The morning news update with BG Group, Stagecoach and Safeland

FTSE 100

BG Group (BG.) – has agreed to sell its wholly-owned subsidiary QCLNG Pipeline Pty Ltd to APA Group, Australia’s largest gas infrastructure business, for approximately US$5 billion.

Ashtead Group (AHT) – underlying pre-tax profits up by 33% at £145.1 million for the quarter to 31st October.

FTSE 250

Carillion (CLLN) – expect the order book plus probable orders at the year end to be over £18.5 billion. Also announces its joint venture with Equitix has been appointed as the Selected Bidder for £190 million Public Private Partnership project to deliver the Midlands Private Finance Batch under the Priority School Building Programme.

Serco (SRP) – has now signed a new five-year contract with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to continue providing onshore immigration detention services in Australia. The Australian Government has valued the contract tender, in total over the initial five-year period and including GST, at A$1.9 billion (approximately £1 billion), subject to the volume of work performed.

PZ Cussons (PZC) – Group operating profits were 4% below that of the comparative period in the half year to November.

Stagecoach (SGC) – pre-tax profits up by £3 million at £108.6 million in the six months to October.

Small caps

Parity Group (PTY) – expects EBTIDA for the year ending 31st December 2014 to be in line with current market expectations.

Alternative Networks (AN.) – adjusted EBITDA increased by 23% to £19.6 million in the year to September, full year dividend up by 12% at 14.5p per share.

Accumuli (ACM) – announces three orders which together represent £0.6 million of invoiced gross profit, some of which will be recognised during the current financial year.

Safeland (SAF) – reports a pre-tax profit of £2.2 million for the six months to September.

MYCELX Technologies (MYX) – announces a placing with UK institutional investors at a price of 150p per share raising £7.2 million.