The FTSE 100's expected to open deep in the red again as US and Asian markets fell overnight. The rising death toll in the US and fears of a global recession's unnerved investors.
All five of the UK’s top banks have suspended dividend payments after a request from the Bank of England to preserve cash during the coronavirus crisis. Lloyds, Barclays, HSBC, RBS and Standard Chartered had been expected to pay out more than £8bn in the next two months.
Auto Trader (LON:AUTO) has launched a placing to raise cash to tide it over the crisis. Worth £4bn last night, the digital car dealer will use a bookbuild to sell shares equivalent to 5% of its current amount in issue.
Seeing Machines (LON:SEE) has signed a pre-production license deal with a major Automotive Tier 1 group. The agreement is with one of the company's existing partners but is the first licensing deal for its driver monitoring technology in the transport sector.
Primary Health Properties (LON:PHP) says rent collection across its estates of GP practices and pharmacies has been robust in the past quarter. The FTSE250 property group says it intends to maintain dividend payments and a progressive payout policy.
And FX Group Argentex(LON:AGFX) also says trading has been strong through the current crisis. Turnover in the year to the end of March rose by 30% with 450 new SME customers.