Mehrdad Yousefi

@ShareScope @jaws321 @MY21_Oracle #BP. 🆙+2%✅£5.52✅ $BP is reportedly considering selling part of its Egypt gas portfolio as the company restructures under new CEO Meg O’Neill. The move comes despite Egypt remaining one of BP’s most important gas-producing regions.

@Harrywells93 @EMR_Recruitment @annabelbrodies @HTVIOLA @amandainvests @xGeorgeCooper @Frencheconomics @jeffprestridge @John_Stepek @Belcourtoi @jimgannonuk @Dave76s @battlebus141 @MY21_Oracle @copytaster @karenwi17092279 @SKellyCEO @1matthewgray @MathewGregory5 @tradermark72 @S_M_Investor @uziel @pdosullivan @RogerGreen2009 #KINDNESSMATTERS💗Wishing everyone a g8 w/e🌞 #FF👏@SKellyCEO @pdosullivan @Mike24775926 @1matthewgray @samhagger @karenwi17092279 @sunsuneti1 @Tommo33s @MathewGregory5 @RogerGreen2009 @Jam4u_75 @Kirsty_Doyle_ @Kirsty_Doyle_ @sanjkareer @tradermark72 @Jarvy55 @S_M_Investor 👏

Live: Dow loses more than 500 points Friday as tech slumps and yields spike @CNBC cnbc.com/2026/05/14/sto…

@ShareScope #HSX🆙+12%✅£18.41✅My 68th takeover in 12 years? ✅Vs my intrinsic value $HSX buy @ £10.47 Multiple sources have told @Insurance_Post that Intact is exploring a potential bid for #Hiscox as it tries to build out its commercial lines business. Sources via UK’ #BIBA2026 Conference

Director Deals (Director dealings: Caledonia Mining chair invests, Clarkson finance chief sells for retirement)

Oil Prices gained about 2% after comments from ‌US President Donald Trump and Iran's foreign minister further dented hopes of a deal to end ship attacks and seizures around the Strait of Hormuz.

This would be in line with market expectations, the firm added. Previously in March, LSL reported flat pretax profit of £23.1 million for 2025, but said revenue rose 5.6% to £182.9 million from £173.3 million in 2024.

LSL Property Services said it has continued to deliver a strong financial and operational performance so far this year. As a result, LSL said it expects to report further profit growth in 2026.

Applied Materials reported fiscal second quarter results that beat expectations on the top& bottom lines. Applied Materials posted quarterly earnings of $2.86 per share, excluding items, on revenues of $7.91 billion. Analysts had expected EPS of $2.66 on revenues of $7.65 billion

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The index measures the difference between companies reporting growth against contraction.

New York Factory Activity jumped to hits highest level in more than four years during May, according to a report Friday. The Empire State Manufacturing index leaped to 9 points 19.6 for the month, much better than the 7.0 estimate and the highest level since April 2022.

Aberdeen Group also rose almost 6% following a positive broker upgrade from Citi which saw a 20% upside to consensus earnings.

Magnum Ice Cream also came in for takeover speculation, jumping almost 11% after rumours that both Blackstone and Clayton Dubilier & Rice were amongst the private equity firms considering an offer for the recently spun off ice cream maker.

Insurance broker Hiscox jumped 214p per share after Insurance Post, an industry publication reported that Canadian insurer Intact Financial was considering a takeover approach for the UK insurance broker. Hiscox did not directly respond to the speculation.

The UK gilt market has reacted very badly to political uncertainty at Westminster. Yields rose along the curve with the two year rising 12 points to 4.54%, the 5 year rising 15 points to 4.69% whilst the 30 year yield rose 18 basis points to 5.84%.

Gold was hurt by rising global bond yields, falling $96 / oz or 2% whilst silver lost almost $6.70 or 8%. These moves hit Endeavour Mining which lost almost 7%.

Miners came in for profit taking as well with Rio Tinto down 5% or 408p and BHP Group also down over 4%.

The utility majors, National Grid, SSE, United Utilities and Severn Trent were all sharply lower on both profit taking and high bond yields.

London has seen significant selling pressure today in line with other global markets due to a combination of factors. Firstly there was a very weak performance in Asia overnight with a 6% in Seoul and 2% off in Tokyo.

The Market Close - UK blue chips close firmly lower with little support from softer US equities