The FTSE 100 closed up 5.04 points at 7630.02. Among the companies with reports and trading updates today are IAG, Haleon, LSEG, Ocado and Howden Joinery.
The consumer healthcare giant, whose brands include painkillers Advil and Panadol, revealed turnover rose by 4.1 per cent to £11.3billion in 2023, compared to 13.8 per cent the previous year.The London-based company's shares were 8.9 per cent higher at 841.2p by midday, making them the second-biggest FTSE 250 riser behind power generation business Drax Group.A bidding war is heating up for the ownership of Wincanton after US-based GXO Logistics revealed a £762million bid for the British firm on Thursday.The Chancellor revealed in last November's Autumn Statement that he was considering a public retail offer as the Treasury aims to sell more of its stake.TDR Capital, which also owns pub group Stonegate and David Lloyd Leisure, has bought a majority stake from previous owner Kester Capital.Klarna boss Sebastian Siemiatkowski (pictured) said that it had 'made a conscious decision to invest in growth in the peak shopping season''.Wincanton's bosses are unanimously advising their investors to support a 480 pence per share bid from CEVA Logistics, a subsidiary of French shipping giant CMA CGM.Glencore saw its net income plunge by three-quarters to $4.3billion last year, while Rio Tinto revealed post-tax profits tumbled by 19 per cent to $10billion.