Market Signal Briefing

, /PRNewswire/ -- China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (HKG: 0386, "Sinopec") hosted a themed forum and a signing ceremony on November 4 at the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE 2025). The Company signed purchasing contracts with 34 partners from 17 countries and regions, which totaled US$40.9 billion, including 24 products from 10 major categories, including crude oil, chemicals, equipment, materials, consumer goods and more. Since the first CIIE in 2018, Sinopec has signed orders exceeding a total of US$325 billion in eight sessions.

Sinopec Signs Deals Worth US$40.9 Billion at CIIE 2025.

Centered on the theme Technology Driven, AI Empowered: The Future of Energy, the forum focused on digital intelligence, technological innovation, new materials R&D, supply chain resilience enhancement, and exploring deeper international energy cooperation.

Zhao Dong, vice chairman and president of Sinopec, delivered a speech at the forum, which was moderated by Li Yonglin, director and senior vice president of Sinopec. Niu Shuanwen, director and senior vice president of Sinopec, attended the event and signed agreements with international partners.

"Sinopec is firmly committed to its primary mission of promoting high‑quality development. While continuing to consolidate the industrial foundation leveraging technological strength, the group also adheres to the principle of 'digital intelligence empowerment' to activate new engines of value creation, striving to advance the energy and chemical industry toward greater sophistication, intelligence, and sustainability," remarked Zhao Dong.

He emphasized that Sinopec's development is inseparable from the long‑term trust and strong support of global partners. Looking ahead to China's 15th Five‑Year Plan period, Zhao Dong outlined Sinopec's goal to work with all parties to strengthen scientific and technological innovation, break developmental bottlenecks, and build new industry advantages.

Zhao Dong also called for joint efforts to accelerate the pace of digital intelligence empowerment, promote deep integration of next‑generation information technology with the energy and chemical industry, and stimulate new drivers for industrial upgrading. Zhao Dong said Sinopec will expand green and low‑carbon cooperation, advancing clean and efficient use of traditional energy in parallel with the large‑scale development of new energy, thereby creating a sustainable development blueprint and a bright future for the energy and chemical industry.

Senior executives from leading firms—Datuk Sazali Hamzah (EVP & CEO Downstream, Petronas Chemicals Group), Axel Lorenz (CEO, Process Automation, Siemens), Aravind Yarlagadda (SVP, Industrial Solutions, Baker Hughes), and Audun M. Martinsen (Partner and Head of Energy Service Research, Rystad Energy)—delivered keynote speeches.

SOURCE SINOPEC

The renewable-energy company said it remained confident of reaching its full-year targets.

Nvidia is expanding its footprint in India by joining a $2 billion investment alliance focused on deep technology, according to CNBC. As a founding member of the India Deep Tech Alliance (IDTA), the US chipmaker aims to mentor startups building solutions in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, space, robotics, and energy.

Challenger Limited (OTCPK:CFIGY) Shareholder/Analyst Call November 4, 2025 5:30 PM EST

Company Participants

Mark Chen - General Manager of Investor Relations
Nick Hamilton - MD, CEO & Director
Alexandra Bell - Chief Financial Officer
Anton Kapel - Chief Executive of Insurance

Conference Call Participants

Freya Kong - BofA Securities, Research Division
Kieren Chidgey - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Siddharth Parameswaran - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Julian Braganza - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Lafitani Sotiriou - MST Financial Services Pty Limited, Research Division
Simon Fitzgerald - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Andrei Stadnik - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Marcus Barnard - Bell Potter Securities Limited, Research Division

Presentation

Mark Chen
General Manager of Investor Relations

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to those joining online to Challenger's market briefing on APRA's proposed capital standards for longevity Products. I'm Mark Chen, Challenger's General Manager of Investor Relations. We're coming to you today from our Martin Place head office in Sydney.

Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which we are hosting this event today and pay my respects to both elders, past and present.

Today's briefing will be followed by a Q&A session that will only be open to analysts and investors. To ask a question you'll need to have joined via the telephone. As a reminder, today's briefing is based on APRA's proposed capital standards issued last week. We are currently in consultation with APRA with written submissions on these proposed reforms due by 17th of December. As such, there are certain subjects we will be unable to provide responses to, which the teams are working on or that require Challenger Board or APRA approval. These are areas such as target ranges, risk appetite, asset allocation, capital allocation. We will use the session to provide points of clarification of guidance, including the use of illustrative

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The cyber attack on high street department store Marks and Spencer is expected to directly cost roughly £136m.

The figure is only the cost of immediate incident systems response and recovery, as well as specialist legal
and professional services support.

Combined with a loss in sales, as the retailer's online systems were out of action from Easter into the summer, statutory profit before tax at the business has been nearly wiped out for the first half of the year.

This profit measure dropped from £391.9m last year to £3.4m this year.

About £100m is being claimed back in insurance for the cyberattack, M&S said in its market update.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the latest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Q3: 2025-11-04 Earnings SummaryEPS of $0.31 misses by $0.00

 |

Revenue of

$365.39M

(7.80% Y/Y)

beats by $1.69M

The Baldwin Insurance Group, Inc. (BWIN) Q3 2025 Earnings Call November 4, 2025 5:00 PM EST

Company Participants

Bonnie Bishop - Executive Director of Investor Relations
Trevor Baldwin - CEO & Non-Independent Director
Bradford Hale - Chief Financial Officer

Conference Call Participants

Charles Peters - Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division
Charles Lederer - BMO Capital Markets Equity Research
Elyse Greenspan - Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division
Pablo Singzon - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Andrew Andersen - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Brian Meredith - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Thomas Mcjoynt-Griffith - Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods, Inc., Research Division

Presentation

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, greetings, and welcome to the Baldwin Group Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded.

It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Bonnie Bishop, Executive Director, Investor Relations. Please go ahead.

Bonnie Bishop
Executive Director of Investor Relations

Thank you. Welcome to the Baldwin Group's Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Call. Today's call is being recorded.

Third quarter financial results, supplemental information and Form 10-Q were issued earlier this afternoon and are available on the company's website at ir.baldwin.com. Please note that remarks made today may include forward-looking statements subject to various assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including, for example, our strategy with respect to our capital allocation in the future. The company's actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such statements. For a more detailed discussion, please refer to the note regarding forward-looking statements in the company's earnings release and our most recent Form 10-Q, both of which are available on the Baldwin website.

During the call today, the company may also discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures. For a more detailed discussion of these non-GAAP financial measures and historical reconciliation to the most closely comparable GAAP measures, please refer to the

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Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LSE:MKS) reported stronger first-half profits than expected, after the retailer quickly settled its insurance claim at £100 million for the cyber attack that laid it low in the spring. 

The FTSE 100-listed group generated an adjusted pre-tax profit of £184.1 million in the 26 weeks to 27 September, down from £413.1 million last year as the cyber incident led to some empty shelves as systems were taken offline to thwart attackers.

Despite the attack, group sales jumped 22% to £7.97 billion.

Food sales, which increased 7.8% and generated an adjusted operating profit of £89.1 million as margins declined to 2.0% from 5.1%. In current trading, margins were said to now be almost back to normal.

Fashion, Home & Beauty sales declined 16.4%, but still made a profit from that division at £46.1 million despite margins falling to 2.7% from 12%. The recovery in this arm has been slower, the M&S said, "as systems complexity means it has taken time to smooth the flow of stock".

International sales also fell, down 11.6% with profit at £13.3 million, while Ocado Retail posted a £3.1 million operating loss before adjustments.

The cyber incident led to £101.6 million in related costs.

Reflecting the recovery, the board increased the interim dividend 20% to 1.2p.

“The first half of this year was an extraordinary moment in time for M&S,” said chief executive Stuart Machin. “In the second half, we expect profit to be at least in line with last year.”

In the fact of the disruption, he hailed further progress on the “Reshape for Growth” strategy, including a £340 million investment in its food supply chain and opening six new stores in the first half. A further 12 are planned before the end of the financial year.

Machin added: “Our plan to reshape M&S for long-term sustainable growth is unchanged, our ambitions are undimmed, and our determination to knuckle down and deliver is stronger than ever.”

Major customer renewal, global expansion, and new innovations position Corero for continued growth into 2026 LONDON , Nov. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Corero Network Security (AIM: CNS) (OTCQX: DDOSF), a recognized leader in DDoS protection and champion of adaptive, real-time service availability, today reported accelerating global growth in Q3 2025, fueled by rising order intake and continued innovation across its SmartWall ONE™ platform, and began Q4 with a major renewal and expansion with a leading US cloud computing provider. Building on strong execution, Corero achieved $7.4 million in Q3 order intake (up from $6.0 million in Q3 2024) with new customer wins spanning the US, UK, Europe, Brazil, and Singapore.

Key Findings:

Critical infrastructure in the energy sector experienced a 387% increase in attacks compared to the previous yearIndia continues to be the top target for mobile attacks, with 26% of activityThe US remains the top target for IoT attacks, with 54% of activity SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), the leader in cloud security, today published the findings of its Zscaler ThreatLabz 2025 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report, outlining how threat actors are leveraging malware attacks and constantly evolving their tactics. The report uncovered hundreds of malicious apps in the Google Play Store that have been downloaded over 40 million times, targeting users that are searching for productivity and workflow apps. Based on Zscaler's mobile telemetry dataset, the ThreatLabz team identified several emerging mobile threats and new malicious activity, providing valuable insights to help enterprises stay ahead of attackers in a mobile-first world.

Hundreds of malicious apps downloaded over 40 million times

Similar to last year, this year we again saw threat actors developing and releasing malicious applications targeting trusted marketplaces and hybrid work environments. The result, which the report reveals is a 67% year-over-year increase in Android malware transactions, reflects the continued risks of spyware and banking malware. ThreatLabz researchers identified 239 such applications hosted on the Google Play Store, which were collectively downloaded 42 million times.

A key distribution channel for this malware was the "Tools" category, disguising malicious applications as productivity and workflow tools. This tactic capitalizes on users' trust in functionality-driven applications–a trust that is particularly strong in hybrid and remote work settings where mobile devices are integral to professional tasks.

Manufacturing remains a top target for mobile and IoT attacks

ThreatLabz's analysis of Android attack volumes reveals that the Manufacturing and Energy sectors remain prime targets for cybercriminals due to the potential for significant returns. Notably, the energy sector experienced a substantial 387% increase in attacks compared to the previous year, highlighting an escalating threat to critical infrastructure and greater exploitation of vulnerabilities within these essential industries.

In the IoT landscape, the Manufacturing and Transportation sectors continue to be the most frequently targeted verticals. This year, each sector accounted for 20.2% of all observed IoT malware attacks, collectively representing over 40% of total incidents. This marks a shift from 2024, when Manufacturing alone represented 36% of total incidents, followed by Transportation at 14%. This suggests that while Manufacturing remains a critical target, threat actors are increasingly diversifying their efforts across other high-dependency IoT industries.

Most prevalent IoT malware

Roughly 40% of blocked transactions are linked to the Mirai family alone, and Mozi has overtaken Gafgyt as the second highest malware family. Together, Mirai, Mozi, and Gafgyt account for roughly 75% of all malicious payloads in IoT environments.

Mobile attacks cluster in India, US and Canada; US is the IoT threat epicenter at 54 percent

Worldwide, mobile threats have surged, with many of these attacks concentrated in three key regions: India, accounting for 26% of all mobile attacks, the United States at 15%, and Canada at 14%. India, in particular, experienced a significant 38% increase in mobile threat attacks compared to the previous year.

The top five countries that receive the most mobile malware traffic are:

India (26%)United States (15%)Canada (14%)Mexico (5%)South Africa (4%) The report also revealed that the US is both a hub for IoT activity (54.1%) and a primary target for malware attacks. The top five countries that receive the most IoT malware traffic are:

United States (54%)Hong Kong (15.%)Germany (6%)India (5%)China (4%) “Attackers are pivoting to areas with maximum impact. We’re seeing a YoY rise of 67% in malware targeting mobile devices and 387% in IoT/OT attacks on energy sectors often hosting critical infrastructure, which is a massive swing,” said Deepen Desai, EVP and Chief Security Officer at Zscaler. “A Zero Trust everywhere approach, combined with AI-powered threat detection, is imperative to reducing the attack surface, limit lateral movement, and provide organizations the defense they need against ever-evolving attacks.”

Additional highlights and new findings this year

A new backdoor called Android Void malware has infected 1.6 million Android-based TV boxes, primarily in India and BrazilNew Remote Access Trojan (RAT), Xnotice, was identified for targeting job seekers in the oil and gas industry, particularly in MENAAdware overtook the Joker malware family as the top mobile threat, with a leading 69% of cases, while Joker dropped to 23% of cases, from 38% last yearThreat actors are abandoning card-focused fraud in favor of mobile payments Defending against growing IoT, OT and Mobile threats

Zscaler Zero Trust Branch delivers comprehensive security and operational efficiency for branch offices, remote sites, and distributed networks, designed for environments that rely heavily on mobile, IoT, cellular IoT, and OT technologies. Using a cloud-native and AI-driven Zero Trust architecture, Zscaler aims to ensure all users, devices, and applications are safeguarded with continuous real-time verification and robust policy enforcement, regardless of their location relative to the traditional network perimeter.

Zscaler Cellular offers secure, scalable, and efficient connectivity as a service for IoT and mobile devices that rely on cellular connections. This solution, powered by the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform, addresses the growing security challenges posed by billions of IoT devices and mobile endpoints, which traditional security methods often fail to secure effectively. It achieves this by enforcing granular policies, providing centralized visibility, and eliminating attack surfaces for all cellular traffic.

Download your copy

The 2025 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report highlights the critical importance of securing mobile endpoints, IoT devices, and OT systems. Access the full report at https://www.zscaler.com/campaign/threatlabz-mobile-iot-ot-report.

Research Methodology
Mobile
The research methodology for this report includes analysis of mobile transactions and associated cyberthreats based on data collected from the Zscaler cloud between June 2024 and May 2025. The dataset comprises more than 20 million threat-related mobile transactions.

IoT/OT
The team focused their research on understanding the distinct attributes and activity of IoT devices via device fingerprinting (DFP) and analyzing the IoT malware threat landscape.

Device fingerprinting data from March 2025 to May 2025 included:

A complete inventory of devices, including device types and manufacturersThe volume and source of IoT device transactionsThe industries and geographies contributing to IoT traffic IoT malware threat data from June 2024 to May 2025 included:

The most active malware familiesThe industries and geographies most targeted by IoT attacksThe top attacked devices About Zscaler
Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across more than 160 data centers globally, the SASE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.

Media Contact
Taylor Dunton, Senior Director, Public Relations, [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9909238-c36f-4286-a7b6-5916db8e5847

Threatlabz 2025 Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report
2025 Threatlabz Mobile, IoT, and OT Threat Report-

Adjusted pretax profit plunged 55%, but the retailer said it expects a recovery in the second half of its fiscal year.

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--E3 LITHIUM LTD. (TSXV: ETL) (FSE: OW3) (OTCQX: EEMMF), (“E3 Lithium” or the “Company”) a leader in Canadian lithium development, reminds shareholders and interested stakeholders the Company is hosting a Webinar this morning, November 5, 2025, at 9:00am MT. During the presentation, Chris Doornbos, President and CEO, and members of the E3 Lithium management team will discuss:

Summary of Phase 1 Demonstration Facility achievements

Update on Phase 2 Demonstration Facility progress

Review of the recently closed equity financing

Positioning of E3 Lithium within the North American critical minerals strategy

Recent federal and provincial government initiatives supporting lithium development

Upcoming milestones for the Clearwater Project for Q4 2025 and 2026

Webinar Details:

Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Time: 09:00 AM Mountain Time (11:00 AM Eastern Time)

Registration Link: Zoom (click here to log in at the time of the webinar; no need to register in advance)

Duration: 45 minutes presentation + 15 minutes Q&A

If you are having issues with the registration link, copy this address into your browser to be directed to the log in page: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_o022pANsTUSsiD6uPUdTag

The webinar will be followed by a live Q&A session where attendees can submit questions in real-time. Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance by emailing [email protected] to ensure they are reviewed during the webinar.

The webinar recording will be made available on the Company's website following the event.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chris Doornbos, President, CEO & Chair

E3 Lithium Ltd.

About E3 Lithium

E3 Lithium is a development company with a total of 21.2 million tonnes (Mt) of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) Measured and Indicated1 resources as well as 0.3 Mt LCE Inferred mineral resources2 in Alberta and 2.5 Mt LCE Inferred mineral resources3 in Saskatchewan. The Clearwater Project Pre-Feasibility Study outlined a 1.13 Mt LCE proven and probable mineral reserve with a pre-tax NPV(8%) of USD 5.2 Billion with a 29.2% IRR and an after-tax NPV(8%) of USD 3.7 Billion with a 24.6% IRR1.

1: The Clearwater Project NI 43-101 Pre-Feasibility Study, effective June 20, 2024 (the “PFS”), identified 16.2 Mt LCE (measured and indicated) and is available on the E3 Lithium website (www.e3lithium.ca/technical-reports/) and SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

2: The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Garrington District Lithium Resource Estimate, effective June 25, 2025, identified 5.0 Mt LCE (measured and indicated) and 0.3 Mt LCE (inferred) and is available on the E3 Lithium website (www.e3lithium.ca/technical-reports/) and SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

3: The mineral resource NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Estevan Lithium District, effective May 23, 2024, identified 2.5 Mt LCE (inferred) and is available on the E3 Lithium website (www.e3lithium.ca/technical-reports/) and SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

Unless otherwise indicated, Kevin Carroll, P. Eng., Chief Development Officer and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and is responsible for the technical information contained on this news release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management’s objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as “believe”, “may”, “will”, “plan”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “intend”, “project”, “potential”, “possible” and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions, expectations, estimates and assumptions of management in light of its experience, and perception of historical trends, but such statements are not guarantees of future performance. All forward-looking information (including future-orientated financial information) is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, the effectiveness and feasibility of emerging lithium extraction technologies which have not yet been tested or proven on a commercial scale or on the Company’s brine, risks related to the availability of financing on commercially reasonable terms and the expected use of proceeds; operations and contractual obligations; changes in estimated mineral reserves or mineral resources; future prices of lithium and other metals; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; the Company’s lack of operating revenues; currency fluctuations; risks related to dependence on key personnel; estimates used in financial statements proving to be incorrect; competitive risks and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

More News From E3 LITHIUM LTD.

AGC Inc. (OTCPK:ASGLY) Q3 2025 Earnings Call November 5, 2025 1:00 AM EST

Company Participants

Kazumi Tamaki - Executive Officer and GM of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Shinji Miyaji - Senior EVP, CFO, CCO & Director

Presentation

Kazumi Tamaki
Executive Officer and GM of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations

Let us get started. Welcome to the earnings briefing of AGC Inc. for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025. I'm Kazumi Tamaki, General Manager, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, serving as moderator. Today's attendees are Shinji Miyaji, Executive Vice President, Executive Officer and CFO; and Tomoyuki Shiokawa, Executive Officer, General Manager of Finance and Control Division. We will first have CFO Miyaji, provide an overview of the financial results for the third quarter, followed by a Q&A session. We are planning to finish at 3:45 p.m. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Without further ado, I ask CFO, Miyaji, to start his presentation.

Shinji Miyaji
Senior EVP, CFO, CCO & Director

Thank you. This is Shinji Miyaji, the CFO. Please turn to Page 3. The highlights. Net sales for the first 9 months totaled JPY 1,512.1 billion, down JPY 22.1 billion year-on-year. Positives included an improved product mix and pricing policies for automotive glass, increased shipments and pricing policies for Performance Chemicals and pricing policies for architectural glass in Europe and the Americas, while negatives included a PVC price decline, decreased shipments of EUV photo blanks and European architectural glass and the impact of last year's Russian business transfer.

Operating profit was JPY 94.8 billion, up JPY 0.8 billion on effects of profit improvement measures in displays and others despite the adverse impact of the aforementioned factors as well as higher raw materials and fuel costs. Net income attributable to the owners of the parent was up JPY 145.9 billion at JPY 39.5 billion

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Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LSE:MKS) shares slipped about 3% in early trading despite results that analysts described as “better than feared,” following a turbulent six months dominated by a major cyber attack that knocked its online operations offline for 46 days.

The retailer reported adjusted pre-tax profit of £184 million for the first half of its financial year, a sharp fall from £413 million a year ago but comfortably ahead of analysts’ forecasts of around £76 million.

That figure was boosted by a prompt £100 million insurance payout covering losses from the cyber incident in April, which crippled the group’s website and led to weeks of restricted trading.

Even so, the results underline how far M&S has come since its near-collapse a decade ago.

Shore Capital, which acts as house broker, said weaker businesses “would not have emerged as robust as M&S to the malevolent challenges” it faced this year.

The company expects to be back to full operational strength by the end of the current financial year, with its food division already close to pre-attack performance levels.

Chief executive Stuart Machin said the group had “so much more to do and so much opportunity ahead,” but the immediate focus remains on restoring momentum in its fashion and home arm, which was hit hardest when online trading stopped.

Food sales rose 7.8% in the half-year, helped by more shoppers and new product launches, though margins were squeezed by markdowns and waste.

By contrast, fashion, home and beauty sales fell 16% after online orders plunged 42%. The division’s operating profit tumbled to £46 million from £243 million a year earlier.

ShoreCap expects full-year adjusted pre-tax profit of £655 million, including the insurance settlement, and at least flat profit growth in the second half compared with last year’s £468 million. Underlying profit, excluding the payout, is forecast at £555 million.

The company raised its interim dividend by 20% to 1.2p a share, a move analysts said demonstrated management’s confidence in cash flow. Net cash stood at £176 million, although total debt, including leases, increased slightly to £2.5 billion.

Despite the disruption, M&S is pushing ahead with its store renewal programme. Fifteen shops opened in the first half, with another 20 planned by year-end, including two new full-line outlets in Bath and Bristol.

Investment in logistics and technology is also continuing, including a £340 million food distribution centre in Daventry set to open in 2029.

Still, the road ahead looks far from certain. ShoreCap trimmed its 2027 profit forecast by 2.5% amid fears of higher taxes and softer consumer demand after Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ warning that “we are all in this together". This is seen as a prelude to a Tresury raid on earnings.

M&S shares, at about 374p (down 10.5p), trade on roughly 11 times expected 2027 earnings, a discount to Next and Tesco. Analysts argue that ongoing progress could narrow that gap.

For now, today’s dip in the share price suggests investors are reserving judgment.

M&S may have weathered the cyber storm better than expected, but the next few months will show whether it can fully reclaim the digital momentum it worked so hard to build.

Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk said Wednesday it is lowering its growth expectations for its key obesity and diabetes treatments.

Net profit for the quarter came in at 20 billion Danish kroner ($3.1 billion) in line with the 20.12 billion Danish kroner anticipated by analysts in a FactSet poll.

Diabetes and obesity care were a key growth driver following the uptake of Wegovy and Ozempic, however the company lowered its expectations for growth, citing prescription trends, competition and pricing pressure.

Sales of its blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy rose 18% year-on-year to hit 20.35 billion Danish kroner in the three months to September, slightly below the 21.35 billion kroner expected by analysts.

watch now

Novo's Copenhagen-listed shares have tumbled more than 50% over the course of this year, as a slew of headwinds has shaken investor confidence in what was once Europe's most valuable firm.

Stock Chart IconStock chart icon

Novo Nordisk share price

Alongside a series of disappointing trial results, increasing competition in the obesity drug space and challenges arising from U.S. policies on drug pricing and tariffs, Novo has been contending with leadership shakeups and pushback against a key acquisition.

Analysts, as a result, have been mixed on the stock. Jefferies recently cut its rating to underperform while Berenberg is positive on the stock, saying Novo has hit "peak uncertainty."

"Novo's superior growth profile and best-in-class R&D returns warrants a higher valuation premium to its peers," the bank said.

Metsera bidNovo launched a rival bid to acquire American obesity biotech firm Metsera last week, superseding an offer for the firm from U.S. pharma giant Pfizer. On Monday, Pfizer said it had filed a second lawsuit against Novo and Metsera, arguing that Novo's bid for the smaller company was anticompetitive.

A spokesperson for Novo said in a statement that Pfizer's allegations were "false and without merit."

Novo then ramped up its bid for Metsera on Tuesday, saying it was now offering up to $10 billion compared to the earlier offer of around $9 billion.

"Novo Nordisk believes that the proposal, including the structure of the transaction, complies with all applicable laws and is in the best interest of patients who will benefit from our commitment to innovation, as well as Metsera's shareholders," the company said in a statement, noting that the deal was also subject to the term's of Pfizer's merger agreement with Metsera.

Metsera said on Tuesday that the revised offer was "superior" to a revised bid made by Pfizer.

London-listed gold miners are expected to attract strong interest at the open, after bullion prices rebounded sharply overnight. Investors returned to the haven asset amid a sell-off in global equities driven by mounting concerns over stretched valuations.

Spot gold was $3,970 an ounce in Asian trading, recovering from a near 2% drop the previous day.

The rebound came as government bonds rallied and the dollar steadied at a multi-month high, reflecting a shift in sentiment following the steepest decline in global stocks in almost a month.

Tuesday’s decline in bullion had followed comments from several Federal Reserve policymakers, who signalled caution around the need for further interest rate cuts, citing a still-elevated inflation outlook.

Their remarks prompted traders to reassess expectations for monetary easing ahead of further appearances from US central bankers this week.

Despite recent volatility, gold remains around 50% higher year-to-date, having touched a record last month. Analystst said the metal is likely to consolidate within a $3,800 to $4,050 range, but noted ongoing demand from central banks and private investors is likely to support prices in the longer term.

Silver and palladium also posted modest gains during the session.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $ACHR #Archer--Today Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) announced the Japan Airlines-led consortium, which features Archer's Midnight Aircraft, was selected by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to participate in phase one of Tokyo's “eVTOL Implementation Project.” Phase one of the project will assess the market and build the operating ecosystem, leading up to planned demonstration flights over Tokyo Bay and river routes, which represents critical steps towards ramping comm.

ST HELIER, Jersey, Nov. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (NYSE AMERICAN, AIM and VFEX: CMCL) - Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc ("Caledonia" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr July Ndlovu to the board of directors of the Company (“the Board”) as an independent non-executive director.

UXBRIDGE, ENGLAND / ACCESS Newswire / November 5, 2025 / Trading Update for the Third Quarter ended 26 September 2025 & Interim Dividend Declaration Solid third quarter; reaffirming full-year guidance Change vs 2024 Revenue Volume (UC)[2] Revenue per UC[1],[2],[3] Comparable Volume[1] Revenue per UC[1],[2],[3] FXN[1],[3] revenue Revenue Q3 2025 Europe €4,194m 701m €6.01 0.9% 3.4% 4.2% 3.8% APS €1,216m 311m €4.23 (0.6)% 0.3% (0.2)% (7.7)% CCEP €5,410m 1,012m €5.46 0.4% 2.7% 3.2% 1.0% YTD 2025 Europe €11,665m 1,947m €5.99 0.1% 3.9% 3.0% 3.1% APS €4,019m 997m €4.23 11.5% (1.6)% 9.1% 3.9% CCEP €15,684m 2,944m €5.39 3.7% 1.7% 4.5% 3.3% Change vs 2024 Adjusted comparable revenue[4] Adjusted comparable volume (UC)[4] Adjusted comparable revenue per UC[4] Adjusted comparable volume[4] Adjusted comparable revenue per UC[4] Adjusted comparable FXN revenue[4] Adjusted comparable revenue[4] Q3 2025 Europe €4,194m 701m €6.01 0.9% 3.4% 4.2% 3.8% APS €1,216m 311m €4.23 (0.6)% 0.3% (0.2)% (7.7)% CCEP €5,410m 1,012m €5.46 0.4% 2.7% 3.2% 1.0% YTD 2025 Europe €11,665m 1,947m €5.99 0.1% 3.9% 3.0% 3.1% APS €4,019m 997m €4.23 0.8% 2.3% 2.1% (2.8)% CCEP €15,684m 2,944m €5.39 0.3% 3.4% 2.7% 1.5% Damian Gammell, Chief Executive Officer, said: "2025 continues to be a solid year for CCEP, reflecting our great brands, great people, great execution and strong relationships with our brand partners and customers. We've delivered another quarter of volume growth in Europe, despite softer consumer demand.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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CelLBxHealth PLC (AIM:CLBX, NSX:ANPCY) has unveiled early results from a study that links its cancer cell detection technology with Roche’s widely used diagnostic equipment, a step that could make blood-based cancer testing easier to integrate into hospital laboratories.

The Guildford-based company, which focuses on analysing circulating tumour cells, live cancer cells that break away from tumours and travel in the bloodstream, presented its findings at the World ADC Conference in San Diego, the leading global event for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

The proof-of-concept study showed that CellBxHealth’s Parsortix platform is compatible with Roche’s BenchMark ULTRA automated staining system.

This system, a mainstay of hospital pathology labs, can process up to 95 patient samples a minute roughly 50 million a year, and is used worldwide to analyse tissue samples for disease markers.

In the study, CellBxHealth’s samples were tested for three major cancer targets: HER2 in breast cancer, TROP2 in lung cancer and PSMA in prostate cancer.

The results showed that Roche’s automated system successfully identified these proteins using blood-derived cancer cells, matching the results achieved by traditional manual staining methods.

Peter Collins, chief executive, said: “We are pleased to present initial results on our proof-of-concept study undertaken using Roche Tissue Diagnostics' workflow.

"It is well known that targeted treatments that utilise biomarkers improve patient outcomes. As such, this study highlights the importance of targeted antigen expression on CTCs and their relevance for potentially guiding ADC therapy selection in real time.”

The findings suggest that analysing tumour cells circulating in the blood could one day provide a safer, faster, and less invasive alternative to traditional biopsies. Unlike tissue samples, blood tests can be repeated over time, giving doctors a clearer picture of how a patient’s cancer evolves during treatment.

ADCs are a fast-growing area of cancer medicine that use antibodies to deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to tumour cells, sparing healthy tissue.

By helping identify which patients are most likely to respond to these drugs, CellBxHealth’s approach could add an important new tool to the development of targeted therapies.

Metal’s modest uptick was largely driven by short-covering and safe-haven demand amid volatile equity markets. “It’s selective bargain buying as investors hedge against near-term volatility,” said Jigar Trivedi, senior analyst at Reliance Securities.

Focus Turns to U.S. Economic Data
The ADP report, expected to show a 32,000 job gain following last month’s 32,000 decline, is being closely watched as a barometer for labor market health ahead of Friday’s official jobs report. Stronger-than-expected data could temper hopes for a December rate cut, currently priced at 69% probability, down from over 90% a week earlier, according to CME’s FedWatch Tool.

The ISM Services PMI is forecast at 50.7, slightly above the previous 50.0, signaling a stable but subdued expansion in the services sector.

Any upside surprise could reinforce the Fed’s cautious tone, keeping interest rates elevated for longer, a scenario that typically weighs on non-yielding assets like gold and silver.

Despite higher yields and a strong dollar, analysts note that geopolitical uncertainty and concerns over global growth continue to underpin long-term demand for precious metals. Silver, often seen as both an industrial and investment metal, tracked gold’s movement, benefiting from renewed speculative interest.

“The broader narrative remains one of caution,” said a market strategist at ANZ Research. “While the Fed’s tone has shifted away from aggressive easing, persistent inflation and soft data could still drive renewed interest in gold and silver as defensive assets.”

The carmaker said it was on track to meet its full-year targets, with strong demand for the new iX3 model expected to drive growth next year

Caledonia Mining Corporation PLC (AIM:CMCL, NYSE-A:CMCL, VFEX:CMCL) has appointed July Ndlovu, the former chief executive of South Africa’s Thungela Resources, as an independent non-executive director, bringing almost three decades of mining experience to the London-listed gold producer.

Ndlovu, who has held senior roles at Anglo American Platinum and other major miners, joins the Jersey-based company as it looks to expand its operations in Zimbabwe and beyond.

His background spans both technical and corporate leadership, with a focus on large-scale project development, safety and sustainability.

At Thungela, he oversaw the company’s transformation into one of South Africa’s largest thermal coal exporters following its spin-off from Anglo American in 2021.

Earlier in his career, he served as executive head of process at Anglo American Platinum, where he managed operations producing a significant share of the world’s platinum group metals.

Ndlovu currently sits on the board of AECI, a mining and chemicals group with operations in 20 countries, where he chairs the remuneration and human capital committee. He also previously chaired the boards of Unki Mine and Anglo American Zimbabwe.

John Kelly, Caledonia’s chairman, said: “We are very pleased to welcome July to the board as an independent non-executive director. His extensive and broad-based experience in scaling and transforming businesses in the mining sector brings valuable perspective as we execute our next stage of growth.”

Union Jack Oil PLC (AIM:UJO, OTCQB:UJOGF) has reported a 'disappointing and unexpected' result from its latest well in central Oklahoma failed to produce commercial quantities of oil, despite initial signs of promise.

The AIM-listed company, which focuses on onshore oil and gas projects in the UK and the US, said its Sark well reached a total depth of 5,391 feet, with logs indicating potential hydrocarbons in the Prue sandstone layer.

However, after a 30-day production test, the site did not yield commercially viable results.

Post-drilling analysis suggested that while the well encountered a valid geological structure, the trap that would have held oil in place had been breached, preventing accumulation.

David Bramhill, Union Jack’s executive chairman, said: “Following the drilling of four successful discoveries in Oklahoma to date, this is an unexpected and disappointing result.

"Our US interests, with income from Moccasin, the Andrews Field and mineral royalties, continue to be profitable and we look forward to continuing our Oklahoma drilling programme.”

Union Jack holds a 53% stake in the Sark project. The company’s portfolio in the US continues to generate income, providing support for ongoing exploration despite the setback.

Steven Sargent

I think we're good to get going. We're good, Computershare. Thank you. Appreciate that. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Steve Sargent, and I'm the Non-Executive Chairman of Nanosonics Limited. I would like to extend a warm welcome to our shareholders today here at the company's headquarters in Macquarie Park in Sydney and also to those shareholders joining us online. It's my privilege to Chair this 19th Annual General Meeting of the company.

I would also like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the various lands on which we're meeting today, and pay our respects to all Aboriginal elders, past and present, and acknowledge today's Aboriginal communities who are the custodians of these lands. With me in the room here today, I'm joined by the Nanosonics' Board of Directors, our Company Secretary and representatives of the company's auditor, Ernst & Young.

I've been advised by the Company Secretary that we have a quorum for this meeting, and I, therefore, declare the meeting open. The number of valid proxies received by 11:00 a.m. on Monday, the 3rd of November, was 330 proxies, representing over 221 million shares or 72.79% of the company's approximately 304 million shares on issue.

In accordance with the Corporations Act, the minutes of this meeting will record for each resolution, the total number of proxies exercisable by all proxies validly appointed, the directions in which the proxy forms and the results of the polling.

I would like to take the opportunity to introduce the Board and the company secretary and the company's auditors. So up the front here, we have our