UK pre-market stocks update – Vodafone, Glencore, GSK, Playtech, Wizz Air

At 07:26GMT, FTSE 100 futures are trading higher by 0.6% at 7,510.

In FX markets, GBP/USD is trading at 1.3534, EUR/GBP is trading at 0.8334. The US Dollar Index is down 0.2%.

Bitcoin is trading at $38,359.

Today’s calendar highlights include Eurozone CPI & PPI, US ADP (NASDAQ:ADP) Nonfarm Employment Change, Canadian Building Permits, US Crude Oil Inventories.

Stocks
Vodafone (LON:VOD) – Q3 group service revenue growth of 2.7%. Total revenue increased 3.7% to €11.684 billion. Reaffirming FY22 guidance with Adjusted EBITDA expected to be between €15.2-€15.4 billion and Adjusted free cash flow of at least €5.3 billion.

Glencore (LON:GLEN) – 2021 copper production down 5% to 1.196 million tonnes. Cobalt production up 14%, zinc down 4%, lead down 14%, nickel down 7%. Coking coal production up 20%, thermal coal production down 5%. 2022 production guidance unchanged from the Investor Update in December 2021.

GlaxoSmithKline (LON:GSK) – Announced that ViiV Healthcare, which is majority-owned by GSK, with Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Shionogi as shareholders, has agreed to settle the global patent infringement litigation between GSK, Shionogi and Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) concerning ViiV Healthcare’s patents relating to dolutegravir. Gilead will make an upfront payment of $1.25 billion to ViiV Healthcare which is expected in the first quarter of 2022. In addition, Gilead will also pay a 3% royalty on all future US sales of Biktarvy and in respect of the bictegravir component of any other future bictegravir-containing products sold in the US.

Anglo American (LON:AAL) – Announces the value of rough diamond sales (Global Sightholder Sales and Auctions) for De Beers’ first sales cycle of 2022, amounting to $660 million.

Playtech (LON:PTEC) – Minimum threshold (75% of votes) needed to approve recommended cash acquisition by Aristocrat Leisure is not expected to be achieved. The Board has been actively considering its options for maximising shareholder value in a scenario where the Aristocrat Offer does not proceed and lapses. Has been evaluating M&A proposals for its B2B and B2C businesses. On trading, the company said Group Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended 31 December 2021 is expected to exceed management’s previous expectations.

Wizz Air (LON:WIZZ) – In January 2022, Wizz Air carried 2,397,000 passengers at a load factor of 79.6%, representing a 318% increase compared with January 2021.

Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) – Reviewing the preliminary findings of Energy Resources of Australia’s preliminary findings from its reforecast of the cost and schedule for the Ranger rehabilitation project in Australia’s. Rio has advised ERA that it is committed to working with the company to ensure the rehabilitation of the Ranger Project Area is successfully achieved to a standard that will establish an environment similar to the adjacent Kakadu National Park.

Severn Trent (LON:SVT) – 90% of Severn Trent Water’s Customer ODI measures remain on or ahead of target, including 100% on all Environmental measures. Guidance to deliver ‘at least £75 million’ in Customer ODI rewards this financial year remains unchanged. No material changes to current year business performance or outlook since the interim results announcement in November.

British Land (LON:BLND) – Acquired three warehouses at Hannah Close, in Wembley for £157 million with completion expected by mid February. The three warehouses comprise over 245,000 sq ft on a 12.5 acre site and are fully let to Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Euro Car Parts and the North London Waste Authority generating an annual income of £3.6 million with significant reversion.

Molten Ventures (LON:GROW) – Continued momentum in deal activity, with £259 million invested over the year to date, including 12 primary deals and 15 follow-ons. Cash proceeds from realisations of £110 million realised year to date. Year end guidance of fair value growth in the region of 35% remains.

Great Portland Estates (LON:GPOR) – To change ticker from GPOR to GPE.