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Repsol says the plant, which transforms used cooking oil into so-called sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), has attracted plenty of customers. But it is concerned Europe's investment environment will complicate the industry's efforts to take off. "Europe needs to step up and throw its weight behind a domestic SAF industry to ensure it does not fall behind." That's a bit under 1% of global aviation fuel demand," said Jonathan Wood, Neste's vice-president of renewable aviation. "America's programme of both federal and state incentives for SAF production is the mark of global leadership on the net-zero transition," IAG told Reuters.

☆ UK broadcasters to stay prominent on smart TVs and speakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) - On-demand services from Britain's BBC, ITV (ITV.L) and other public service broadcasters must remain easy to find on smart TVs and set-top boxes, the government said as it announced a plan to update media rules for the streaming age. Britain's public service broadcasters have protected positions in electronic programme guides, ensuring viewers can easily find the content they are required to produce, for example in news. But with more people choosing to watch on-demand television through apps on their smart TVs or other platforms, the broadcasters have raised concerns that their on-demand services could become less visible to viewers. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said changes to viewing habits had put traditional broadcasters under unprecedented pressure. Smart speaker platforms - such as Google and Amazon - will be required to ensure access to all licenced UK radio stations, from major national stations to the smallest community stations, the government said.

☆ Aviva boosts investor payouts after profit beat
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Iain Withers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The British insurer and asset manager said it had paid more than 5 billion pounds to investors since 2021, including a final dividend of 20.7 pence per share for 2022. The FTSE 100 company reported a 35% rise in 2022 operating profit from continuing operations to 2.2 billion pounds, up from 1.6 billion pounds the previous year. Aviva made an accounting loss of 1.1 billion pounds, compared to a 2 billion pound profit the previous year, which it blamed on adverse market movements in 2022. Following a pension scheme payment and investor payouts, this fell to an estimated 196%, the company said. The company's general insurance gross written premiums increased 8% to 9.7 billion pounds, while its fund arm Aviva Investors reported external net flows of 1.3 billion pounds, down from 3.3 billion the prior year.

☆ UK stocks slip as investors gauge prospects of U.S. rate hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Susan Mathew | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index (.FTSE) fell 0.6%, and the mid-cap index (.FTMC) lost 0.7%, extending losses for a third straight session. Strengthening the case for hikes, data showed U.S. job openings fell less than expected in January. The FTSE 100 is up more than 6% so far this year, but is off more than 2% from all-time highs hit last month as investors try to assess the impact of rising interest. Among individual stocks, Rio Tinto (RIO.L) dropped 0.6% as the miner traded without dividend eligibility. Reporting by Susan Mathew in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Sonia CheemaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Aviva hikes investor payouts after bumper operating profit beat
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The British insurer and asset manager said it had paid more than 5 billion pounds to investors since 2021, just topping Cevian's demand for that figure to be returned over the year. Aviva reported a 35% rise in 2022 operating profit from continuing operations to 2.2 billion pounds, up from 1.6 billion pounds the previous year and trumping analyst forecasts. However, it made an accounting loss of 1.1 billion pounds, compared to a 2 billion pound profit the previous year, which it blamed on adverse market movements in 2022. Following a pension scheme payment and investor payouts, this fell to an estimated 196%, the company said. The company's general insurance gross written premiums increased 8% to 9.7 billion pounds, while its fund arm Aviva Investors reported external net flows of 1.3 billion pounds, down from 3.3 billion the prior year.

[1/3] People walk over Millennium Bridge amidst early morning fog, as the sun rises beyond the City of London financial district in the background, in London, Britain, February 8, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File PhotoLONDON, March 9 (Reuters) - Investors Aviva (AV.L) and M&G (MNG.L) on Thursday joined calls for Britain to press ahead with financial reforms and give high-growth sectors such as technology companies more support to keep London's markets competitive. Andrea Rossi, chief executive of asset manager and insurer M&G, said Britain needed to better support new companies to attract them to London's stock market. Rossi said while he was "bullish" on Britain's prospects, the country needed regulatory and political stability after a turbulent end to 2022. ($1 = 0.8408 pounds)Reporting by Iain Withers in London and Sinchita Mitra in Bengaluru, Editing by Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ L&G looks overseas to fight Brexit discount
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

That’s partly due to its concentration in the life sector – Wilson sold out of general insurance in 2020. L&G’s investment management unit has benefited from an international drive, with non-UK assets accounting for 43% of new money last year. On the life insurance side, some 39% of L&G’s gross premiums were booked overseas in 2022, with the U.S. a particular focus for Brexit-backing Wilson. The less L&G looks like a British company, the more attractive it will be to shareholders. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ M&G would be a tricky hop for kangaroo raider
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Neil Unmack | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, March 2 (Reuters Breakingviews) - M&G (MNG.L) would be a tricky hop for Macquarie (MQG.AX). The $48 billion Australian financial powerhouse may bid for the $6 billion UK insurer. The appeal is likely to be in the fund management group. Macquarie’s own asset management arm accounted for over 30% of net profit in the first half of its current financial year. Follow @Unmack1 on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSAustralian banking group Macquarie is considering a bid for UK insurance and asset management group M&G, Sky News reported on March 1.

Feb 28 (Reuters) - British housebuilders Persimmon (PSN.L) and Taylor Wimpey (TW.L) publish full-year earnings this week with analysts seeking to establish whether a protracted sector downturn is on the cards. Analysts, therefore, will be focusing on sales updates within Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey's annual results statements on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. The two companies are expected to report a slight improvement to full-year earnings, but trading statements last month said their order books were down year on year. The focus in this week's earnings statements will be sales trends and pricing, said Aynsley Lammin, equity research analyst at Investec Bank. Barratt (BDEV.L), meanwhile, has cut its mid-year dividend by 9% as housebuilders increasingly look to preserve cash.

SummarySummary Companies Centrica, StanChart jump on upbeat earningsVodafone up on report exploring options for African UnitFTSE 100 up 0.2%, FTSE 250 flatFeb 16 (Reuters) - Britain's internationally-focussed FTSE 100 on Thursday closed above 8,000 points for the first time as upbeat earnings from Centrica and Standard Chartered countered global risk-off sentiment after hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.2%, off an intra-day record high hit earlier in the day, but still at its highest ever closing level of 8,012.53 points. The exporter-heavy index has had a stellar start to the year, gaining 7.5% so far as positive corporate earnings and rising commodity prices supported the index. Data showed U.S. producer prices rose more than expected in January while jobless claims unexpectedly fell, fanning speculation the U.S. Federal Reserve would keep raising interest rates for longer than expected. Shares of Centrica (CNA.L) jumped to top the FTSE 100, adding 5.7%, after the British Gas owner's annual profit more than tripled and it announced an extension of its share buyback programme.

☆ FTSE 100 at record high on positive Centrica, StanChart earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100 hits record high, trading above 8,000 pointsCentrica, StanChart, Relx jump on upbeat resultsVodafone rises on report of looking at options for Africa unitFTSE 100 up 0.3%, FTSE 250 adds 0.4%Feb 16 (Reuters) - UK's FTSE 100 rose to a record high on Thursday, underpinned by corporate earnings from Centrica and Standard Chartered, while higher commodity prices drove up heavyweight miners. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.3%, trading comfortably above the 8,000-point mark it had breached in the previous session. The exporter-heavy FTSE has had a stellar start to the year as positive corporate earnings and rising commodity prices supported the index. Shares of Centrica (CNA.L) jumped to top the FTSE 100, adding 4.2%, after the British gas owner's annual profit more than tripled and as it announced an extension of its share buyback programme. Standard Chartered (STAN.L) rose 1.8% after the lender reported a 28% rise in annual pretax profit and unveiled a $1 billion share buyback programme.

☆ FTSE 100 slips from record high as upbeat data stokes Fed rate jitters
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Sruthi Shankar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) fell 0.6% after hitting a record high of 7,906.58 in the previous session. Attractive valuation levels compared to overseas peers and the large divergence in performance between different parts of the market "create good opportunities for attractive returns from UK stocks in the next 3-5 years", he added. The domestically-focussed FTSE 250 (.FTMC) fell 0.8%, after climbing an eight-month peak last week. Online trading platform Plus500 Ltd (PLUSP.L) jumped 4.2% after it got licence to expand in the UAE. Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The business has been valued at as much as 3 billion pounds ($3.7 billion), according to analysts. "But we do see a pathway whereby, via consolidation, ITV may be able to simultaneously both demonstrate and create value from ITV Studios," they said. ITV built up its Studios production business in the last decade to reduce its reliance on the British advertising market and tap into rising global demand for content. Revenue in the nine months to end-September rose 16% to 1.39 billion pounds ($1.71 billion). That would imply a valuation of about 3 billion pounds, in line with analysts' calculations and nearly as much as ITV's total market value of 3.27 billion pounds.

☆ L&G succession planning misses the mark
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Chief executives always like to see their company’s share price dip when they announce their departure. But it might also express mild discontent with the board’s succession planning. Even so, the smoothest way to sign off on Wilson’s tenure would have been to announce his successor now, rather than the news it might take up to a year to find one. After all, the L&G board had long enough to identify a suitable internal candidate. Chairman John Kingman’s reticence may reflect a preference for a big-hitting external candidate to grow the company beyond UK borders.

☆ Warren tells FTC she is "particularly concerned" about Amgen and Indivior deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Warren said that both Amgen and Horizon Therapeutics "have engaged in brazen price increases," including on Amgen's Enbrel for arthritis and Horizon’s Krystexxa, a gout medication. She noted that the FTC had settled with Indivior and its former parent over its attempt to protect its monopoly of the opioid addiction treatment Suboxone. Indivior makes Sublocade -- a slow-release treatment for opioid addiction that is administered monthly. "The FTC should strongly consider Indivior's history of anti-competitive and deceptive practices when evaluating howIndivior might behave after this potential transaction is completed," wrote Warren. Warren noted that the FTC, which has long focused on healthcare mergers, said in 2021 that it would prioritize pharmaceutical acquisitions.

☆ Aviva keeps dividend, capital returns guidance after UK's December cold snap
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - British insurer Aviva (AV.L) on Wednesday maintained its dividend guidance and capital returns outlook as it reported a positive end to trading for the year in its general insurance unit. The company said it expects the group's full-year combined operating ratio to be around 94.6%, in line with guidance given at its third-quarter update. One of Britain's biggest motor and home insurers, Aviva estimated December's adverse weather conditions in the UK to cost around 50 million pounds ($61.65 million), and said it was continuing to support customers following the cold snap. Over the course of 2022, it said its weather experience in its UK & Ireland business was only marginally above long-term averages whilst its Canadian business actually recorded lower than long-term averages with no fourth quarter weather events. ($1 = 0.8110 pounds)Reporting by Simon Jessop, editing by Sinead CruiseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Asking prices for UK homes rise after "mini-budget" shock, Rightmove says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Suban Abdulla | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Asking prices for British homes rose for the first time in two months as the housing market showed signs of calming after the turmoil triggered by former prime minister Liz Truss's "mini-budget", property website Rightmove (RMV.L) said on Monday. Asking prices for residential properties increased by 0.9%, or 3,301 pounds ($4,032.50) in the Dec. 4-Jan. 7 period from a month earlier, after a 2.1% fall over the previous month, Rightmove said. However, average asking prices were still 2% below their October 2022 peak. Two- and five-year fixed rates have fallen for a second month to 5.8% and 5.6% respectively, according to data from website Moneyfacts. In annual terms, property prices rose 6.3% in January, up from a rise of 5.6% the month before.

☆ Banks, insurers lead UK's FTSE higher; British inflation data looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100, FTSE 250 add 0.2% eachJan 16 (Reuters) - UK's export-oriented FTSE 100 edged higher on Monday, with banks and life insurance companies among the top gainers, while investors looked ahead to a week lined up with key domestic economic data including inflation. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) and the mid-cap FTSE 250 (.FTMC) rose 0.2%, as of 0824 GMT, both looking to extend gains to a fourth straight session. Banks (.FTNMX301010) and the FTSE 350 life insurance sector (.FTNMX301010) added 0.4% and 0.6%, respectively. Volumes are expected to be thin due to the Martin Luther King Day federal holiday in the United States. Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Eileen SorengOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ ITV says new streaming service ITVX performing strongly
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - British broadcaster ITV (ITV.L) said its new streaming service ITVX delivered a 55% increase in its streaming hours in its first month boosted by the soccer World Cup, and advertisers were responding well to the platform. "Excluding the football, our underlying streaming viewing during the month was up 29% year on year and we continue to see strong year on year growth in January," ITV's chief executive Carolyn McCall said in a statement on Friday. Reporting by Sarah Young, edited by Farouq SuleimanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Gaming’s winter of discontent bolsters M&A logic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The holiday quarter is traditionally a bumper one for gaming groups, as punters stay home to play. As consumers and companies focus on “mega-brands”, smaller firms will struggle to attract staff, and match investment. Sony, for example, will need to bulk up in response to Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) $69 billion swoop on Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O). However, in a tougher environment, Guillemot will need to find some way to keep his hand on the joystick. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Direct Line woes are thin end of insurance wedge
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Direct Line (DLGD.L) has an extreme case of January blues. Shares of the UK home and motor insurance company dropped 28% on Wednesday morning after it scrapped its final dividend. A flood of insurance claims – as bad weather led to a rise in car incidents – was in part to blame. Inflation of car parts and second-hand car valuations helped put the group in the dreaded underwriting position where premiums can’t cover policy costs. But Direct Line’s declining commercial property valuations may also be a sign of trouble ahead.

☆ Resources lift FTSE 100 to mid-2019 highs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies FTSE 100 up 0.2%, FTSE 250 adds 0.4%Game developers fall on bleak outlookAstraZeneca down after $1.8 bln CinCor Pharma dealResources shares rise on China reopening optimismJan 9 (Reuters) - UK's exporter-heavy FTSE 100 hit a more than three-year high on Monday, led by commodity-linked stocks, as China's reopening of its borders reinforced hopes for a rebound in the world's second-largest economy. The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) gained 0.2%, hitting its highest since July 30, 2019, while the more domestically focused FTSE 250 mid-cap index (.FTMC) rose 0.4%. Industrial metal miners (.FTNMX551020) gained 1.4%, while oil majors Shell (SHEL.L) and BP (BP.L) also advanced as oil prices climbed on China demand prospects after Beijing opened on Sunday borders that have been all but shut since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite surging inflation and risks of a global recession, the FTSE 100 outperformed major global markets last year due to high exposure to commodity prices. Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu SahuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Analysis: UK housebuilders may cut dividends as surging rates deter buyers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Ajose Koilparambil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The big, listed UK housebuilders have paid dividends worth 2.2 billion pounds ($2.6 billion) for their respective last financial years. Potential cuts in dividends would weigh down on shares of housebuilders, after the sector index (.FTNMX402020) slumped more than 44% in 2022. Among the FTSE 100 builders, analysts are now forecasting dividend cuts from many firms, particularly those whose payouts are linked to earnings growth. High-end housebuilder Berkeley (BKGH.L) stuck to its cash-return plans, but cut its earnings estimates for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years. Barratt, Persimmon and Berkeley have said they would be more cautious with land purchases, in a bid to reduce outgoings as falling property prices squeeze margins.

☆ Sky spinoff is Comcast’s least-bad option
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The boss of U.S. media giant Comcast (CMCSA.O) may want to make an exception for Sky. Including acquired debt, Roberts paid a multiple of 15 times Sky’s EBITDA to clinch the deal, two and a half times the company’s enterprise value before the takeover battle began. The financial consequences of Roberts’ determination became apparent in October when Comcast took a non-cash impairment charge of $8.6 billion related to Sky. Goldman Sachs analysts expect Sky to generate adjusted EBITDA of $2.1 billion in 2023, nearly one-third less than in 2019. Comcast said on Oct. 27 that it took a non-cash impairment charge of $8.6 billion related to Sky assets for the third quarter of 2022.

[1/2] A worker shelters from the rain under a Union Flag umbrella as he passes the London Stock Exchange in London, Britain, October 1, 2008. An investor in Wood Group (WG.L), an oilfield services company, urged the company to buy back some of its own shares to avoid being a target. The domestically-focused FTSE 250 (.FTMC) is down by almost a fifth this year while the internationally-focused blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) is up 0.8% thanks to a drop in the pound. A currency advantage alone does not necessarily kick-start deals though, according to Owain Evans, co-head of UK M&A for Goldman Sachs. "Large corporates continue to look at 'bolt-ons', where they can draw on existing facilities to do those deals, that's why the mid-cap space is attractive to the strategics in this environment," said Celia Murray, head of UK M&A at JPMorgan.

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