(Alliance News) - US-Iran tensions, the upcoming G20 summit, and signs the US Federal Reserve is not planning a sharp rate cut in the near future damped risk appetite among equity investors on Wednesday. Despite the geopolitical unease, gold gave back some of its recent gains to leave Mexican miner Fresnillo trailing other London blue-chips. The FTSE 100 index was down 8.08 points, or 0.1%, at 7,414.35 early Wednesday. The FTSE 250 was down 18.43 points, or 0.1%, at 19,268.08, while the AIM All-Share was flat at 925.15 points.The Cboe UK 100 index was down 0.2% at 12,576.70. The Cboe UK 250 was flat at 17,250.90, while the Cboe UK Small Companies was also unchanged, reading 11,463.50 in early dealings.Suppressing risk appetite overnight were comments from the Federal Reserve suggesting the US central bank will refrain from a substantial rate cut in the near future. Fed Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell pushed back against pressure from US President Donald Trump to cut interest rates, saying that monetary policy should not overreact to any individual data point or short-term swing in sentiment. Separately, well-known Fed dove James Bullard said that a 50 basis point rate cut in July would be too much.At the bottom of the FTSE 100 index early Wednesday was gold miner Fresnillo, slipping 3.1% as it tracked the price of the precious metal lower. After a strong run so far this month, up 8%, the safe haven asset was giving back some recent gains, quoted at USD1,408.14 early Wednesday from USD1,428.08 an ounce at the London equities close Tuesday.Gold's decline came despite a continued war of words between the US and Iran. Iranian President Hassan Rowhani on Tuesday blamed Washington for a steadily escalating row with the US and said the situation will not be resolved unless US sanctions on the country are lifted.Rowhani told French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call that Iran will "effectively counter further aggressions from the US against our borders, such as the shooting down of the US drone". He also said Iran has no interest in tensions in the region and particularly does not want a war, including with the US.Rowhani was responding to Trump's statement earlier calling Iran's reaction to new sanctions "very ignorant and insulting". Tehran had mocked the sanctions as "outrageous and a sign of mental retardation".In addition, traders are cautious ahead of the G20 summit at the end of this week. "As investors await the G20 Osaka summit, with presidents Trump and Xi expected to meet on Saturday, there are reports that the US may suspend the next round of tariffs on a further USD300bn of Chinese imports. Reports, however, suggest that a breakthrough in trade negotiations is not expected," commented Lloyds Banking.Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet later this week at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.In Asia on Wednesday, the Japanese Nikkei 225 index closed down 0.5%. In China, the Shanghai Composite finished down 0.2%, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong is flat.In mainland Europe, the CAC 40 in Paris and DAX 30 in Frankfurt were both down 0.1% in morning trade.In the economic calendar on Wednesday, BBA mortgage approvals in the UK are at 0930 BST. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney appears in front of the Treasury Select Committee at 1015 BST in a hearing on the May Inflation Report. In the US, durable goods orders are at 1330 BST.Back in London, and at the top of the FTSE 250, was John Wood Group. The oilfield services firm was up 7.4% as it said its interim performance is ahead of a year ago. Revenue is in line with the first half of 2018, the company said, while earnings growth and margins have improved. John Wood said its outlook for the year is unchanged despite a number of disposals being completed in the half.Asset Solutions Americas revenue is higher than a year ago, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation is down slightly due to cost overruns in heavy civils and pipeline work.Asset Solutions Europe, Africa, Asia & Australia has generated revenue in line with the first half of 2018 and "good" Ebitda growth. Specialist Technical Solutions has seen revenue and earnings in line with a year ago, while Environment & Infrastructure Solutions delivered good growth in both revenue and margins.Stagecoach was up 3.2% as it reported a slip in revenue, but annual profit nonetheless managed to grow.Revenue for the year to April 27 fell to GBP1.88 billion from GBP2.82 billion the year before, but pretax profit rose to GBP101.2 million from GBP77.6 million. The firm kept its dividend for the year flat at 7.7p.Turning to current trading, Stagecoach said it has made a "satisfactory" start to the new financial year. UK rail operating profit is expected to be "minimal" in the current year, reflecting the end of the East Midlands franchise."Over more than 20 years, we have delivered industry-leading performance, record passenger growth, excellent industrial relations, and the highest levels of customer satisfaction in the sector. We will continue to focus on delivering high quality services for our customers at our existing rail businesses. However, we have no intention to bid for new UK rail franchises on the current risk profile offered by the Department for Transport," said Stagecoach.BCA Marketplace was up 2.9% as the car seller touted a rise in annual profit and agreed the terms of a GBP1.91 billion takeover by BBD Bidco.BBD Bidco - owned indirectly by funds managed by private equity firm TDR - is offering 243p in cash for each BCA Marketplace share held, representing a premium of 25% to the closing price on June 19. The deal values the FTSE 250 constituent at GBP1.91 billion, and BCA Marketplace last week said it would recommend the proposal to shareholders if a firm offer was made.Accordingly, BCA Marketplace directors now intend to unanimously recommend the deal to shareholders, and BBD Bidco has received support from shares representing 44% of BCA Marketplace's share capital.Separately, BCA Marketplace said revenue for the year to March 31 rose 25% to GBP3.03 billion from GBP2.43 billion the year before, with pretax profit up 18% to GBP89.5 million from GBP75.9 million.The increase in revenue was as a result of growth across the business, the firm said, with UK Vehicle Remarketing and Vehicle Buying both exceeding GBP1 billion in revenue.Retailer Ted Baker was at the bottom of the mid-caps, down 7.1% after RBC cut the upmarket fashion firm to Sector Perform from Outperform. Elsewhere on the Main Market, Bonmarche shares sank 27% after the company's board changed its mind and recommended a discounted takeover offer to shareholders. In April, Spectre - a Dubai-registered company 100% owned by Edinburgh Woollen Mill owner Philip Day - approached the fashion retailer with a GBP5.7 million offer.The offer is priced at 11.445 pence per share, which marked a 34% discount to Bonmarche's GBP8.7 million market value the day before the offer was made. The mandatory offer came after Spectre acquired 26.2 million shares, giving it a majority 52% stake in Bonmarche.This change of heart from the struggling retailer came as Bonmarche reported a "poor" performance in the first quarter of the new financial year due to continued weakness in the underlying clothing market and a lack of seasonal weather.While Bonmarche said it continues to believe Spectre's takeover offer "does not adequately reflect the potential longer term value of the business", heightened operating risk makes the "certainty" presented by the deal more attractive in the short term.
Wood Group (J) (WG.)
Fresnillo (FRES)