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The group added: "Commercially, Atmel report continuing high interest in XSense with a further design nomination confirmed and a promising pipeline of projects. Plans are well advanced at Atmel for further increases in manufacturing capacity in the second half of 2013." Approximately 40% of Carclo's turnover comes from the sale of precision products to the premium automotive and aerospace sectors. The remaining 60% is generated by sales of injection-moulded plastic components used in medical, optical and electronics products.

However in today's announcement, the group reported there had been "a delay in the Atmel managed downstream supply chain associated with the differing manufacturing requirements between ITO and XSense touch sensors". Carclo reported that the manufacturing issues had now been "largely resolved", adding that all parties were confident that the production ramp-up would commence "shortly". The group stated that a $10m prepayment had been triggered but said it would not be received until full-scale production had resumed and Atmel had invoiced its customer. CIT film sales to reduce in current quarter Carclo also stated that validation of the Atmel US XSense facility was "imminent but not yet complete", explaining that this "will reduce CIT film sales in the present quarter relative to our previous expectations".

Technology-led plastics group Carclo has reported that demand from some of its customers weakened in December and was slow to recover in January, according to an interim management statement issued on Thursday morning. The group's Technical Plastics division experienced the lower demand from some customers but Carclo stated that schedules had returned to normal, with February starting well. In the group's LED Technologies business segment, the company stated that the Wipac division's supercar lighting business had enjoyed a "solid start to its fourth quarter" while its precision engineering division continued to perform well. Delays in Atmel supply chain In December, the group reported that volume production of touch sensors had commenced and shipments of touch sensors had exceeded the minimum volume threshold in its agreement with Atmel Corporation.

VUELING TAKEOVER In November, IAG launched an offer of €7.0 per share for low-cost airline Vueling through its wholly-owned subsidiary Veloz Holdco. In a filing with Spanish market regulator CNMV on Wednesday, IAG announced that Veloz Holdco "has resolved not to seek that the consideration offered in its tender offer for the acquisition of Vueling Airlines, S.A. ('Vueling') of €7 per share qualifies as an equitable price." IAG said that it ruled out raising the bid and that it could waive its condition of having a minimum acceptance of 90% of non-IAG shareholders. Nonetheless, it has no plans to delist the remaining shares.

Iberia, the Spanish airline operated by International Consolidated Airlines Group (otherwise known as IAG), has deemed the strikes convoked by labour unions to be excessive and an intolerable threat to the company, its customers, and society. The airline has reacted to the labour unions' decision on Wednesday after talks in an arbitrage procedure failed to produce any agreements. According to Iberia, its latest proposal translated into less lay-offs and smaller salary cuts than initially planned. Additionally, it included the use of early retirements instead of layoffs. "At this challenging moment that Iberia is going through, the announcement of strikes only worsens the company's difficult situation. The company will use legally-available mechanisms to return to profitability and become viable," the company explained. "Once the strikes are confirmed, Iberia's priority will be to provide customers with solutions and alternatives as it has done in the past."

Pachinko is a type of game played in arcades and casinos in Japan.

Net revenue contracted by 17.7 per cent year-on-year in the nine months ended December 31st at Japanese leisure services company Konami Corporation. The value of net revenues fell 17.7% to 160,151m yen, while operating income dropped 51.7% to 14,920m yen over the corresponding comparable periods. Comprehensive income for the same nine month period slid by one third to 10,248m Yen year-on-year. The value of total assets as of December 31st was 314,284m yen and total equity was recorded at 219,157m yen. Konami Corporation was established in Japan in 1973 and has four main business segments. These comprise digital entertainment, health and fitness, gaming systems segments and a pachinko slot machines segment.

The price improvements and the weakened exchange rate in January were expected to substantially reduce cash consumption and enable the to company to start producing cash at mine level. Platinum spot prices rose 0.06% to $1,737.85 per troy ounce at 15:46 Thursday, according to data on Bloomberg. The company has been under pressure as it mothballed two of its mines in 2012 and saw its increasingly exasperated Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Stuart Murray, resign in October. Platinum gained for a fifth day Thursday on increased concern that supplies will decline from South Africa, which produces of about 73% global output.

South African miner Aquarius Platinum unleashes its latest financial results Friday after reporting an improvement in output during the final quarter of 2012. The company saw attributable production rise 2.0% quarter-on-quarter for last three months of December, according to results published last month. At the time the FTSE 250 firm said it was a challenging quarter during which industrial relations in South Africa remained strained and metal prices remained low. The group also highlights that it remained acutely aware that despite the improvements in production, it continued to consume cash during the quarter.

Burberry, which has 68 stores in 35 cities across mainland China, saw shares fall 5.84% to 1,346.5p by 16:00 on Thursday. The company is heavily exposed to the fast-growing Chinese luxury industry, which accounts for around 40% of retail sales across its whole Asia Pacific division. On Thursday morning, Burberry appointed John Smith, the former head of BBC Worldwide, as its new Chief Operating Officer. The firm also announced that Chief Financial Officer Stacey Cartwright would step down after nine years and be replaced by Senior Vice President of Group Finance Carol Fairweather. Shares in French luxury brand LVMH and US jewellery firm Tiffany & Co were also out of favour on Thursday.

Shares in luxury brand Burberry were hammered on Thursday as the company announced a series of boardroom changes; but market chatter was also putting the sharp fall down to the move by China to scale back luxury advertisements. China's media watchdog, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), this week claimed that some radio and TV commercials were publicising "incorrect values and helped create a bad social ethos" by encouraging people to give expensive luxury items such as watches and gold coins as gifts, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. China's Global Times said that broadcasters have been ordered to stop running adverts that promote gift-giving, which is sometimes used to gain favour with officials. Ad agencies have been asked to change ads that do not meet the rule. "Unqualified advertisements will be stopped from being broadcast until they are modified", a member of the advertising department of Zhejiang Satellite Television told the Global Times.

Positive Points: Fourth quarter results materialised at the upper end of analyst expectations. Accompanying management outlook comments noted that “we expect the market conditions seen in 2012 broadly to continue in 2013." The board's confidence in the future was expressed via a 50% hike to total 2012 dividend payment compared to 2011. The Chief Executive noted that "there is no doubt that we are benefitting from implementing our Strategic Priorities. Throughout 2012 we maintained a high rate of innovation, launching many new products. Our strong growth in the Emerging Market countries validated our focus." Cost savings remain a focus. The group’s Systemic efficiency programme is on track for $150m annual savings in 2014. The group remains subject to occasional takeover speculation.

Financial Highlights: Full year underlying growth in revenue of 2% reported, with trading profit up 6% to $965 million. Fourth quarter underlying growth in revenue of 3% generated, with trading profit up 2% to $272 million. The total dividend payment for 2012 was increased by 50% compared to 2011.

Full year/fourth quarter results: Confidence expressed via a 50% dividend hike at Smith & Nephew. The announcement saw the Chief Executive noting a "strong finish" to the year. Furthermore, he underlined his confidence in the group's strategic progress and financial strength with a significant 50% hike in the 2012 dividend compared to the prior year. Double digit sales growth in the Emerging Markets was achieved, while its Advanced Wound Management business grew at well above the market rate and an improved performance at its Trauma business was generated. Management noted that "There is no doubt that we are benefitting from implementing our Strategic Priorities. Our choices to invest in products and geographic areas of higher growth are enabling us to drive greater value from existing resources." A 0.8% increase in the full year trading profit margin was highlighted. In all, whilst concerns for cuts to government health budgets and the delay of treatment by patients thanks to the economic downturn continue to overshadow, management initiatives and expected long term drivers such as ageing populations

Positive Points: ICAP said a cost reduction programme was progressing well and would deliver £50 million of savings in this financial year and another £60 million by the end of 2013. In January, average daily spot FX volumes on the group's EBS platform were $141 billion, up 22% year-on-year and average daily volumes on the BrokerTec platform were $627 billion, an increase of 16% year-on-year. The improvement was sparked by the 'fiscal cliff' resolution in the US, early repayment of loans by banks to the European Central Bank, and an increase in volatility in core currency pairs on ICAP's electronic FX platform. Following the success of ICAP's electronic platform for interest rate swaps, i-Swap, the group is launching i-Swap in the US during the week commencing 11th February. The company reported a strong balance sheet and continues to convert profit very efficiently into cash. As the world's largest interdealer broker and supplier of post trade risk and information services, ICAP continues to benefit from greater scale and broader diversity than its peers.

Negative Points: Notwithstanding the more recent pick up in volumes, activity levels remain difficult to predict and it is not yet clear whether signs of improved confidence are sustainable. The Inter-dealer and money broking markets are notoriously competitive. Unlike exchanges, IDBs do not benefit from natural monopolies. Customers are able to offset one IDB against another causing strong downward margin pressure. In a separate announcement last month, ICAP disclosed it has been asked to provide information to various agencies investigating the setting of Libor. The company said it is cooperating with those inquiries. ICAP's customer base may seek to improve profitability. One means of increasing profits is to pay away less commission to intermediaries such as the IDB industry. This may put additional pressure on product pricing. ICAP is exposed to foreign exchange translation risks. The potential for a transaction tax (Tobin tax) across Europe continues to be debated.

Interim statement: ICAP eyes an uplift in trading volumes. Interdealer broker ICAP said activity was picking up after a "challenging" third quarter. "While December was even slower than expected, we've seen a marked improvement in trading volumes since the beginning of January across our entire business, although it is premature to tell if this is the start of a more sustained upturn," said ICAP Chief Executive Michael Spencer. For the third quarter, group revenue was 13% lower compared with the same quarter the previous year yet activity levels in January, improved across the business, including a 17% year-on-year increase in electronic broking volumes. The broker confirmed its cost saving programme remains on track to deliver more than £50 million in the current financial year and at least £60 million of annualised cost savings by its year end. Consequently, ICAP expects pre-tax profits for the year to 31st March 2013 to be within the current analyst range of £280 million to £305 million.

Positive Points "A good start to the new financial year" was noted by the Chief Executive. First quarter organic revenue growth of nearly 6% was reported. This is up from the 5.4% reported at its full year results. Organic revenue growth in North America was noted as "particularly strong", with its Ascension Health contract contributing over 1% to global sales in the quarter. Its Fast Growing & Emerging division continued to enjoy strong levels of organic revenue growth from both new business wins and like for like revenue. Particularly good performances in Australia, Turkey and Latin America were noted. Actions to try and counterbalance the difficulties in Europe are being taken. Previously announced cost reduction plans were said to be "on track." Group diversification continues to provide a key ingredient, with a 'balanced portfolio' of client industries - both cyclical and defensive - combined with a wide geographical spread playing a significant part in the group's business model. Management retains a tight rein on costs, with the group's efficiency programme ongoing. Small bolt-on acquisitions are being pursued, while management also continues to push the group's services into non-food support services. From 2008 to 2010, it spent a total of £550 million on acquisitions. Since 30 September 2012, Compass had committed £77 million to infill acquisitions. Investor returns continue. A new £400 million buyback was previously announced and commenced in early January. A progressive dividend policy continues to be pursued.

Negative Points Management noted that "economic conditions in Europe & Japan remain difficult and, as expected, we have seen a decline in organic revenue." Within its last full year results, a near £300 million exceptional charge was taken with regards to the restructuring of its Southern European operations. Food cost inflation was previously highlighted by management. The printing of money by many Central Banks across the world has arguably pushed up soft and hard commodity prices across the board. Unseasonal weather is also creating volatility. Volatility in currency markets can work against the company. Competition across the global industry remains intense.

Financial Highlights: Organic revenue growth of nearly 6%. £77 million spent on acquisitions. A £400 million share buyback programme commenced.