FTSE 100 Seen Opening Lower After Wall Street Retreats

0644 GMT - The FTSE 100 is expected to open lower following a sell-off in U.S. stocks overnight after First Republic Bank reported a sharp fall in deposits, reigniting concerns about the health of the banking sector. IG futures data show the London index of blue-chip stocks opening 19 points lower. First Republic's shares sank Tuesday after saying deposits plunged more than $100 billion in the first quarter. "Today, investors will be watching the U.S. durable goods orders [data at 1230 GMT], Meta and Boeing earnings, and of course, watching out to see if the First Republic stress could extend beyond First Republic," Swissquote Bank analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya writes. (renae.dyer@wsj.com) 


 
Companies News:

Persimmon 1Q Sales Fell After Challenging End to 2022, But Sees Improvements

Persimmon PLC said Wednesday that its private sales rate per outlet in the first quarter fell by 37% on year, after a challenging fourth quarter, though it is seeing encouraging signs of improvement.

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Smith & Nephew Posts 1Q Revenue Beat on Growth in Established Markets

Smith & Nephew PLC on Wednesday reported better-than-expected revenue growth for its first-quarter driven by the performance of its established markets and backed its guidance for 2023.

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Bunzl Backs 2023 Guidance After 1Q Revenue Rose

Bunzl PLC said Wednesday that revenue in the first quarter rose 8.4% at actual exchange rates and 1.2% at constant exchange rates, and backed its guidance for the year.

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Elementis 1Q Underlying Revenue Was Flat on Year

Elementis PLC said Wednesday that revenue was flat on an underlying basis in the first quarter of 2023 on benefits from pricing measures and improved mix broadly offsetting weaker volumes.

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GSK 1Q Profit, Sales Beat Expectations But Fell On-Year; Backs 2023 Guidance

GSK PLC on Wednesday reported net profit and sales that beat expectations but declined on-year, and backed its guidance for the full year 2023.

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Reckitt Benckiser 1Q Revenue Rose Ahead of Views; CEO to Step Down

Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC said Wednesday that its first-quarter revenue rose supported by a broad-based growth across its businesses, and said it has appointed Kris Licht as Chief Executive Officer to succeed Nicandro Durante.

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Nichols 1Q Revenue Rose On Packaged Business Performance; CFO Resigns

Nichols PLC on Wednesday said that revenue rose in the first quarter of 2023 on strong performance in its packaged business, and that its chief financial officer will leave the company by the end of the month.

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Drax Sees 2023 Earnings Meeting Market Views; To Start GBP150 Mln Share Buyback

Drax Group PLC said Wednesday that it expects to deliver full-year earnings in-line with analysts' expectations following a strong first-quarter system-support and generation performance, and announced a new 150 million pound ($186.1 million) share buyback program.

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Fresnillo Backs 2023 Guidance; 1Q Production Costs Worsened by Inflation, Currency Effects

Fresnillo PLC on Wednesday backed its 2023 production guidance and said first-quarter adjusted production costs continued to be worsened by continuing cost inflation and the revaluation of the Mexican peso against the dollar.


Contact: London NewsPlus; paul.larkins@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-26-23 0303ET