Shares in biotech firm Oxford BioDynamics (OBD) soared as the firm launched its ‘highly accurate’ prostate cancer test in the UK and the US.

The AIM-listed group jumped 156.5pc, or 16.35p, to 26.8p after announcing it has brought forward the launch of the test to coincide with Prostate Cancer Awareness month.

It means men being screened for prostate cancer will be able to access the test, which was shown earlier this year to be 94pc accurate. This was much higher than the blood test used by the NHS and doctors elsewhere, which has an accuracy rating of around 55pc.

OBD said the test will offer an alternative for patients to the more invasive procedures to confirm a cancer diagnosis such as a prostate biopsy, which can carry health risks.

The announcement followed results from a study in February which showed the prostate cancer test had ‘significant potential’ to accurately and rapidly deliver results for patients and doctors. The company added that the test will be available immediately to both US and UK patients, with results initially being processed through its American facility.

It said it expected to be able to process tests from its lab in Oxford early next year, shortening waiting times for results.

‘There is a clear need in everyday clinical practice for a much more accurate blood test that can screen men for prostate cancer and accurately identify those at risk, while sparing those who up to now would be subject to unnecessary, expensive, and invasive procedures,’ said OBD boss Jon Burrows. ‘It feels wholly appropriate that the early launch of the test coincides with Prostate Cancer Awareness month.’

With concerns about the global economy and outlook for interest rates still on traders’ minds, the wider stock market struggled for direction, with the FTSE 100 inching up 0.02pc, or 1.73 points, to 7625.72 and the FTSE 250 falling 0.4pc, or 78.66 points, to 18336.65.

Shares in RS Group jumped 5.5pc, or 39p, to 749p on speculation it has attracted takeover interest. The rise valued the FTSE 100 firm, which distributes electrical products and components, at almost £3.4bn.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley gave Barclays a lift by upgrading the stock to ‘overweight’ from ‘equal-weight’ and raised the target price to 230p from 190p. Shares gained 3.9pc, or 6.04p, to 159.68p.

But wealth manager Close Brothers went the other way after annual profits more than halved. They fell 52pc to £112m in the 12 months to the end of July.

The company was hit by high provisions at troubled lending arm Novitas and lower income from trading division Winterflood. Shares lost 1.9pc, or 16p, to 836.5p.

There was some much-needed respite for Ladbrokes and Coral owner Entain following a hefty sell-off in the previous session. Having fallen 13pc on Monday after warning that tough online gaming rules and a string of punter-friendly football results were taking their toll, the stock edged up 3.2pc, or 29.4p, to 947.4p yesterday.

Hygiene and beauty group PZ Cussons, the maker of Imperial Leather and Carex, reported a 10.7pc rise in annual revenues to £656.3m but profits dipped 4.2pc to £61.8m. It said trading since the start of the new financial year in June ‘has been in line with expectations’. Shares dropped 5.1pc, or 8.2p, to 151.8p.

Van rental firm Redde Northgate said demand continued to outstrip supply in the UK and Ireland as it made a strong start to the financial year. The update came ahead of its AGM, which saw more than 13pc of investors rebel over pay. Shares added 1.5pc, or 5p, to 339.5p.

Gemma Collins has shared her hopes to front British Vogue as she revealed the magazine’s former editor Edward Enninful is a fan of hers.

After ditching her ‘loud and proud’ style for ‘a look that’s more Victoria Beckham’ the TV personality, 42, discussed toning down her outfits in an exclusive interview with MailOnline.

Joking she is ‘getting on a bit’, she underwent a transformation with TK Maxx and admitted people might not recognise ‘The GC now she’s looking more VB.’

Elsewhere, Gemma, who once spent £50k a day in Gucci, explained how she now ‘loves a high street bargain’ after her past spending habits left her ‘feeling sick.’

Known for her flamboyant looks with bold, bright colours and plenty of feathers, Gemma gave denim and camel tones a try as she adopted ‘the quiet luxury trend’ in a new photoshoot with the retailer.

The former TOWIE star also revealed her dreams of covering Vogue, she said: ‘I heard Edward Enninful is a fan of mine!’ 

‘I was hoping that he might put me on the cover of Vogue after Maya Jama did her’s.’

Unfortunately, British Vogue’s editor-in-chief announced he was leaving his role, amid rumours of a transatlantic power struggle with Anna Wintour. He has since been replaced by Chioma Nnadi.

‘I don’t know if I’ll ever make it to the cover now!’ Gemma exclaimed, ‘I was pinning all my hopes on Edward Enninful being a fan!’

Speaking of her style overhaul, she added: ‘I like to be loud and proud but since finding the quiet luxury trend I’m going to whack on those Autumnal tones.

‘I am getting on a bit now, I am 42 and there’s a time and a place for everything.’

Citing Posh Spice as her inspiration, Gemma said: ‘Victoria Beckham nails it every time and I just thought that maybe I should start strutting through Knightsbridge looking a bit more VB.

‘I don’t think people will recognise me! They’ll be like, “is that The GC in a camel coat?!’

‘These camel and beige tones are exquisite for the winter, so you are going to be seeing a lot more of that from me.’

‘For the winter I am going all in. I’ve been pulled out of my comfort zone. I wore a denim skirt! I look stylish, hun.’

As she partner’s with TK Maxx for the ‘There’s No Deal Like a TK Deal’ campaign, Gemma also admitted that she now ‘feels sick’ at the thought of how much she used to spend, saying ‘people should be buying houses not handbags.’

‘I feel really sick about how I used to spend money actually. Everyone maybe needs to get it out their system at some point. 

‘But I do feel sick about how much money I used to spend in the designer stores. If you want a Chanel handbag, that is an investment, but people need to be buying properties and not handbags that’s for sure.

‘Now I go down TK Maxx and I can get a full outfit and everything for the same price as a bag.’

Entain shares nosedived after the firm warned revenues will be weaker than expected this quarter amid tougher regulatory headwinds and slower trade. 

The FTSE 100 Ladbrokes owner expects a ‘high single digit percent’ decline in third-quarter online net gaming revenue on a pro-forma basis, it told shareholders on Monday.

The Gibraltar-based company also expects group online gaming revenue for the full year to be down by ‘low single digit percent’ on a pro-forma basis. 

Entain shares tumbled by 12.05 per cent to 928.80p in early afternoon trading  

The business had previously predicted that annual growth would be in the low to mid-single digits.

Jette Nygaard-Andersen, CEO of Entain, said: ‘We continue to see good underlying growth in our online business and are reiterating our EBITDA guidance for the year despite softer than expected revenue growth in Q3 and the ongoing roll-out of industry-leading safer gambling measures. 

‘We continue to attract more customers than ever before to enjoy our products and services.’

Last week, data revealed that the percentage of online gamblers seeking support for problems related to slot games has almost doubled in the past five years.

Of those who disclosed difficulties with online gambling on the National Gambling Helpline last year, 60 per cent cited online slots as one of the main activities they struggled with – up from 34 per cent in 2018-19, according to data from the service’s operator, GamCare.

The findings come as the government consults on introducing maximum stake limits for online slot games.

Some 73 per cent of the 5,660 callers to the helpline last year said they had struggled with online gambling. 

The spotlight on problematic gambling comes as countries around the world, including the UK, place stronger controls on the industry to protect consumers. 

The British government recently laid out long-awaited plans to crack down on problem gambling with proposals that would see new limits on online stakes, increased affordability checks on customers and a new statutory levy on betting firms to fund research, education and treatment for problem gamblers.

Nygaard-Andersen added: ‘We have made significant changes to the group over the last three years. Our focus now is on accelerating the actions we are taking to drive sustainable organic growth, expand our margins, capitalise on the US opportunity and deliver long-term returns for our shareholders. 

‘We remain confident in our ability to deliver on the vast opportunities ahead of us, and look forward to sharing more detail about the changes that we are making alongside our Q3 trading update in November.’

Mothercare shares plummeted on Friday after the embattled retailer swung to an annual loss. 

However, the group told investors that it has nearly completed a refinancing of its debt pile, which became unmanageable after 14 consecutive Bank of England interest rate hikes. 

The mother and baby products retailer is in discussions with a number of stakeholders and financing partners. 

The Watford-based firm has endured a torrid few years, culminating in its UK division entering administration in 2019 amidst mounting losses and fierce competition from supermarket chains. 

It is now run as a franchise business. In the UK, it sells its goods such as baby clothes, toys and bedding through Boots.

Mothercare saw a 16 per cent decline in worldwide retail sales to £322.7million over the year to March, driving it to a a statutory loss of £100,000 for the year from a profit of £12.1million the prior year.

The decline was driven by challenges in its Middle Eastern markets, as well as its exit from Russia following the conflict in Ukraine. 

Mothercare shares fell by 15.66 per cent to 3.50p in afternoon trading on Friday.

The London-listed business said that the pandemic had a big impact on the group with its franchise partners having to clear old inventory, reduce costs and lower the level of investment it can make in Mothercare.

Mothercare said: ‘This is likely to mean that the return to pre pandemic levels of trading will take longer and we are working with our partners to assist that recovery.’

It comes after the interest rate on its existing £19.5 million four-year loan facility shot up to 19.2 per cent. It stressed it does not need additional liquidity, but that it would be ‘preferable to accommodate business development and unanticipated challenges’.

The group is targeting an operating profit of £10million from its franchise operations. 

Some 30 million babies are born each year across the globe, which presents opportunities for the brand, it said. 

Mothercare added it is still not operating in eight of the top 10 markets in the world, ranked by wealth and birth rate. 

Clive Whiley, Mothercare’s chairman, said: ‘We have a compelling market opportunity. 

‘Mothercare remains in an unparalleled position of being a highly trusted British heritage brand, with a significant opportunity to leverage this brand equity and grow our global presence beyond our existing franchise network.’

In June, then Mothercare’s boss Daniel Le Vesconte resigned with immediate effect after less than five months in the job amid continued turmoil at the maternity products retailer. 

Le Vesconte became chief executive in mid-January, making him the first person to hold the post since Mark Newton-Jones left in early 2020.

He arrived soon after the company declared a significant slump in half-year profits and revenues following its exit from Russia, where it earned between a fifth and a quarter of its global retail sales.

Whiley added: ‘There is still work to do, but we are excited about the future prospects for Mothercare as we leave behind the turmoil of recent years.’ 

 Among the companies with reports and trading updates today are Ocado, Kingfisher, Trustpilot, Tui, Henry Boot and Hargreaves Lansdown. Read the Tuesday 19 September Business Live blog below.

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Games Workshop’s shares skyrocketed as the lined-up bumper shareholder rewards after stronger-then-expected trade this summer.

The FTSE 250 miniature maker’s sales boomed in the three months to 27 August, bringing in core revenues of £121million, up from £106million during the same period last year.

The Nottingham-based Warhammer owner declared a dividend of 50p per share, taking dividends declared so far this fiscal year to £1.95 per share,  up £1.20 per share in 2022.

Games Workshop shares soared by 11.26 per cent to 11,560p in early afternoon trading on Friday.

The group revealed that profit before tax is estimated at £57 million for the full-year, up from £39million, ‘driven by healthy growth across all channels’. 

The board game company also said its licensing revenue has doubled year-on-year to £6million.

In July, the company admitted that it accidentally paid investors millions in illegal dividends.

Games Workshop said that due to a ‘minor technical breach’ a 45p per share dividend was paid out last November before it filed its half-year accounts with Companies House.

That meant the payment amounted to an ‘unlawful dividend’.

Hilton Food Group shares soared on Thursday after the FTSE 250 group signed a deal with Walmart to supply the retail giant’s Canadian hypermarket stores.

The food packaging business revealed it would build a new manufacturing plant in Eastern Canada that will deliver various meat products, beginning with beef, lamb, pork and seafood, to Walmart ‘supercentres’.

A newly-created subsidiary of Hilton is set to finance construction of the packing facilities, with debt used for funding investment in plant and equipment.

It hopes to commence production by 2026, with its first North American factory offering robotised store order picking into Walmart’s distribution outlets.

The Huntingdon-based firm believes the tie-up ‘represents a significant step forward’ for both groups in satisfying the growing demand in Canada for ‘high-quality, good value and increasingly sustainable protein products’.

Walmart is one of Canada’s largest employers and serves 1.5 million customers per day across more than 400 outlets. 

Following the trading update, Hilton Food Group shares jumped 8 per cent to £7.84 on Thursday lunchtime, making them the second-best performer on the FTSE 250 Index behind Trainline.

Steve Murrells, chief executive of Hilton, said the agreement was ‘another sign of the strength of our customer offer, as well as growing consumer demand for high quality, affordable, protein products, which we can deliver through our scale, international experience, and supply chain expertise’.

He added: ‘Hilton Foods and Walmart share the same high standards of sustainability, and we are looking forward to providing Walmart with the service and range of quality products for which Hilton Foods is known.’

Murrells, the former Co-Operative Group boss, took over at Hilton in July following the departure of Philip Heffer, who had been in charge for five years and with the firm for almost three decades.

The company’s new supply deal comes a week after it released half-year results showing sales rose by 5.2 per cent for £2.1billion for the 28 weeks ending 16 July.

Revenue growth reflected rising volumes and raw material prices and a full-trading period for Foppen, a smoked salmon producer bought by Hilton in March 2022.

Trading was further uplifted by a continued strong performance from its core meat category and a rebound in seafood demand. 

Yet adjusted pre-tax profits slumped by 22.8 per cent to £26.8million due to higher interest payments and cost inflation, which particularly impacted Dalco, a vegan and vegetarian food manufacturer in the Netherlands.

Founded in 1994, Hilton supplies food to retailers across 19 countries, including supermarket chains Tesco, Morrisons and Waitrose, as well as pub chain Mitchells & Butlers and cruise shipping firm Carnival.

Barkby Group shares more than doubled in value on Monday after it revealed the potential sale of a sleep technology developer, in a possible deal worth tens of millions. 

The AIM-listed firm told investors it was ‘exploring options to maximise shareholder value’ from Cambridge Sleep Sciences (CSS), which uses neuroscience to manufacture products for improving natural sleep.

Sky News first reported on Sunday that the firm was considering a possible sale of CSS in order to concentrate on its roadside real estate portfolio.

Based in Abingdon, Barkby operates several convenience retail stores, drive-thru restaurants and EV charging infrastructure points, among other assets in arterial road locations.

It also owns a used car dealership in Northamptonshire and six gastropubs across the Cotswolds, Oxfordshire and Sussex.

The business said advisers had been appointed to begin a ‘strategic review’ of its investment in CSS, known for its SleepHub and SleepEngine products.

Reports suggest a sale could net Barkby around £50million, although the company insisted to investors there was ‘no certainty’ that any offer or sale will materialise.

Sky also reported that Barkby insiders were in discussions to give ‘prominent names’ in the hotel and healthcare industries access to the group’s technology.

In the coming three years, Barkby expects the division to generate turnover of at least £10million per annum based on currently agreed licensing agreements.

Three months ago, CSS signed a five-year deal with Sleep Sense International that will allow its SleepEngine platform to be used to develop a smart pillow.

Just a week later, the firm announced a partnership and licensing deal with Bowers & Wilkins, the consumer audio division of medical technology maker Masim.

Charles Dickson, executive chairman of Barkby, said: ‘We are delighted with the progress made by CSS over the last three years.

‘The market opportunity for its technologies is clearly significant, and we look forward to providing further updates on CSS’s progress in due course.

‘We expect CSS to become a significant business in its own right, and the purpose of the strategic review is to evaluate the most appropriate corporate setting and structure for the company to allow it to develop its full potential as well as what is in the best interests of Barkby’s shareholders.’

Barkby Group shares skyrocketed by 144.4 per cent, or 4.33p, to 7.33p following the announcement.

Shares in the copyright owner of a string of songs by the Supremes and Louis Armstrong surged 64 per cent yesterday after it agreed to a £376m US takeover.

Round Hill Music Royalty (RHM), whose catalogue of more than 150,000 songs includes I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) by Meat Loaf, announced a deal with Nashville-based Concord.

The announcement also threw the spotlight on London-listed rival Hipgnosis, whose shares jumped more than 15.6 per cent amid speculation it might also prove an attractive takeover target. Its catalogue includes songs from Shakira and Neil Young.

RHM was founded by Josh Gruss, a former Bear Stearns investment banker who also previously worked in the music industry.

Gruss will net around £24m for his stake in the company.

Concord chief executive Bob Valentine said RHM had ‘built an impressive portfolio of music rights which generate revenue across a variety of income streams’.

RHM’s catalogue is concentrated on ‘evergreen’ music made before 2010. Its business involves shelling out for musicians’ back catalogues, giving them a one-off payday. It then earns revenues when the songs are played on the radio or streaming platforms.

The biggest-earning song last year was the mournful 1975 hit All By Myself written by Eric Carmen followed by Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World.

They helped the company achieve royalties of £29m last year, and a £850,000 profit.