The Morning news update with British Land, Redrow, Sound Oil and DCD Media

FTSE 100

British Land (BLND) – Metro Bank has signed for a 5,300 sq. ft unit on a 25 year lease at Nugent Shopping Park in Orpington.

Hammerson (HMSO) – has completed the sale of its 50% stake in its last remaining office asset, 10 Grosvenor Street in Mayfair, W1 London, to its joint venture partner Grosvenor Fund Management’s London Office Fund for £54 million.

FTSE 250

Redrow (RDW) – pre-tax profits up by 91% at £132.6 million in the year to June, dividend doubled to 2p per share.

Playtech (PTC) – announces the bolt-on acquisition of the Stockholm-based retail VLT businesses Aristocrat Lotteries AB and Aristocrat Lotteries Italia s.r.l. from Aristocrat Leisure. ALAB and ALI provide a server-based gaming platform for VLTs and Casino (Class III) markets  to two leading retail VLT operators in Norway and Italy, marketed under the well-established ‘TruServTM brand.

Polymetal (POLY) – will proceed with the construction and development of the Svetloye gold project – a 1,000 Ktpa open pit heap leach operation with initial mine life of 8 years.

Small caps

Ariana Resources (AAU) – 100% of the freehold land in the Arzu South open-pit area of Red Rabbit Project has been acquired.

Sound Oil (SOU) – the Treviso Province authorities have approved the Environmental Impact Assessment for the second appraisal well of the Nervesa gas discovery, which will target its Southern limb.

Johnson Service Group (JSG) – adjusted pre-tax profits increased by 54.5% to £8.5 million in the six months to June, dividend up by 25% at 0.5p per share.

Corac Group (CRA) – subsidiary Hunt Thermal Technologies has received an order worth circa £0.9m from an international engineering, procurement and construction firm for six high-integrity heat exchanger units.

DCD Media (DCD) – has agreed terms to sell the Matchlight production business to the existing management team, however completion of the sale remains subject to a number of conditions.