BUSINESS LIVE: GSK increases guidance; Next exceeds predictions; Aston Martin’s losses have almost doubled

Amazon posted sales of £1.25 billion a day at the start of the year as it benefited from demand for artificial intelligence technology.

The company said sales in the first three months of 2024 were £115 billion.

With the FTSE 100 hitting record highs and posting gains for the second consecutive month in April, it appears that investment firms have reaped the benefits.

Hargreaves Lansdown released a strong quarterly trading update, highlighting good momentum through the Isa season into the new tax year.

Pessimism about the economy is ‘disappearing’ as business confidence returns and mortgage loans recover.

In an upbeat survey published today, the Institute of Directors (IoD) said the economic confidence index is at its highest level since May last year.

The Duke of Westminster’s property company paid out more than £50 million in dividends – despite an annual loss.

Grosvenor, which owns large parts of London’s Mayfair and Belgravia, posted a loss of £28.6 million in 2023 after making a profit of £110.4 million the year before.

Deltic Energy has lashed out at the “hostile political climate” in Britain as it warned it may have to pull out of a major North Sea project.

Shares in the Aim-listed exploration company fell 47 per cent, or 18.1p, to 20.4p in the update, which covered Deltic’s 30 per cent stake in the majority-owned and operated Pensacola well by Shell.

The chairman of Anglo American has promised to meet with shareholders to discuss the looming takeover battle for the miner.

City grandmaster Stuart Chambers, who plans to sell blue chip companies, said yesterday he would hold talks with the company’s 30 biggest investors.

The pound at 8am was $1.2469, up from $1.2516 at the previous close.