The FTSE 100 (FTSEINDICES: ^FTSE) is bouncing up and down a few points this week, gaining 17 points by mid-morning today to reach 6,783. Although things are generally moving sideways, that is a 43-point gain on the week so far and there would be few complaints from investors if the FTSE’s top index could do that every week.
Which companies are helping boost the indices today? Here are three with positive tidings:
Burberry
Burberry Group shares climbed 82p (5.6%) to 1,551p after the fashion retailer revealed a cracking Christmas trading period.
For the three months to 31 December, retail revenue soared 14% to £528m with comparable sales up 12% — led by the Asia Pacific region, which continues to spearhead Burberry’s growth. Chief executive Angela Ahrendts said that growth was in line with the company’s expectations, though it does appear to have provided a pleasant surprise for shareholders.
Burberry shares are now up 11% over the past 12 months, after experiencing a weak tail-end to 2013.
MITIE
MITIE Group (LSE: MTO) this morning announced an acquisition, and saw its shares rise 4.2p (1.3%) in response to 326p, taking them up more than 15% over 12 months and up a very nice 30% since last summer’s lows.
The outsourcing specialist has bought up Complete Care Holdings, described as “one of the UK’s leading complex care companies“, for £9m with around £1.3m in integration costs expected.
Complete Care cares for 150 people with “complex clinical healthcare needs“, and generated £17.9m in revenue in the year to March 2013.
African Barrick Gold
Gold miners haven’t had the best of times of late, but African Barrick Gold (LSE: ABG) got a rare boost today of 5.4p (2.8%) to 195p after releasing an upbeat exploration update. The company reported successes at its Bulyanhulu exploration “from both surface and underground drill programmes“, and from its Aircore joint venture project in Kenya.
But at the same time, analysts recommendations are turning a little bearish, with Deutsche Bank the latest to issue a downgrade.
African Barrick shares are down around 45% over the past 12 months.