UK retail sales rebound; Softcat completes fundraise. Published on 09/18/2026 at 03:00 am EDT Alliance News (Alliance News) - UK retail sales rebound in August and beat market expectations. AstraZeneca's efzimfotase alfa receives 'Priority Review' in the US for the treatment of hypophosphatasia, while Softcat raises GBP354 million to help fund its USD1.05 billion acquisition of GDT. FTSE 100: called down 0.1% at 10,806.94 GBP: higher at USD1.3373 (USD1.3356 at previous London equities close) UK retail sales rebound in August, beating expectations, according to the Office for National Statistics. Retail sales volumes rise 0.5% month-on-month, reversing a 0.5% decline in July and outperforming the 0.2% fall expected by FXStreet. June's increase is revised down to 0.6% from 0.7%. The ONS says non-store retailers partially recover from July's decline, when sales were affected by promotions taking place earlier in June, while department store sales improve following stock availability issues. Retail sales volumes rise 2.4% year-on-year in August. Over the three months to August, volumes increase 0.9% from the previous three-month period and are 2.4% higher annually, supported by non-store retailers and food stores. BROKER RATINGS Berenberg raises Bytes Technology to 'buy' (hold) - price target 520 (360) pence COMPANIES - FTSE 100 AstraZeneca says the US Food & Drug Administration has accepted and granted 'Priority Review' designation to Alexion's biologics licence application for efzimfotase alfa to treat patients aged two years and older with hypophosphatasia, a rare inherited metabolic disease. The FDA's regulatory decision is expected in the first half of 2027. The application is supported by results from the phase 3 Hickory, Mulberry and Chestnut trials, in which AstraZeneca says efzimfotase alfa demonstrates a favourable safety profile and is generally well tolerated. If approved, the drug would be the first treatment designed to address skeletal abnormalities and functional impairments regardless of disease onset, with self-administration every two weeks. Regulatory submissions are also under review in Japan and other markets. COMPANIES - FTSE 250 Softcat raises around GBP354 million gross through an equity issue to help fund its USD1.05 billion acquisition of US IT solutions provider GDT Topco LP. The company places 18.5 million new shares at 1,890 pence each with institutional investors, while retail investors subscribe for a further 211,640 shares at the same price. Including a proposed subscription by directors, Softcat expects to issue a total of 18.7 million new shares, equivalent to around 9.5% of its existing share capital. The placing price represents a 4.0% discount to Thursday's closing price of 1,968p. Softcat announced the GDT acquisition on Thursday as it seeks to expand its presence in the US, with the deal expected to close by the end of the first quarter of financial 2027. The purchase is being funded through cash, new debt facilities and the equity raise. Softcat expects GDT to deliver high-single-digit to low-double-digit underlying earnings per share accretion in the first full financial year. On Thursday, the company also raised its financial 2026 outlook to high-teens underlying operating profit growth from mid-teens previously. Harworth unanimously rejects an increased cash takeover offer from Peel Bidco, saying the revised 177.5 pence-per-share proposal, up from 172.5p, continues to significantly undervalue the Rotherham, South Yorkshire-based property regeneration company. Peel Bidco and its concert parties have increased their stake to 30%, requiring the voluntary offer to be converted into a mandatory offer. Harworth advises shareholders who have not accepted the bid to reject it, those who have accepted to withdraw their acceptances, and shareholders not to sell further shares to Peel Bidco. The board describes the offer as "opportunistic", arguing it seeks to "extract value" from Harworth's future growth prospects. Harworth says it continues to make progress with its hyperscale data centre pipeline and targets exchanging a conditional contract for Site 2 in the fourth quarter, with completion and cash proceeds expected by the end of December 2028. It also completes the sale of a 40-acre site in St Helens, Merseyside, to Tritax Big Box Developments in line with book value. Meanwhile, Harworth targets at least GBP7.4 million of annualised run-rate cost savings by the end of 2028, with GBP1.3 million already realised and 94% of the planned savings expected to be achieved by the end of 2027. OTHER COMPANIES Fintech firm Revolut is considering a dual stock market listing in London and New York, although founder and Chief Executive Nik Storonsky says the fintech firm prefers the US for a potential initial public offering. Storonsky tells French newspaper Les Echos that Revolut is looking at listing on both the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, citing the larger pool of institutional and retail investors in the US. Revolut was most recently valued at USD115 billion in a share sale, meaning a flotation could make it one of the UK's largest listed companies and potentially surpass rival banks including Barclays and NatWest. Storonsky previously suggested an IPO could take place in around two years depending on market conditions, while Revolut is targeting further US growth ahead of a potential listing. boohoo Group, also known as Debenhams Group, brings Iain McDonald back to its board as non-executive chair just seven months after he stepped down, replacing Tim Morris with immediate effect. McDonald served on the board from June 2017 until February and says it was a "very difficult decision" to leave earlier this year. He returns as the group says the substantive elements of its operational turnaround are complete and its focus is shifting to rebuilding equity value. McDonald is also a material investor in boohoo, personally and through funds managed by his Belerion Capital Group, with an interest in 17.8 million shares. The online fashion group also appoints Michael Stewart of Chrysalis Investment Partners and Eagle Eye Solutions Group founder Stephen Rothwell as independent non-executive directors with immediate effect. boohoo says the appointments strengthen the board's capital markets and technology expertise as it moves into the next phase of its strategy, including developing its technology and AI-enabled platform. Morris leaves the board immediately after serving as chair since May 2021. JPMorgan UK Small Cap Growth & Income and Aberdeen UK Smaller Cos Growth Trust agree terms for a proposed combination, which would see Aberdeen UK Smaller Cos wound up and shareholders given the option to roll over their holdings into an enlarged JPMorgan UK Small Cap Growth & Income or take cash. The cash option is capped at 35% of Aberdeen UK Smaller Cos' issued share capital and would be priced at residual net asset value less a 2% discount. The enlarged trust would continue to be managed by JPMorgan Funds, with management fees reduced to 0.60% on net assets up to GBP200 million and 0.55% above that level. The combination is expected to complete by the end of 2026, subject to shareholder approvals, tax clearances and JPMorgan UK Small Cap Growth & Income passing its November continuation vote. Manju Malhotra and Steve Russell, currently directors of Aberdeen UK Smaller Cos, are expected to join the enlarged trust's board. Taboola.com agrees to acquire Dianomi in a recommended deal valuing the digital advertising firm at up to GBP27.0 million. Under the offer, Dianomi shareholders receive 64 pence in cash per share, valuing the company at around GBP19.0 million, plus contingent consideration of up to a further 24p per share. The cash portion represents a 68% premium to Dianomi's closing price of 38.0p on Thursday, while the maximum 88p consideration represents a 132% premium. Dianomi's board unanimously recommends the acquisition, while Taboola has secured irrevocable undertakings covering around 75.3% of Dianomi's issued shares. Taboola says the combination will strengthen its performance advertising offering, particularly across finance, business and lifestyle, while providing opportunities for revenue synergies and cost savings. The deal is expected to complete before the end of 2026, subject to shareholder, court and UK Competition & Markets Authority clearance. Thames Water's rescue deal by lenders should be rejected and the UK government should take it back into public control after the stricken supplier has been left in a damaging "doom loop", according to an influential group of MPs. A report by the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Efra, Committee said the GBP10 billion takeover plans by a consortium of over 100 creditors in Thames Water does not have "the interests of the public, the company or the environment at heart". The cross-party committee gives a stark warning that the top priority for the bidders, called London & Valley Water, is to "extract immediate value from Thames Water, not steer it to long-term success". The report also raises concerns among the MPs on the committee over the lack of information available on the many creditors in what it claims is an "opaque" consortium. By Eva Castanedo, Alliance News senior economics reporter (C) Alliance News - 2026

GDT earns spot on 2026 Fortune Best Workplaces in Texas list. Jun 30, 2026, 10:21 ET DALLAS, June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Great Place To Work(R) and Fortune magazine have recognized IT solutions provider GDT on the 2026 Fortune Best Workplaces in Texas(TM) list, ranking No. 28 among small and medium-sized businesses headquartered in Texas. The recognition is based entirely on employee feedback collected through the Great Place To Work's proprietary Trust Index(TM) survey, which measures key elements of workplace culture, including trust in leadership, respect, fairness, pride, camaraderie, employee well-being, and opportunities for growth. GDT was also recently recertified as a Great Place To Work-Certified(TM) organization in both the United States and India, with 90% of employees globally and 93% of U.S.-based employees saying GDT is a great place to work. "The best part of this recognition is knowing it comes directly from our employees," said Dave Arcemont, chief people officer at GDT. "Culture isn't something leadership creates. It's built every day by people who support one another, solve hard problems together, and genuinely care about the success of their teammates and customers. That's what makes GDT special, and it's why this recognition means so much to us." To determine the rankings, Great Place To Work analyzed confidential employee survey responses from eligible organizations across Texas. The methodology evaluates both the quality and consistency of workplace experiences across all employee groups and roles. Organizations with the broadest levels of positive employee feedback earn the highest rankings. To be eligible for the Fortune Best Workplaces in Texas list, companies must be Great Place To Work-Certified(TM), employ at least 10 people in the United States, and be headquartered in Texas. Organizations with 10 to 999 employees are considered in the small and medium business category. In the past year, Great Place To Work surveyed companies employing more than 7.3 million people across the United States and collected 1.3 million survey responses. Nearly 100,000 responses came from employees at companies eligible for the 2026 Fortune Best Workplaces in Texas list, with rankings determined entirely by employee feedback. GDT's continued recognition reflects the company's commitment to fostering a people-first culture that supports professional growth, innovation, collaboration, and exceptional client outcomes. GDT is a global IT solutions provider that delivers secure AI-ready, carrier-grade infrastructure and services to enterprise customers worldwide. With a 30-year heritage and a people-first approach, GDT helps organizations modernize and scale their IT environments to support innovation, resilience, and growth. Follow us on LinkedIn and explore GDT's culture and career opportunities. SOURCE GDT