Source: Sharecast
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DIY chain owner Kingfisher said it was still on track to meet full-year guidance despite a 0.9% fall in first-quarter sales due to softer markets in the UK and France. Total sales for the three months ended 30 April at the B&Q and Brico Depot owner came in at £3bn. Looking ahead, Kingfisher expects FY 26/27 adjusted pre-tax earnings of £565m to £625m and free cash flow of £450m to £510m.
Government services provider Serco said on Tuesday that it has successfully retained its facilities management contract at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Serco, which has delivered critical services at NNUH for 25 years, said the renewed agreement had a total value of more than £270m over the next 10 years and takes effect immediately.
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Rachel Reeves has instructed cabinet colleagues to award government contracts in four critical industries directly to British companies, making clear her irritation that ministers have been sending too much government business abroad. In a letter seen by the Guardian, the chancellor tells every cabinet minister in charge of a spending department to "buy British" wherever possible, adding that she is disappointed they are not already doing so. – Guardian
Nine in ten retailers based in rural locations have been victims of crime in the past 12 months, according to research, underlining the widespread impact of the rise in shoplifting and theft even in more remote parts of the UK. Rural retailers include farm shops as well as stores selling machinery and other equipment. The financial cost of crime for each affected retailer was on average £83,000 during the past year, according to a survey carried out by the commercial insurer NFU Mutual. Meanwhile, one in 20 victims said crime had cost them more than half a million pounds. – Guardian
Meta has urged Labour to enforce age verification checks directly on iPhone and Android smartphones amid a possible UK ban on child users. Executives from the US tech giant have met with senior government officials and Ofcom in recent days to lay out its approach to child safety as it braces for the results of a consultation that could ban under-16s from social media. – Telegraph
The majority of British businesses are feeling the impact of the Iran conflict or expect to feel it soon with the economic fallout likely to be felt "for many months" to come, according to a report from a leading business group. The British Chambers of Commerce said that 80% of the more than 800 firms in its latest survey reported an existing or expected impact from the war in the Gulf, with energy prices and shipping costs most frequently cited. – The Times
A payments company once known as "the Uber of trucking" faces a shareholder revolt over executive pay after two influential investor advisory groups raised concerns about bonuses. Directors at the London-listed WAG Payment Solutions twice used their discretion to boost the payouts enjoyed last year by Martin Vohanka, the chief executive, who was paid €732,000 in total for 2025, and Oskar Zahn, the finance chief, who took home a €1.6m overall package, even though the group's performance should have led to lower awards. – The Times
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Wall Street was closed on Monday as traders observed the Memorial Day holiday.
Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com