Oil prices rebound despite OPEC+ output hike; supply remains tight
Investing.com -- British stocks opened lower on Thursday as investors looked ahead to the Bank of England’s widely anticipated rate hold, while caution prevailed amid speculation of U.S. intervention in the Middle East
As of 0719 GMT, the blue-chip index FTSE 100 fell 0.4% and the British pound dropped 0.2% against the dollar to above 1.34.
Meanwhile, European indices also declined, with Germany’s DAX index down about 0.7% and France’s CAC 40 falling 0.6%.
Latest on Israel-Iran conflict
Israel and Iran exchanged aerial strikes on Thursday, while Bloomberg reported that senior U.S. officials are bracing for a potential American strike on Iran as early as this weekend, though the outlook remains uncertain.
Vodafone (LON:VOD) names Microsoft executive as new finance chief
Vodafone Group (NASDAQ:VOD) announced on Thursday the appointment of Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) executive Pilar López as its next Chief Financial Officer, effective October 1, 2025.
She will take over from Luka Mucic, who is stepping down as previously disclosed on May 7, 2025.
Frasers Group walks away from Revolution Beauty deal
Frasers Group (LON:FRAS), owned by billionaire Mike Ashley, announced it will not pursue an offer for struggling British cosmetics company Revolution Beauty (LON:REVBL).
Shares of Revolution Beauty slumped over 21% after the announcement, while Frasers Group fell 1.5%.
Whitbread reports Q1 Softness in U.K., momentum in Germany
Whitbread PLC (LON:WTB) posted a mixed performance for the first quarter of fiscal 2026 on Thursday, with robust growth in its German operations helping to offset weaker results in the U.K.
In its home market, Premier Inn saw a 2% year-on-year decline in total accommodation revenue, while like-for-like sales slipped by 3%.
The company also noted limited forward visibility due to economic and geopolitical challenges.
Hays forecasts £45 mln profit as global hiring slows
Hays Plc (LON:HAYS) announced that it anticipates a pre-exceptional operating profit of £45 million for fiscal 2025, citing a continued slowdown in permanent recruitment markets globally.
The recruitment firm said fourth-quarter activity, ending June 30, has been hindered by subdued client and candidate engagement, impacted by ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty.
XPS Pensions delivers strong FY results, beats earnings forecasts
XPS Pensions Group PLC (LON:XPS) announced strong full-year results for the period ending March 31, 2025, with underlying earnings meeting expectations and dividend growth outpacing projections.
The pensions consultancy firm recorded an 18% rise in annual revenue to £231.8 million, in line with its trading update issued on April 16.
Adjusted EBITDA climbed 27% year-on-year to £69.7 million, exceeding the market forecast of £67.3 million, while its EBITDA margin rose by 2.2 percentage points to 30.1%.
Lilly challenges U.K. agency’s rejection of Kisunla reimbursement
Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) said it would appeal a U.K. agency’s recommendation not to reimburse the cost of its Alzheimer’s drug Kisunla.