CityFibre Expects More Business; FirstGroup Extends Rail Contract

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CITYFIBRE INFRASTRUCTURE HOLDINGS PLC (CFHL.LN), the fiber network provider, said it expects to win more business with EE's rival mobile telecommunications groups if EE's proposed takeover by telecoms giant BT Group PLC (BT.A.LN) goes ahead.

At 1200 GMT, shares down 2 pence, or 3%, at 65.5 pence.

FIRSTGROUP PLC (FGP.LN), a U.K.-based transport operator, said it signed an agreement with the U.K. government's department for transport to extend its operation of running train services in Western England until April 2019.

Shares +3.2 pence, or 3.4 %, at 98.3pence.

GVC HOLDINGS PLC (GVC.LN) is on the lookout for possible acquisitions and is in early talks with parties as part of its expansion plans, the online sports betting and gaming company said.

Shares +8 pence, or 1.8 %, at 462 pence.

FEVERTREE DRINKS PLC (FEVR.LN) reported a swing to pretax profit in 2014 as revenue rose, and the drink mixer supplier said it is positive about the outlook for 2015.

Shares -2 pence, or 0.9%, at 214 pence.

CENTAMIN PLC (CEE.T) rose after the U.K.-listed gold miner declared a maiden full-year dividend that beat expectations and reaffirmed its guidance for higher gold output this year after it completed the expansion of its flagship Sukari mine in Egypt.

Shares +8.4 pence, or 16%, at 62.1 pence.

CVC CAPITAL PARTNERS has sold Skrill Group, a U.K. payments systems company, to London-listed peer Optimal Payments PLC in a deal that values the company at 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion), Optimal said.

VERONA PHARMA PLC (VRP.LN) rallied after the drug development company announced encouraging results from the first part of a 120 subject clinical trial with RPL554, a treatment for acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Shares +0.5 pence, or 20%, at 3.1 pence.

AFREN PLC (AFR.LN), a debt-stricken Africa-focused oil company in the midst of hammering out a financial restructuring package with lenders, said it has notified the U.K.'s Serious Fraud Office that legal advisers brought in to review compliance have raised concerns over certain expense payments.

Shares -0.2 pence, or 6.9%, at 3.3 pence.

SVG CAPITAL PLC (SVI.LN), a private-equity group, reported net asset value-per-share growth of 14% to 588 pence (879.9 cents) in the 13 months ended Jan. 31.

Shares +7 pence, or 1.4%, at 512 pence.

SEVERFIELD PLC (SFR.LN), a steel group, said it has incurred almost 1 million pounds ($1.5 million) of costs to date relating to a program of bolt-replacement works at the Leadenhall Building in London, a contract that was completed by the group in 2013.

Shares -3 pence, or 4.4 %, at 64.8pence.

SILENCE THERAPEUTICS PLC (SLN.LN) rose after the biotechnology company reported "excellent" results from a study of its Atu027-I-02 drug candidate in pancreatic cancer.

Shares +52.5 pence, or 22%, at 290 pence.

CLEAN AIR POWER LTD (CAP.LN) dropped after the fuel-industry component manufacturer said 2014 was a challenging year, adding that there is a risk to its ability to continue as a going concern if it cannot increase its financial headroom.

Shares -1 pence, or 34%, at 2 pence.

SPACEANDPEOPLE PLC (SAL.LN), a retail, promotional and brand experience company, said 2014 was a challenging year for the company with lower-than-expected business gains from the U.K. and Germany.

Shares -10.5 pence, or 16%, at 56.5 pence.

EUROPA OIL & GAS (HOLDINGS) PLC (EOG.LN) dropped after the AIM-quoted oil and gas company said it will plug and abandon the Kiln Lane-1 conventional exploration well on License PEDL 181 in Northeast Lincolnshire.

Shares -0.9 pence, or 12%, at 6.5 pence.

FTSE Small-Cap +0.5%

AIM -0.2%

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