Shares in newspaper publisher Reach (LON:RCH) slumped on Monday morning, after reporting a hefty half-year loss amidst a more “challenging outlook”. The publisher, who changed its name from Trinity Mirror recently, reported a £113 million pre-tax loss for the half year to 1st July, despite a 10.6 percent rise in group revenue. However this largely reflected the acquisition of two new titles, and revenue fell 7.2 percent on a like-for-like basis. The group slashed the value of its regional publishing operations, with a £150 million charge reflected a “more challenging outlook” for those businesses. These include the Manchester Evening News, Daily Record and Liverpool Echo. National newspapers also had a difficult six months, with circulation for the Daily Mirror down 13.9 percent, the Daily Star down 12.1 percent and fall for the Daily Star and a 9.3 percent slide for the Daily Express. These are the first set of results since Reach completed its takeover of the Express and Star titles from Richard Desmond. Shares in Reach are currently trading down 3.57 percent at 70.20 (9025GMT).

Shares in specialist insurer Hiscox (LON:HSX) shot up over 7 percent on Monday morning, after a boost to premiums had a positive impact on profits. For the half year to June 30th, pre-tax profit rose 27 percent to $163.6 million, on the back of a 20.3 percent increase in gross written premiums to $1,155.8 million. Premiums at the insurer rose across all three of its main businesses, with retail gross written premiums up 19.6 percent and London Market gross written premiums up 15.9 percent. The first-half investment return was $19.7 million, compared with $58.5 million the previous year. “The London market business is navigating the market and finding opportunities in areas such as flood, cyber and general liability,” Hiscox said. “In reinsurance we have grown and are achieving good margins. The retail businesses, in their respective regions and product lines, continue their good momentum. The opportunities are legion.” The company declared an interim dividend of 13.25 cents a share, up 5 percent on last year. “It has been a good start to the year. Our investment across the business is driving strong profitable growth in all segments. We are on track to exceed one million retail customers in 2018,” said Bronek Masojada, Group CEO. Shares in Hiscox are currently trading up 7.54 percent at 1,584.00 (0900GMT).

Estate agent Foxtons (LON:FOXT) reported a loss in the first half of the year, driven by a slowing demand for housing in London. The group reported a pre-tax loss of £2.5 million, down from a profit of £3.8 million a year earlier. Revenue dropped to £53.0 million, down from £58.5 million, and adjusted earnings (EBITDA) fell to £0.1 million from £7.1 million a year earlier. Foxtons, who do a large proportion of their business in London, attributed the disappointing results to slower sales in the capital, driven by a general slowdown in the London property market. However, it wasn’t just sales that fell, with lettings revenues also witnessing a drop. Lettings revenues fell 1 percent to £31.7 million, after rent prices fell by 2 percent year-on-year. Given the loss achieved for the year, the company chose not to issue a dividend. “As expected the weak sales market impacted our performance in the first half of 2018. After a slow start to the year, performance in our lettings business improved throughout the period delivering another consistent result for the first six months,” said Nic Budden, CEO. “The property sales market in London is undergoing a sustained period of very low activity levels with longer and less visible transaction outcomes, which clearly impacts our business”. Foxtons shares are currently up 1.73 percent despite the loss, trading at 48.42 (0849GMT).

Recruitment firm RTC reported a “highly satisfactory” set of results on Monday, sending shares up nearly 2 percent in morning trading. Profit before tax rose 31 percent to £0.77 million, up from £0.59 million the year before, with revenue coming in 17 percent higher at £41.1 million. For the recent half year period, basic earnings per share increased by 22 percent to 4.38 percent, leading the group to issue an interim dividend of 1.3p per share. Chairman Bill Douie said: “The optimism that we expressed earlier in the year has been justified by a highly satisfactory set of results. “We remain confident of continued strong trading, in line with expectations, during the second half, and of delivering our ambitious growth plans across all our group businesses.” Shares in RTC Group (LON:RTC) are currently trading up 1.82 percent at 56.00 (0834GMT).

Food product supplier Cranswick (LON:CWK) saw shares edge down at market open on Monday, despite reporting an impressive revenue boost for the first quarter of the financial year. In line with expectations, revenue rose 7 percent on the year before, despite lower selling prices caused by a fall in the average UK pig price. The group also said that it had started work on its new poultry primary processing facility at Eye in Suffolk, expected to be completed in late 201, as well as a continental products factory in Bury, Greater Manchester to provide additional capacity to support future growth. Net funds stood at £8 million at the end of June, however, down from £18 million a year earlier. “The outlook for the current financial year remains unchanged, and the Board is confident in the continued long-term success and development of the business,” Cranswick said. Shares in Cranswick are currently trading down 1.51 percent at 3,254.00 (0828GMT).

US economic growth rose to an annualised rate of 4.1 percent in the second quarter of the year, according to the latest figures from the Department of Commerce.

The growth rate was the fastest since the third quarter of 2014, boosted largely by consumer spending. The annualised growth rate for the first quarter of the year was also revised up to 2.2 percent from 2 percent previously.

Consumer spending grew at an annual rate of 4 percent, up from just 0.5 percent in January-March. Business investment also rose by 7.3 percent.. At a press conference, President Donald Trump said the figures were “great”, and that he was confident they would rise again in the future. He added that the US economy was growing much faster than under the previous two administrations, and that if the current growth rate is maintained, the US economy will double in size 10 years faster than it would have done under presidents Bush or Obama

Services company CSF Group (LON:CSFG) saw shares rise over 2 percent on Friday, after reporting an annual pre-tax profit on the back on sales of subsidiary companies. Pretax profit was RM113.9 million for the year to the end of March, up from a loss of RM33.2 million a year earlier. Revenue fell however, to RM23.9 million from RM26.4m the year before, due to the sale of loss making making subsidiary CSF CX Sdn Bhd. Going forward, the company warned that significant expenditure would be required for the replacement of aging equipment at the CX1 data centre. “The board expects for the group to be able to reduce its operating losses in the next financial year, following the completion of the disposal, although on significantly decreased revenues,” the company said. CSF Group have been involved in the design, development, construction, fit-out and maintenance of more than 200 data centers in Malaysia and overseas and has diversified into management and operations of a high availability facility. CSF Group shares are currently trading up 2.35 percent at 2.61 (1434GMT).

Rightmove (LON:RMV) shares traded down over 3 percent on Friday, after reporting a rise in both revenue and profit for the six months to June. Pre-tax profit for the six month period rose to £98.1 million, with revenue up 10 percent to £131.1 million. The company declared an interim dividend of 25.0p per share, up 14 percent on-year. Advertising revenue also grew during the period, with revenue per advertiser up by £76 to £987 per month. “In the first half of 2018 a record 1.1bn minutes per month were spent on Rightmove,” chief executive Peter Brooks-Johnson said. “Home hunters continue to turn to us first to search and research in the only place you can see virtually the whole of the UK property market. “Our restless innovation delivers the fastest and easiest way to ‘find your happy’ from the 1.2m UK residential properties on Rightmove leading to consumers sending over 22m enquiries in the period.’ “The continued stable membership numbers and our subscription advertising model, together with the strength of the Rightmove offer for both customers and consumers, give us confidence in delivering expectations for the current year despite muted sentiment towards the UK property market.” The positive results come just a day after Rightmove found itself at the centre of a controversy for hosting a “sex for rent” advert on its website. The advertisement, for a two-bedroom terraced house in Birmingham, was priced at £100 per month and said “reduced rent is available for special favours to be discussed”. Shares in Rightmove are currently trading down 3.91 percent at 4,893.00 (1419GMT).

Publishing group Pearson (LON:PSON) saw shares rise on Friday, after recording a notable first half profit in the first six months of the year. Pre-tax profit for the six months through June hit £202 million, up from the £10 million loss the group reported this time last year. Pearson said it had been boosted by the proceeds from asset sales, as well as lower costs and sales of Wall Street English products. Revenue dropped by 9 percent but still grew 2 percent on an underlying basis, while underlying adjusted operating profit rose 46 percent. The company said it was on track for a growth in underlying profit for the full year. “US higher education courseware revenue grew modestly in the first half helped by lower returns, as expected,” Pearson said. “However, in line with our full year guidance for this segment, we continue to expect a decline in net sales in the second half as gross sales continue to be impacted by ongoing underlying market pressures.” Shares in Pearson are currently up 3.92 percent at 960.00 (1405GMT).