Consumer Defensive

Companies involved in the manufacture of food and beverages, household and personal care products, packaging and tobacco. The sector also includes firms providing education and training services. UK‑listed companies in this sector include Unilever plc, Diageo plc, Associated British Foods plc, Imperial Brands plc, Smurfit Kappa plc and Pearson plc.

Bunzl Plc expands with five acquisitions across Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Chile

Bunzl has announced the completion of two new acquisitions, Quindesur in Spain and Gisa in Mexico, alongside the previously disclosed purchases of Solupack in Brazil and Hospitalia in Chile...

August 26, 2025

Associated British Foods to acquire Hovis Group

Associated British Foods has agreed to acquire Hovis Group from Endless LLP, combining it with Allied Bakeries to form a more efficient and sustainable UK bread business...

August 15, 2025

Dekel Agri-Vision AGM to be held on 10 September 2025

Dekel Agri-Vision will hold its Annual General Meeting on 10 September 2025 in London. The Notice of AGM will be available on the company’s website and sent to shareholders who have requested a physical copy...

August 15, 2025

Dekel Agri-Vision sees record cashew output, higher palm oil prices

Dekel Agri-Vision has announced a July 2025 update, highlighting record monthly raw cashew nut processing of 533 tonnes at its Tiebissou plant, up 423% from July 2024...

August 11, 2025

Coca-Cola HBC reports 9.9% organic revenue growth in H1 2025

Coca-Cola HBC delivered 9.9% organic revenue growth and a 15.2% rise in reported EBIT to €649.8m for H1 2025, driven by strong performance in Emerging markets, pricing initiatives, and innovation across its 24/7 portfolio...

August 6, 2025

Diageo Plc FY25 profit down 28%, free cash flow rises to $2.7bn

Diageo reported FY25 operating profit of $4.3bn, down 27.8%, impacted by exceptional costs and currency headwinds. Organic net sales rose 1.7%, while free cash flow increased to $2.7bn. The group raised its cost savings target to $625m and reaffirmed its outlook for mid-single-digit profit growth in FY26...

August 5, 2025

Palm oil futures stir interest amid shifting rival oil dynamics

Palm oil futures are gaining support from shifting trade dynamics, currency trends and rival oil strength, pointing to a more favourable structural setup...

July 30, 2025

Palm oil trade turning tide

A convergence of favourable weather, measured export policies and strengthening demand is shaping a brighter outlook for palm oil traders and investors...

July 22, 2025

Dekel Agri-Vision appoints Jonathan Johnson-Watts as Non-Executive Chairman

Jonathan Johnson-Watts becomes Non-Executive Chairman with a 7.6% stake, replacing Andrew Tillery...

July 22, 2025

Greencore Group Q3 revenue up 9.9% to £511m, profit guidance lifted

Greencore grew Q3 FY25 revenue 9.9% to £511.1m, with volumes and mix up 6.8% and inflation recovery of 3.1%. Service levels remained high at 99.3%. The Group now expects FY25 Adjusted Operating Profit of £118–121m, above earlier guidance...

July 22, 2025

A rare alignment in the edible oil landscape

A subtle fusion of currency shifts, policy tweaks and cross‐commodity trends is transforming the palm oil landscape into a compelling arena for discerning investors...

July 18, 2025

Reckitt Benckiser to divest Essential Home business to Advent

Reckitt Benckiser Group plc has entered into an agreement to sell its Essential Home business to Advent International for an enterprise value of up to US$4.8 billion, while retaining a 30 percent equity stake...

July 18, 2025

James Cropper plc Strategy Reset Targets Growth (Video)

CEO David Stirling outlines a three-pillar strategy focused on reigniting growth in advanced materials..

July 18, 2025

Premier Foods Q1 update, Sweet Treats growth, FY25/26 profit held

For the 13 weeks to 28 June 2025, Group branded sales rose 1.2% and total sales 0.3%. Sweet Treats branded grew 11.4% on innovation, Grocery branded fell 2.0% on warmer weather. New categories up 38%, International up 5%...

July 17, 2025

B&M reports 4.4% Q1 revenue growth

Group revenues rose 4.4% to £1.405 bn in Q1 FY26, led by B&M UK’s 4.7% increase and B&M France’s 7.6% growth, with Heron Foods stable...

July 15, 2025

Palm oil prices uncover ties between fuels and currencies

Global energy trends and policy shifts are converging to drive palm oil into a new era of investor interest, blending culinary demand with biofuel potential...

July 14, 2025

British American Tobacco Plc APMEA leadership change

Michael Dijanosic will step down on 31 December 2025 and Pascale Meulemeester will succeed him as APMEA Regional Director and Management Board member from 1 January 2026...

July 14, 2025

Dekel Agri-Vision delivers 20% palm oil growth, 353% cashew surge

Dekel Agri-Vision reports that Palm Oil Operation revenue for H1 2025 rose by approximately 20 % year-on-year, driven by stronger CPO and PKO prices...

July 10, 2025

Fuel markets chart unseen course for palm oil

A subtle shift as palm oil’s ties to crude markets deepen suggests a fresh intersection of agriculture and energy that investors cannot ignore...

July 7, 2025

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25 June 2025

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22 May 2025

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18 August 2025

Drax Group appoints former Shell Executive Frank Lemmink as CFO

1 July 2025

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BrokerTalk

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12 August 2025

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12 August 2025

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FTSE 100 News

UK Broker Ratings

WH Smith PLC (SMWH.L): Exploring its Potential Amidst Market Volatility

29 August 2025

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29 August 2025

W.A.G Payment Solutions PLC (WPS.L): Navigating Growth in the European Transportation Payments Sector

29 August 2025

Vistry Group PLC (VTY.L): Navigating the Residential Construction Landscape Amidst Market Fluctuations

29 August 2025

Wetherspoon (JDW.L): Navigating the Current Market Landscape with Resilience

29 August 2025

Consumer Defensive

Bunzl Plc expands with five acquisitions across Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Chile

Bunzl has announced the completion of two new acquisitions, Quindesur in Spain and Gisa in Mexico, alongside the previously disclosed purchases of Solupack in Brazil and Hospitalia in Chile...

August 26, 2025

Associated British Foods to acquire Hovis Group

Associated British Foods has agreed to acquire Hovis Group from Endless LLP, combining it with Allied Bakeries to form a more efficient and sustainable UK bread business...

August 15, 2025

Dekel Agri-Vision AGM to be held on 10 September 2025

August 15, 2025

Dekel Agri-Vision sees record cashew output, higher palm oil prices

Dekel Agri-Vision has announced a July 2025 update, highlighting record monthly raw cashew nut processing of 533 tonnes at its Tiebissou plant, up 423% from July 2024...

August 11, 2025

Coca-Cola HBC reports 9.9% organic revenue growth in H1 2025

August 6, 2025

Diageo Plc FY25 profit down 28%, free cash flow rises to $2.7bn

August 5, 2025

Palm oil futures stir interest amid shifting rival oil dynamics

Palm oil futures are gaining support from shifting trade dynamics, currency trends and rival oil strength, pointing to a more favourable structural setup...

July 30, 2025

Palm oil trade turning tide

A convergence of favourable weather, measured export policies and strengthening demand is shaping a brighter outlook for palm oil traders and investors...

July 22, 2025

Dekel Agri-Vision appoints Jonathan Johnson-Watts as Non-Executive Chairman

Jonathan Johnson-Watts becomes Non-Executive Chairman with a 7.6% stake, replacing Andrew Tillery...

July 22, 2025

Greencore Group Q3 revenue up 9.9% to £511m, profit guidance lifted

July 22, 2025

A rare alignment in the edible oil landscape

A subtle fusion of currency shifts, policy tweaks and cross‐commodity trends is transforming the palm oil landscape into a compelling arena for discerning investors...

July 18, 2025

Reckitt Benckiser to divest Essential Home business to Advent

July 18, 2025

James Cropper plc Strategy Reset Targets Growth (Video)

CEO David Stirling outlines a three-pillar strategy focused on reigniting growth in advanced materials..

July 18, 2025

Premier Foods Q1 update, Sweet Treats growth, FY25/26 profit held

July 17, 2025

B&M reports 4.4% Q1 revenue growth

Group revenues rose 4.4% to £1.405 bn in Q1 FY26, led by B&M UK’s 4.7% increase and B&M France’s 7.6% growth, with Heron Foods stable...

July 15, 2025

Palm oil prices uncover ties between fuels and currencies

Global energy trends and policy shifts are converging to drive palm oil into a new era of investor interest, blending culinary demand with biofuel potential...

July 14, 2025

British American Tobacco Plc APMEA leadership change

Michael Dijanosic will step down on 31 December 2025 and Pascale Meulemeester will succeed him as APMEA Regional Director and Management Board member from 1 January 2026...

July 14, 2025

Dekel Agri-Vision delivers 20% palm oil growth, 353% cashew surge

Dekel Agri-Vision reports that Palm Oil Operation revenue for H1 2025 rose by approximately 20 % year-on-year, driven by stronger CPO and PKO prices...