Market Live Email
Imperial Brands posts rise in FY sales and earnings, Diploma results top expectations
By Michele Maatouk
Date: Tuesday 18 Nov 2025
(Sharecast News) - London open
The FTSE 100 was called to open down around 125 points.
Stocks to watch
Greencore said it had struck a deal to sell its Bristol soups and sauces site to Compleat Food Group to meet regulatory conditions on its Bakkavor takeover as it also posted a jump in annual profit. Adjusted core earnings at the convenience food producer rose 17.9% to £181m in the 12 months to 26 September . The company said it had made a positive start to current-year trading.
Imperial Brands posted an uplift in sales and earnings, supported by higher prices and growing demand for the tobacco group's range of next general products. Net revenues from tobacco and next generation products (NGP) rose by 4.1% on a constant currency basis, to £8.3bn in the year to 30 September. Operating profits were 4.6% stronger at £4bn.
Industrial products group Diploma delivered better-than-expected results for the fiscal year to 30 September, with organic revenues and profit margins ahead of guidance, helped by higher volumes across all three divisions. Revenues totalled £1.53bn, up 11% on an organic basis, beating the 10% target given in July. Adjusted operating margins improved 160 basis points to 22.5%, ahead of the 22% guidance, driving adjusted operating profits 20% higher to £342.7m.
Newspaper round-up
Reselling tickets for profit is to be outlawed under plans due to be announced this week, the Guardian has learned, as the government goes ahead with a long-awaited crackdown on touts and resale platforms such as Viagogo and StubHub. Ministers had been considering allowing touts - and ordinary consumers - to sell on a ticket for up to 30% above the original face value, as part of a consultation process that ended earlier this year. - Guardian
The amount of a customer's money protected if a UK bank or building society goes bust will rise to £120,000 next month, providing a boost to the nation's savers. The new deposit protection limit, a 41% rise from the current limit of £85,000, is higher than expected and takes effect on 1 December. - Guardian
A £750bn fund manager has cut its exposure to UK government bonds following Rachel Reeves's volte-face on income tax which sent financial markets into disarray. Axa Investment Managers said it has reduced the amount of long-dated UK gilts it holds in its fixed-income portfolios, warning it was "much less comfortable going into the Budget". - Telegraph
The billionaire owner of Royal Mail is to become one of the biggest shareholders in French oil giant TotalEnergies in a deal worth €5.1bn (£4.5bn). Daniel Křetínský is poised to become Total's fourth biggest shareholder after striking a deal to sell half of his Eastern European power business EPH to the French company in exchange for shares. The Czech billionaire will get 4.1pc of shares in Total, one of the biggest oil firms in the world. - Telegraph
US close
Monetary policy uncertainty dampened US stocks on Monday, with weakness in the heavyweight banking and tech sectors pushing indices to their lowest levels in a month.
The Dow fell for the third straight session, finishing 1.2% lower at 46,590.24 - its lowest since 17 October.. The benchmark has dropped 3.5% since hitting an all-time high last Wednesday.
The S&P 500 dropped 0.9% to 6,672.41, while the Nasdaq dropped 0.8% to 22,708.07 - with both also trading at or close to one-month lows.
Article Archive
Free Membership To Digital Look
Discover the full range of Investor's Tools and Services from Digital Look - voted 'Best Research & Information Provider 2007' by Investors Chronicle.
En HeaderFooterDLYou are here: research