GenIP has reported a robust first half of 2025, with cash balances rising to $1,077k from $972,000 at the end of 2024, driven by record new orders and disciplined cost management.

The artificial intelligence analytics services provider secured $488,000 in new orders during the six-month period, including significant contract wins in Asia and Saudi Arabia.

GenIP is focused on helping research organisations accelerate the commercialisation of their technological discoveries.

Since its AIM listing in October 2024, GenIP has received total orders worth $981,000, with an outstanding order book of $813,000 providing revenue visibility for the second half of the year.

The company recognises revenue as services are delivered, which explains the rising order book and cash balance, but fairly steady revenues.

Half-year revenue is expected to reach approximately $128,000, marginally ahead of the previous year’s full-year total of $123,000. The company noted that it expected revenues to pick up in the second half of the year as orders are delivered.

The firm said Invention Evaluator services generated the majority of first-half revenue and orders, whilst its Vortechs division is expected to contribute more significantly in the second half.

“We are extremely encouraged by the strong commercial traction we’ve achieved in such a short period since our IPO,” said Melissa Cruz, CEO of GenIP.

“The size and quality of our order book reflect the value our services bring to clients worldwide. We’re seeing increasing demand for our solutions as institutions seek faster, data-driven ways to unlock the value of their innovations. With a strong balance sheet and a growing pipeline of opportunities, we are well positioned to deliver accelerated growth in the second half of the year and beyond.”

IG has become the first platform globally to offer daily options on Tesla shares, introducing zero days to expiry (0DTE) contracts that provide traders with unprecedented flexibility for short-term positioning.

The innovative product, exclusive to IG and unavailable on any global exchange, including those in the United States, allows traders to trade the daily volatility in Tesla shares. The contracts settle at the US market close, enabling intraday risk management in a way that isn’t available anywhere else.

The launch addresses growing demand in the derivatives market, where daily options have gained significant traction. In the US, 0DTE index options now represent over 50% of total daily options volume, yet no provider has previously offered this structure for individual equities.

IG’s UK client base has demonstrated strong appetite for options trading, with activity increasing 27% year-on-year alongside a 9% rise in active options traders. The figures reflect broader market interest in sophisticated trading instruments that offer precise risk management capabilities.

Elliot Harris, Head of Options at IG, said: “We’re proud to be the first in the world to offer daily expiring Tesla options, giving our clients unmatched flexibility and speed. These contracts are a powerful new tool for short-term traders looking to capitalise on Tesla’s intraday price swings, which in recent times have been pretty dramatic.

“This is one of the fastest-growing areas in global trading, and we want to be at the forefront – driving innovation and giving our clients the tools they’re asking for. Daily Tesla options are just the beginning. We’re here to push boundaries and lead the way in delivering smarter, faster trading solutions.”

Available through spread betting and contracts for difference (CFDs) on IG’s platform and mobile application, the daily Tesla options will trade Monday through Thursday. Friday trading remains unavailable due to existing weekly options contracts on that day.

IG confirmed plans to extend daily options to additional major US equities in the near term, building on this pioneering launch in the individual stock options market.

The FTSE 100 soared to another intraday record high on Thursday as investors reacted to reports the US and EU were nearing a trade deal, and strong corporate results gave investors plenty of reason for cheer.

London’s leading index was 0.8% higher at 9,137 at the time of writing and was on the track for yet another all-time closing high.

Hot on the heels of a Japan-US trade deal, the EU appears to be the next in line for an agreement that would significantly alleviate investors’ concerns about 1 August tariff deadlines.

“European shares marched higher on Thursday as the positive sentiment generated by the trade deal agreed between the US and Japan continued to permeate the markets,” said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

“The continued momentum came despite a mixed start to the big tech earnings season across the Atlantic as Alphabet and Tesla posted their numbers after hours, with some well-received corporate results helping support UK stocks as the FTSE 100 sailed through the 9,100 barrier.”

The corporate results mentioned by Mould were indeed very well-received.

Reckitt Benckiser soars

Reckitt Benckiser shares soared 9% on an upgrade to like for like sales growth guidance for their ‘Core Reckitt’ portfolio to ‘over 4%’ from ‘3% – 4%’. It’s the first piece of materially positive news Reckitt’s investors have had for some time.

“Kris Licht has donned his marigolds and got out the mop and bucket in an attempt to clean up the mess at consumer goods giant Reckitt. First-half results have got the market believing in his recovery plan,” Russ Mould said.

“Having recently announced the sale of its Essential Home portfolio, the company has now issued an eye-catching upgrade to revenue guidance for its core brands.

“The merits of focusing on its ‘Powerbrands’ is evident in the numbers with them delivering meaningful growth at a strong margin while the Essential Home component is finding life harder going.”

Howden Joinery

Howden Joinery was the FTSE 100’s top riser after reporting sales growth of 3.2% which represented an acceleration from the growth rate reported in the early stages of 2025.

“Howdens performed well in the first half, gaining further market share. The ongoing investment in our strategic initiatives is strengthening our competitive position, and our current trading performance gives us confidence in achieving our full year plans,” said Andrew Livingston, Howden’s CEO.

“We are well prepared for the second half, which includes our seasonally important peak trading period. This includes Howdens’ best-ever line-up for kitchens, available for 2025 in more colours, styles, and finishes to suit all budgets.”

Howdens shares were 9.8% higher at the time of writing.

BT shares rose 5% after the company reported improving Q1 results, punctuated by rising customer numbers.

Lloyds shares were little changed after reporting robust half-year results against the backdrop of a looming Supreme Court ruling on motor financing. The banking group enjoyed the impact of higher interest rates, with net interest margins increasing 10bps to 3.04%. Profit beat expectations but the nagging doubt of motor finance redress kept shares in check on Thursday.

“Lloyds’ 2Q 15% pre-tax profit beat on strong revenue momentum, deposit flow and provision reversals, could (together with reiterated guidance) drive modest consensus upgrades,” said Tomasz Noetzel, Senior Equity Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

“However, narrowing the gap between consensus’ 12% ROTE in 2025 and the bank’s 13.5% view remains subject to a Supreme Court ruling on the UK motor loan probe due end-July and regulatory redress decisions. Lloyds didn’t set aside additional provisions for these loans in 1H, with consensus projecting £1 billion this year.”

Tekcapital has announced that its portfolio company Guident Corp has secured a new business agreement with Coastal Waste & Recycling Inc, a leading waste and recycling services provider operating across Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Today’s announcement strengthens Guident’s preparations for its NASDAQ IPO with another use case and additional customer.

The agreement will see Guident deploy its WatchBot™ solution across Coastal Waste & Recycling’s operations, providing autonomous patrols, AI-driven inspections and real-time safety alerts.

The WatchBot™ platform will handle thermal inspections, truck damage detection, PPE compliance monitoring and tank cage checks at Coastal Waste & Recycling facilities. The company expects the AI technology to deliver significant improvements in operational safety, risk mitigation and cost efficiency.

“This partnership exemplifies the remarkable teamwork between our organizations and demonstrates our shared commitment to safety and operational excellence. By combining our expertise with Coastal’s dedication to innovation, we’re setting a new benchmark for technology-driven safety in the waste and recycling industry,” said Harald Braun, Chairman & CEO of Guident.

“The collaboration between Guident and Coastal Waste & Recycling highlights the companies’ mutual focus on leveraging next-generation technology to drive meaningful improvements in workplace safety, operational efficiency, and overall business performance.”

Today’s Coastal Waste & Recycling deal adds to a growing list of deployments, which include a pilot autonomous shuttle service in West Palm Beach, covered by NBC News this week.

Tekcapital announced earlier this year that Guident had filed confidentially for a NASDAQ listing. Investors are eagerly awaiting further updates.

Lloyds shares were broadly flat on Thursday after the group reported profits that beat expectations but kept guidance unchanged.

Lloyds shares are up 40% year-to-date, and investors would have required an overwhelmingly strong set of half-year results to have the confidence to push shares higher.

The first half’s financial performance was steady, as opposed to a blowout, with Lloyds posting a statutory profit after tax of £2.5 billion, up from £2.4 billion in the same period last year.

The banking giant achieved a respectable return on tangible equity of 14.1%, underpinned by net income growth of 6% year-on-year.

“Lloyds is trotting along nicely as profits gallop past expectations. The reaction might be a little muted, though, given the lack of guidance upgrade off the back of a good set of numbers,” said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown.

“Impairments continue to be the fuel sustaining these profit beats as default rates remain low and borrowers continue to show resilience.

“Lloyds offers a blend of strong underlying performance and potential upside for those willing to take on some risk. It’s an important period, not just because of today’s results, but also because the Supreme Court is expected to make a judgment on the motor finance case soon.”

The looming motor financing decision may have contributed to Lloyds’ shares’ tepid reaction to otherwise strong results, with Lloyds shares down marginally at the time of writing.  

The group’s underlying net interest income rose 5% to £6.7 billion, driven by an improved banking net interest margin of 3.04% – up 10 basis points year-on-year. This was supported by higher average interest-earning banking assets of £458 billion.

However, profitability faced headwinds from rising costs and credit provisions. Operating costs increased 4% to £4.9 billion, reflecting inflationary pressures and strategic investments, though these were partially offset by cost savings measures. The group also recorded an underlying impairment charge of £442 million, up from £100 million in the same period a year ago.

Strong underlying performance provided Lloyds with the opportunity to hike the dividend and investors will be pleased to see the interim dividend increasing 15%.

Analysts point to the macroenvironment as the next big driver of Lloyds’ share price performance with the UK economy starting to show signs of stress.

“Our experts suggest that future results are strongly linked to the British economy, so if the British economy does well, Lloyds should do well,” said Max Harper, Analyst at Third Bridge.

“The Bank of England’s current stable interest rate policy is unlikely to significantly impact Lloyds’ dynamic hedging strategy, the primary risk for the bank is stagflation. A combination of a slowing economy and persistently high inflation would create a double-edged sword effect, simultaneously reducing appetite for new lending while interest rate hikes aimed at curbing inflation could turn the bank’s hedge into a source of financial loss.”

The FTSE 100 reached a record high on Wednesday after the US and Japan struck a trade deal, removing uncertainty surrounding one of the most significant US trade agreements for global growth and signalled a willingness for the US to make concessions to avoid the more damaging tariff rates.

London’s leading index touched a fresh record high of 9,080 and was trading very close to this level at the time of writing.

“News of a trade agreement between the US and Japan is fostering optimism among investors that further deals might be reached before punishing tariffs come into force,” explained AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

“The news helped drive the FTSE 100 to a new record high and saw gains in other markets across mainland Europe – with focus likely to now turn to the prospects of an agreement being forged between the Trump administration and EU.”

However, some analysts cautioned that while the markets reacted positively on Wednesday, the longer-term consequences of the trade deal may have ramifications for markets.

“At 15%, the US tariff on Japanese goods does not give much cause for long term celebration, despite the positive initial market reaction. Much higher product tariffs are not included in the deal,’ said George Lagarias, Chief Economist at Forvis Mazars. 

“The number will still likely contribute to an increase of US inflation and put pressures on real growth for both countries. Why are the markets jubilant this morning? Because even a higher tariff is preferable to continued uncertainty. But this is hardly a catalyst for long term optimism. If the deal with Japan is the standard by which the negotiation with the EU will go, then investors and businesses should begin to price in a deterioration of the macroeconomic backdrop.”

Despite potential pitfalls down the line, most FTSE 100 shares were higher at the time of writing, with 73 of the 100 constituents trading in positive territory.

JD Sports was among the top risers as investors cheered the Japanese trade deal and what it could mean for other US trade deals more closely related to JD’s business model. JD Sport was one of the FTSE 100 stocks most heavily hit by Trump’s Liberation Day announcements.

The risk on tone to trade was underscored by weakness in defensive sectors. Centrica was the FTSE 100 top faller with a loss of 1.8% while SSE lost 1.7%.

Fresnillo fell around 1% after announcing silver production fell in Q2 due to the cessation of activities at a mine and lower ore grades.

“Fresnillo has made investors a lot of money this year thanks to soaring precious metal prices. Unfortunately, investors have now had a wake-up call that the day job still matters for the mining group,” Mould said.

“It has reported a big drop in second quarter silver production year-on-year, partially down to geological issues where the rock being mined contained lower grades of metal.

“Mining is high risk and often unpredictable, and anyone invested in this area needs to be aware of what could go wrong as well as what could go right.”