{"id":143409,"date":"2020-04-17T17:10:36","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T17:10:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bnreport.com\/ftse-100-closes-in-the-green-as-uk-braces-for-economic-data-next-week\/"},"modified":"2020-04-17T17:10:36","modified_gmt":"2020-04-17T17:10:36","slug":"ftse-100-closes-in-the-green-as-uk-braces-for-economic-data-next-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bnreport.com\/en\/ftse-100-closes-in-the-green-as-uk-braces-for-economic-data-next-week\/","title":{"rendered":"FTSE 100 closes in the green as UK braces for economic data next week"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li>FTSE 100 closes 159 points higher<\/li>\n<li>US indices open sharply higher<\/li>\n<li>Whitbread and AB Foods confirm eligibility for government&#039;s CCFF<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>5.10pm: FTSE 100 closes 3% higher<\/h3>\n<p>The FTSE 100 closed at 5,787 points on Friday, up 159 points for a gain of 2.8% on the day.<\/p>\n<p>Next week will bring new insight into the effect of lockdown on the UK&#039;s economy.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Its been an up and down few days for the markets, one that isnt set to get any easier next week,&quot; wrote <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/PRIVATE-UK:SPRED\/Spreadex\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Spreadex<\/a>&#039;s Conor Campbell on Friday. &quot;Alongside whatever this weekend brings, theres a host of potentially illuminating data, including the UK jobless claims for March on Tuesday, as well as Aprils flash manufacturing and services PMIs on Thursday.&quot;<\/p>\n<h3>2.10pm: FTSE 250 overshadows FTSE 100<\/h3>\n<p>London index of blue-chips is just about keeping its head above 5,800 as it looks to cap the week with a big flourish.<\/p>\n<p>The FTSE 100 was up 174 points (3.1%) at 5,802.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEuropean markets are heading towards the weekend in optimistic fashion, with news of a positive coronavirus treatment from Gilead raising hopes that the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis will be less than expected,\u201d said IGs Joshua Mahony.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the news of a potential beneficial treatment coming on the same day that Donald Trump laid out plans to reopen the US economy, there is a clear optimism over the possibility that some semblance of normality could soon return. Stocks associated with global travel have received a welcome boost as traders react to plans from the likes of Germany and the US to ease lockdown restrictions. Rolls-Royce, Carnival, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:IHG\/Intercontinental-Hotels\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Intercontinental Hotels<\/a>, and IAG have all seen sharp gains, yet the road ahead is likely to be rocky given that travel volumes will remain muted for some time yet,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>The mid-cap FTSE 250, despite flagging a bit towards the end of the lunchtime trading session, is actually outstripping the FTSE 250 with a 2.4% (526 points) rise at 15,905.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AML\/Aston-Martin-Lagonda-Global-Holdings-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AML\/Aston-Martin-Lagonda-Global-Holdings-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:AML<\/a>) is leading the charge, with a 19% gain at 59.85p, after the stock took a battering yesterday.<\/p>\n<p>Wealth management firm <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:BRW\/Brewin-Dolphin\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Brewin Dolphin<\/a> Holdings PLC (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:BRW\/Brewin-Dolphin-\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:BRW<\/a>) is moving ahead with porpoise [sorry] after a well-received trading statement.<\/p>\n<p>The shares are 15% firmer at 245p despite the company revealing a 14.6% slide in funds under management in the first quarter of 2020.<\/p>\n<p>With markets taking a tonking in March, the market was braced for a large slide and was encouraged by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:BRW\/Brewin-Dolphin\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Brewin Dolphin<\/a> reporting net inflows of \u00a3400mln or so of discretionary funds.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/search?q=%24BRW&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">$BRW<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:BRW\/Brewin-Dolphin\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Brewin Dolphin<\/a> funds slide 14.6% but positive discretionary flows amid coronavirus <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/CcW3FgXqc7\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/t.co\/CcW3FgXqc7<\/a> via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/proactive_UK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@proactive_UK<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BRW?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">#BRW<\/a><\/p>\n<p> \u2014 Proactive (@proactive_UK) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/proactive_UK\/status\/1251054802227863552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">April 17, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>12.30pm: US indices set to get off to a flyer<\/h3>\n<p>US markets are set to smash it out of the ground this afternoon with US investors set to drink heavily from the optimism cup.<\/p>\n<p>Spread betting quotes suggest the Dow Jones index, which laboured to a 33 point gain yesterday to close at 23,538 will open at around 24,238, up 700 points.<\/p>\n<p>The broader-based S&amp;P 500 is tipped to start 73 points higher at 2,873.<\/p>\n<p>Like investors in Asia and Europe, US shareholders are expected to draw encouragement from promising early trial results from a treatment for the coronavirus (COVD-19).<\/p>\n<p>On top of that, there is the prospect of some US states reopening for business soon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe double whammy of US lockdown exit plans and, more importantly, a potential coronavirus treatment from Gilead has given investors cause for optimism heading into the weekend. It feels a long time since the weekend wasn&#039;t treated with caution and fear but there&#039;s certainly a feeling now that we&#039;re moving in the right direction. The news is improving,\u201d declared Craig Erlam at OANDA.<\/p>\n<p>In London, the Footsie is having a bit of a lunchtime breather; having reached 5,837 at noon it has ebbed a tad to 5,821, up 193 points (3.4%) on the day.<\/p>\n<p>Hotels group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:WTB\/Whitbread-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Whitbread PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:WTB\/Whitbread-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:WTB<\/a>), up 9.1% at 2,810p, was one of the better performers, although whether that was because of general optimism about the possibility of the UK lockdown ending in June or because of its confirmation as an eligible issuer under the UK Government&#039;s Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) is hard to say.<\/p>\n<p>Primark owner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:ABF\/Associated-British-Foods-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Associated British Foods PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:ABF\/Associated-British-Foods-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:ABF<\/a>) also confirmed it is eligible to receive funding under the CCFF; its shares are up 2.9% at 1,993p.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\nPrimark owner AB Foods losing revenue of \u00a3650m pm due to store closures. Confirmed AB Foods are eligible to access funding through Covid Corporate Financing Facility, likely confirmation of commercial paper being issued will follow to assist business during closures.<\/p>\n<p> \u2014 Scott Bebbington (@BebbingtonScott) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BebbingtonScott\/status\/1251051813689872385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">April 17, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>11.15am: Flow of good news on the coronavirus front<\/h3>\n<p>The Footsie has kicked on again in the second half of the morning.<\/p>\n<p>Londons index of heavyweight shares was up 193 points (3.4%) at 5,822, just a dozen or so points below its high point of the day.<\/p>\n<p>Sentiment has been boosted by numerous indications that humanity may be winning the battle against the coronavirus (COVID-19).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMajor European economies, along with the US and Canada, are managing to \u201cflatten the curve\u201d of the coronavirus. The number of daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 has plateaued across the west,\u201d observed Berenberg Economics.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYesterday, US president Donald Trump announced a series of guidelines for states to lift restrictions. It is down to individual states to decide when to act. While some states will begin to open up cautiously sooner than others, as a best guess, expect most to wait until early May,\u201d the German finance house continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn Germany, most small shops will reopen on Monday while some other restrictions on schools will be lifted gradually from 4 May. While Spain and Italy have eased restrictions a little, most measures will remain until early\/mid-May \u2013 as in the UK and France. Thereafter, expect those countries to lift some key restrictions gradually \u2013 probably along the lines that Germany has set out,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n<p>In the US, shares of Gilead Sciences were up by about a sixth in after-market trading after early data from its coronavirus medicine Remdesivir was described as \u201cvery encouraging\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIts not actually a vaccine, but anything that can help end lockdowns and get economies moving quickly is a huge positive,\u201d said Neil Wilson at markets.com. at 0.645%.<\/p>\n<h3>10.00am: Optimism abounds<\/h3>\n<p>Its definitely a \u201crisk-on\u201d day with equities flying high and gold in the doldrums.<\/p>\n<p>The FTSE 100 was up 126 points (2.2%) at 5,755 while gold for May delivery is US$17.20 cheaper on the futures markets at US$1,705.50 an ounce.<\/p>\n<p>Sentiment has been boosted by rising hopes that an end to lockdowns is over the horizon.<\/p>\n<p>If that is true \u2013 and it is a big \u201cif\u201d \u2013 then demand for delivery services is likely to come off the boil, which explains why groceries delivery outfit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:OCDO\/Ocado-Group-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ocado Group PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:OCDO\/Ocado-Group-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:OCDO<\/a>) and fast-food courier Just Eat Takeaway.com (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:JET\/Just-Eat-Takeaway.com-NV\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:JET<\/a>) are occupying the cellar slots on the Footsie; Ocado is down 2.4% at 1,560.6p and Just Eat is 1.8$ lighter at 7,886p.<\/p>\n<p>Car sales web portal operator <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AUTO\/Auto-Trader-Group-plc\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Auto Trader Group plc<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AUTO\/Auto-Trader-Group-plc\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:AUTO<\/a>) was a bit slow pulling away from the lights after its coronavirus (COVID019) update.<\/p>\n<p>The shares rose 0.9% \u2013 underperforming the Footsie \u2013 at 429.1p after the company said it would continue to offer free advertising to its customers while the lockdown remains in place.<\/p>\n<h3>8.40am: Friday advance<\/h3>\n<p>The FTSE 100 got off a strong start on Friday amid hopes the worst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic could be over.<\/p>\n<p>The index of UK blue-chip stocks opened 144 points higher at 5,772.73.<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/companies\/news\/917494\/morning-report-ftse-100-boosted-as-gilead-coronavirus-drug-shows-promising-signs-917494.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">WATCH: Morning Report: FTSE 100 boosted as Gilead coronavirus drug shows promising signs<\/a>[hhmc]<br \/>\n<\/h4>\n<p>The incremental easing of lockdowns in Germany, Spain, Austria, and Italy provided some cause for cautious optimism, as did the revelation that one of the worlds leading biotech companies has found an effective COVID-19 treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Reports overnight suggest Gilead Life Sciences drug led to the rapid recovery of 125 patients.<\/p>\n<p>It meant data showing Chinas woeful economic performance during the height of the Wuhan outbreak was largely shrugged off. Even so, the figures were pretty poor, with the worlds second-largest economy contracting a worse-than-expected 6.8% in the first three months of the year.<\/p>\n<p>After a rally in the airline stocks early Thursday, there was follow-on optimism around the outlook for the companies that supply parts and maintain fleets for the likes of British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair.<\/p>\n<p>So, Melrose (LON:MLRO), owner of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:GKN\/GKN\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">GKN<\/a>, flew 9.8% higher, while engine-maker Rolls Royce (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:RR.\/Rolls-Royce-Holdings-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:RR.<\/a>) advanced 9%.<\/p>\n<p>Mounting hopes that the lockdown may be eased here in the UK in three weeks gave a further lease of life to Cineworld (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:CINE\/Cineworld-Group-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:CINE<\/a>), which jumped 18% early on.<\/p>\n<p>Flutter Entertainment (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:FLTR\/Flutter-Entertainment-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:FLTR<\/a>) rose 7.5% after what on the face of it was a dreadful performance, with sports revenues off 46%.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince the lockdown, the online gaming strands of the business have held up relatively well as consumers have shifted their habits, at least on a temporary basis,\u201d said stock picker Richard Hunter of Interactive Investor of Flutters figures.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn a sign of some prudence as well as confidence, the companys decision to proceed with the dividend in the form of shares rather than cash is quite an elegant solution to the problem facing so many other companies, who have largely chosen to back away from making any distributions at all for the time being.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Proactive news headlines:<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:GFIN\/Gfinity-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Gfinity PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:GFIN\/Gfinity-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:GFIN<\/a>) has been selected by cricket broadcaster Willow TV to host The eCricket Challenge, a series that will see cricket players compete in the Cricket 19 video game. The series, designed and developed by Gfinity, will see some of the biggest names in world cricket compete remotely in five-over matches.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AGL\/ANGLE-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ANGLE PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AGL\/ANGLE-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:AGL<\/a> OTCQX:ANPCY) said a study by the University of Athens showed its liquid biopsy was superior to a leading antibody approach when it came to harvesting circulating tumour cells (CTC) in people with head and neck cancer. Researchers drew blood from 50 patients and 18 healthy volunteers. The published data revealed use of the ANGLE technology resulted in much higher CTC harvesting positivity rates, purer samples, and \u201cexcellent\u201d RNA quality for molecular analysis.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:KRM\/KRM22-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">KRM22 PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:KRM\/KRM22-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:KRM<\/a>) has agreed to acquire the remaining 40% stake in market surveillance firm Irisium Ltd that it does not already own from Cinnober Financial Technology for a \u00a3550,000 convertible loan note. The risk management specialist, which acquired its initial 60% stake in Irisium for \u00a31.7mln in June 2018, said the consolidation of the remaining stake will allow complete integration of the firm into its own platforms and immediately remove \u00a3700,000 of debt and liabilities from its consolidated balance sheet.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:BMY\/Bloomsbury-Publishing-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bloomsbury Publishing PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:BMY\/Bloomsbury-Publishing-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:BMY<\/a>) has said it is taking a number of actions to protect the business following the coronavirus lockdown, including the sale of shares to bring in a gross \u00a38.4mln. The company has also pushed out the maturity of its bank facility by a year to May 2022, it has made a series of economies, including salary cuts, saving an initial \u00a31.6mln a month, and has cancelled the dividend. The group, which had net cash of \u00a331mln as at the end of February, said it was unable at this stage to give forward guidance.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:BGO\/Bango-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bango PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:BGO\/Bango-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:BGO<\/a>) has said the proposed expanded partnership between the mobile commerce company and NHN Corp (NHN), a South Korean big data business, announced on April 3, 2020, completed on April 16, with NHN investing \u00a33.2mln into Bango for a 4.7% shareholding.  The AIM-listed company said NHN has also invested a further \u00a36.5mln for a 60% shareholding in Bango Deep \u2013 the Bango subsidiary that owns the Audiens Customer Data Platform business \u2013 with Bango retaining 40%.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AAOG\/Anglo-African-Oil-%26amp%3B-Gas-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Anglo African Oil &amp; Gas PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AAOG\/Anglo-African-Oil-&amp;-Gas-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:AAOG<\/a>) has agreed a further amendment to the terms of the sale of its Congo business, in order to expedite the transfer of cost liabilities to Zenith Energy. In a statement, the company said it has been agreed that Forum will now pay \u00a3200,000 in cash, upon approval by AAOG shareholders \u2013 this comes after a March revision down to \u00a3800,000 from the \u00a31mln agreed in December. The latest revision comes amid heightened uncertainty over certain timelines, which would leave AAOG to additional costs and funding issues.<\/p>\n<p>Amur Minerals Corporation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AMC\/Amur-Minerals-Corp.\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:AMC<\/a>) said on Thursday that it is to raise \u00a3750,000 by placing 75mln shares at 1p a throw. The funds raised will be used to repay the initial advance from the loan note facility from Plena Global Opportunities LLC, details of which were released last month.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:ECSC\/ECSC-Group-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ECSC Group PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:ECSC\/ECSC-Group-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:ECSC<\/a>), the provider of cybersecurity services, has announced plans to raise money by placing shares at 55p a pop. The company said it will place 909,091 new ordinary shares, raising \u00a3500,000 before expenses. The funds will be used to ensure the company is sufficiently well capitalised to take advantage of longer-term growth opportunities once the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation stabilises and to strengthen the balance sheet.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/PRIVATE:ABL\/Abal-Group-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Abal Group PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:SYME\/supply@me\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:SYME<\/a>) has said its planned name change to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">[email protected]<\/a> Capital PLC has been delayed by Companies House due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company said it had been notified by Companies House that \u201csignificant delays are currently being experienced in the processing of name change applications\u201d and that the registrar \u201cmay not be able to process documents as quickly as has been done previously\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:VOG\/Victoria-Oil-%26amp%3B-Gas-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Victoria Oil &amp; Gas PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:VOG\/Victoria-Oil-&amp;-Gas-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:VOG<\/a>) has highlighted a \u201csolid performance\u201d amid coronavirus pandemic disruption, with revenue-generating operations ongoing in Cameroon. In a first-quarter update, the company noted that daily average gas production was 5.1mln cubic feet per day, plus 1,656 barrels per day of condensate, which resulted in US$5.3mln of revenue for the period.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:CZN\/Curzon-Energy-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Curzon Energy PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:CZN\/Curzon-Energy-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:CZN<\/a>) said it will be holding its general meeting (GM) at the company&#039;s business address, which is located at WeWork, 71-91 Aldwych House, London WC2B 4HN on Wednesday, May 6 at 2.00 pm. It added that forms of proxy to vote at the GM must be completed, signed and returned so as to be received by the company&#039;s registrars by no later than 2.00pm on May 4. It noted that full details are set out in the Notice of GM, which has been posted to shareholders and is also available on the company&#039;s website. www.curzonenergy.com<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AFC\/AFC-Energy-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">AFC Energy PLC<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/LON:AFC\/AFC-Energy-PLC\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">LON:AFC<\/a>) said that following enquiries from shareholders and having taken professional advice regarding the government&#039;s current restrictions on social gatherings the company can confirm that the AGM convened for 12.00pm on April 23, 2020, will be held at the Registered Office, Unit 71.4 Dunsfold Park, Stovolds Hill, Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 8TB. However, in light of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) stay at home measures in the UK, the AGM will be run as a closed meeting and shareholders will not be able to attend in person and are asked to exercise their votes by submitting their proxy as set out in the Notice of Meeting.<\/p>\n<h3>6.40am: Hope springs eternal <\/h3>\n<p>The FTSE 100 looks set for a jump at open on Friday as hopes that drugs giant Gilead Sciences is on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/companies\/news\/917468\/ftse-100-closes-in-the-green-as-uk-braces-for-economic-data-next-week-917468.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More \u2013 Source<\/a><br \/>\n[contf]<br \/>\n[contfnew]<br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/webfiles.thecse.com\/PRO_LOGO_P_COLOUR.png?sYToe11NLbcXiyGkVa5syF9WB04cy98G\" \/><\/p>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Proactiveinvestors<\/a><\/h5>\n<p>[contfnewc]<br \/>\n[contfnewc]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FTSE 100 closes 159 points higher<br \/>\nUS indices open sharply higher<br \/>\nWhitbread and AB Foods confirm elig..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143410,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-143409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - 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