futures indicate the FTSE 100 index is to open down 27.11 points at 6,750.70. The blue chip index closed up 74.06 points, or 1.1%, at 6,778.11 on Friday.UAE-focused private hospital group NMC Health reiterated its guidance for 2018 and 2019 saying it expects to deliver further operational progress.NMC Health said it expects to report total revenue growth of 24% and organic revenue growth of around 15% for 2018. The company expects total revenue growth in a range of 22% to 24% for 2019. NMC expects earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation growth in 2018 of 36% to USD 480 million. It expects Ebitda growth in 2019 in a range of 18% to 20%."NMC's sustained growth is driven by a combination of our strategy of offering complex, high value services well beyond simple multi-specialty, maintaining an expansive footprint in our target markets, particular in the UAE where we are the only private player present in 6 of the 7 emirates and offering healthcare for all, with no specific focus on one economic segment of patients," said Chief Executive Prasanth Manghat. Ten-pin bowling operator Hollywood Bowl Group said financial 2018 was a year of strong revenue and profit growth, prompting its second consecutive special dividend payout. In the year that ended September 30, revenue rose 5.8% to GBP120.5 million from GBP114 million the year before, and pretax profit increased 13% to GBP23.9 million from GBP21.1 million last year.The company declared a total dividend for the year of 10.59 pence per share, up from 9.08p last year, alongside a special dividend of 4.33p, up from 3.33p the year before. Hollywood Bowl expressed confidence that its plan for the coming year will continue its "strong growth trajectory" via the refurbishment of existing sites and opening of new centres. "In line with our capital allocation policy outlined in our financial 2017 results, we are pleased to announce a special dividend for the second consecutive year. Together with the total ordinary dividend, this equals a proposed GBP15.9 million return to shareholders for the year, all funded through internally-generated cash flow. This will mean that since IPO, we will have returned a total of GBP29.8 million to shareholder in the form of dividends," said CEO Stephen Burns. Italian oil major Eni on Monday said the Egyptian government has approved a sale of stake in a offshore permit to BP. Eni is selling a 25% interest in the Nour North Sinai offshore concession in the country to BP, as well as a 20% stake to Mubadala Petroleum. Following the deal, BP will own 25% of the asset and Eni 40%. The Japanese Nikkei 225 index closed down 2.1%. In China, the Shanghai Composite index closed down 0.8%, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong is down 1.1%.China's foreign trade slowed in November, as the world's second-largest economy languishes amid a trade war with the US, data released Saturday showed. Exports grew 5.4% year-on-year to USD227.4 billion, considerably slower than the 16% growth in October. Meanwhile, imports rose 3% - the slowest rate in at least a year - to USD182.7 billion. In October, China's imports had shown a robust 21% year-on-year growth.The weaker-than-expected data is the latest sign of the trade war's growing impact on the Chinese economy. The US has imposed tariffs on USD250 billion worth of Chinese goods, roughly half of all of the country's exports to the US.China's consumer price index rose 2.2% year-on-year in November, official data showed Sunday. Consumer inflation slowed from 2.5% in October. Food prices rose 2.5% year-on-year last month, while prices for health care climbed 2.6%, the National Bureau of Statistics said.China summoned the Canadian ambassador over the detainment in Vancouver of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, which it called "vile in nature", state media reported Sunday. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Canadian Ambassador to China John McCallum on Saturday to protest Meng's detention by Canadian authorities, Xinhua news agency said.Meng was arrested in Vancouver the previous Saturday at the request of US authorities while she was transiting from Hong Kong en route to Mexico. The US alleges she breached US sanctions on Iran and is seeking her extradition. China urged Canada to free Meng and protect her rights, or face "grave consequences," Le said.Japan's economy contracted between July and September more than initial data showed, the government said Monday. Gross domestic product shrank at an annualized rate of 2.5% and not the 1.2% as initially reported, according to government figures. The revised data confirmed the world's third-largest economy was weighed down by a string of natural disasters in the third quarter, putting it at risk of falling into a recession.In the US on Friday, Wall Street ended sharply lower, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 2.2%, S&P 500 down 2.3% and Nasdaq Composite down 3.1%.The pound was lower quoted at USD1.2725 from USD1.2750 at the London equities close Friday.UK Prime Minister Theresa May faces a make or break week, with the crunch vote in Parliament on the Brexit deal she negotiated with the EU set for Tuesday.The European Court of Justice is due Monday to issue a decision on whether the UK could reverse its plan to leave the EU, in a closely-watched case coming a day before British lawmakers vote on the Brexit deal.Three outcomes are broadly possible: The court could decide that the UK can unilaterally halt the Brexit process; that other member states would have a say; or it could decide to reject the case after the British government argued that the question is hypothetical.The economic events calendar on Monday has UK industrial and manufacturing production and monthly GDP numbers at 0930 GMT.