Diageo said there had been growth in whisky, Guinness and Smirnoff ready-to-drink as it reported a 1.2% rise in first quarter net sales to $4.9bn.
The Johnnie Walker owner saw positive organic growth across the group, partly offset by unfavourable foreign exchange and the impact of disposals.
Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) and Asia Pacific (APAC) delivered mid-single-digit growth. India and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) were up low-single-digit.
In North America, organic net sales declined mid-single-digit reflecting continued market softness..
Sir Dave Lewis, chief executive, said: “Overall, Q1 was in line with expectations, and we have reiterated our full year guidance. We were pleased with the growth across LAC, EMEA, APAC and India. In North America, we continue to focus on making our offer more competitive, and whilst this remains our biggest challenge, clear actions are underway.
“Whilst the market remains challenging, and volatility continues given the geopolitical uncertainty and impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on energy, supply and distribution, results in the first quarter represent a small step in the right direction.”
BP
BP has sold 5% of its 15.9% shareholding in independent Norwegian oil and gas producer Aker BP for $1.06 billion, further reducing its debt burden and it now expects full year 2026 divestment and other proceeds to be around $9 billion, around $1 billion higher than previously guided.
Meg O’Neill, chief executive , said: “Since Aker BP’s creation a decade ago, it has executed a successful growth strategy that has led to significant value creation.
“In recent months, it has further increased its value through a combination of its strong performance and the favourable macro environment. We believe now is the right time for us to realise part of this value to further strengthen BP’s balance sheet, our first priority as we build a simpler, stronger, more valuable BP.”
M&G
M&G reported Q3 2026 net inflows from open business of £1.8bn (2026 YTD £4.2bn), with asset management net inflows of £0.7bn marking a seventh consecutive quarter of expansion.
Life delivered £1.1bn of open-business inflows in Q3,. It now expects full-year annuity/BPA sales to exceed £2.5bn (c.60%+ YoY growth).
Group assets under management and administration stood was £384.9bn at 30 September 2026 (HY: £387bn), slightly down due to market movements.
Andrea Rossi, group chief executive, said: “Following a good first half, we continued to grow thanks to the resilience of our business model.
“In a volatile external environment, we continued to grow and make good progress against our strategic objectives.
“The inflows we generated, reflect the resilience of our business model, and the attractiveness and diversification of our offering. Looking ahead, we remain confident in our ability to deliver long-term value for our clients and shareholders.”
Next
Next, the fashion and interior furnishings chain, said full price sales in the 13 weeks to 31 October, were up 8.1% on last year, largely a result of growth in its international business.
The figure was £33m ahead of the company’s guidance of 5.8% for the second half. All of the sales over-performance came from our international business.
The additional £5m profit from these sales has been offset by increased international operational costs. It is maintaining guidance for full year profit before tax at £1.255 billion, up +8.4%.
BT
BT reported a 1% rise in half-year revenue to £8.8bn, adjusted EBITDA also up 1% to £4.1bn and reported profit before tax of £1.1bn, up 12%.
Openreach reached 10m full-fibre connections with 1.1m H1 net adds, a 24.1m footprint and 41% take-up, capex was £2.3bn (down 5%). The board increased the interim dividend to 2.5p
Allison Kirkby, chief executive, said: “BT delivered a strong first half, with further strategic momentum in a competitive market, resulting in growth in revenue, EBITDA and customer satisfaction. We are building the UK’s digital backbone, connecting and protecting the country like no-one else, while accelerating our transformation as we create a better BT for all of us.”
Autotrader
Autotrader reported H1 revenue of £313.4m, down 1% (revenue excluding vehicle & accessory sales £301.8m, flat) with vehicle & accessory sales £11.6m, down 30%.
Group operating profit was £198.5m, down 1%, with operating margins steady at 63% (66% excluding vehicle sales).
The board declared a 4.2p interim dividend (+11%) and maintained FY operating profit guidance of £395–415m.
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