The UK market dipped in morning trading on news that European finance ministers will meet yet again to discuss whether to throw Greece a lifeline. European Union leaders also remain undecided on the escalating issue of illegal immigration.
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Homewares retailer Dunelm (DNLM) has appointed ex-Apple executive John Browett as chief executive designate. He will take over in January after a six month induction with current chief Will Adderley. William Reeve, a co-founder of LOVEFiLM - now owned by Amazon - and head of grocery start-up Hubbub, has signed on as a non-executive director, and non-executive director Andy Harrison will take over as Chairman on 8 July following Geoff Cooper's retirement.
Bank of Georgia (BGEO) has welcomed Hanna Loikkanen back into the fold. She stepped down as a non-executive director in 2013, but has rejoined as an independent non-executive director after her former employer, East Capital, sold its stake in BGH.
Shares in Lonmin (LMI) slid 4 per cent following the release of a report that delved into the deaths of 46 people - some of them striking mineworkers - at the platinum miner's Marikana project in August 2012. Management acknowledges they have lessons to learn and believe the report's release is a "vital step in the healing process".
Patrick de Smedt will join Michael Page International as an independent non-executive director from August. Mr de Smedt spent 23 years at Microsoft and currently serves on the boards of Victrex, Anite and Morgan Sindall.
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Shares in supermarket giant Tesco (TSCO) rose 4 per after the grocer narrowed its decline in like-for-like sales from 3.4 per cent to 1.3 per cent for the quarter to 30 May. It also grew like-for-like sales in central Europe and Turkey by 2.2 per cent.
Investors bid shares in Trinity Mirror (TNI) down 3 per cent after the Daily Mirror publisher said it expected a 9 per cent slump in underlying sales for the six months to 28 June, as digital growth fails to offset print declines. Management have doubled their full-year cost savings target to £20m.
Shares in Stanley Gibbons (SGI) crept up 1 per cent after the stamp seller posted a 44 per cent rise in adjusted pre-tax profits, compared to the 15-month period to end-March 2014. The group launched an online marketplace in late May.
OTHER COMPANY NEWS
Igas Energy (IGAS) shares fell 3 per cent after the UK shale gas explorer swung to a pre-tax loss of £18.5m in the year to March. Management blame the halving of the oil price in the second half of the year, which they have met with "tough, but necessary" cost reductions.
Shares in Plexus (POS) rose 3 per cent after the Aim-listed oil and gas engineering services netted £1.5m from its Afrotel subsidiary's sale of its stake in UK oil and gas group KSW. It will use the funds to identify international manufacturing partners for its POS-GRIP wellhead products.
Cybersecurity company Sophos (SOPH) revealed pricing for its flotation on 01 July. The offer price of 225p values the group at just over £1bn.
Wikipedia founder and The People's Operator (TPOP) chairman Jimmy Wales has shelled out just over £100,000 on shares in the charitable telecoms group, raising his stake to about 7.8 per cent.
The Co-operative Group has added Moneysupermarket chief Peter Plumb and ex-Future chief Stevie Spring to its board.
