Market report: FTSE falls as northern England prepares for lockdown

FTSE 100 had a lukewarm start as Brexit remains a question mark while trade talks between the UK and the EU are still ongoing. London’s leading index opened 7 points higher at 5,953. Boris Johnson is expected to announce a lockdown on certain areas in northern England as of Monday.

Pubs, restaurants and cafes will be required to close while schools and universities will remain open.

easyJet (LON:EZJ) expects to swing to a loss of over £800mln in the year to September, compared to a £427mln profit recorded a year ago. The airline will fly at only 25% of planned capacity in the next three months. CMC Markets (LON:CMCZ) boasted a record performance in the six months to September.

The spread better booked a 58% increase in net trading revenue to £200mln. Among the small caps, Woodbois (LON:WBI) has cut its debt to US$1mln from US$49mln after restructuring its balance sheet. The forestry firm is now focusing on driving positive free cash flow.

Oriole Resources (LON:ORR) has extended the Bibemi and Wapouzé exploration licences in Cameroon. The miner is about to start a drill programme at Bibemi.

Applied Graphene Materials (LON:OGM) has launched a new commercial offering to provide research and development services. It will support businesses looking to include graphene in their products.

Story by ProactiveInvestors