London, October 13, 2025 – Sage Group plc, an accounting software industry leader based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, launched its latest generation AI-enabled platform today, sending a tsunami of its stock and dragging the FTSE 100 to unprecedented heights.

The shares increased by 3.2% to PS120.45 in early trade after a bullish note by Citi analysts, which saw the launch of Sage AI Insights, a program that will automate financial forecasting and compliance among small and medium enterprises.

With a wider market recovery following the sell-off of Friday due to tariffs, the innovation of Sage highlights the UK technology strength, which compares to the 15% YTD returns by the industry.

The FTSE 100, which had dropped by 0.86 per cent to 9,427 last Friday, dropped 0.5 per cent by midday to 9,480, boosted by defensive buying such as Sage against the last U.S.-China trade bets.

As equities around the world fluctuated due to Trump’s threats of tariffs, companies with software names that offer growth and are recession-proof saw investors flock to them. Old school heavyweight, Sage, which has a market capital of over PS38 billion, is now in the front line, with its shares increasing by more than 14 per cent a year, compared to the index.

Sage AI Insights: The Future of the SME Finance

Fundamentally, Sage AI Insights will be applied in the basic functions of accounting and attempts to predict cash flow interruptions with 92% accuracy and identify tax anomalies in real-time through machine learning.

The suite, which runs on the Intacct cloud by Sage, aims at the 6 million UK SMEs that are struggling with post-pandemic rebuilding and regulatory uncertainty. It has automated VAT reconciliation as per Making Tax Digital regulations, and generative AI to create custom financial reports, which reduces manual hours by up to 70%.

Its implementation is based on an R&D of PS200 million and collaboration with Microsoft Azure to implement AI on a large scale. CEO Steve Hare heralded it as a breakthrough to autonomous finance, fixing pains in areas such as late payments, which cost UK businesses PS8.3 billion yearly.

Retail and building 500 beta users are touting 25% efficiency improvements, which puts Sage to win a piece of the PS50 billion worldwide accounting software sector, increasing at a 12% CAGR.

This technology is in line with the UK digital economy drive, of which the growth strategy of the Labour Party looks at PS1 trillion of technological production by 2030. In the case of Sage, it does not rely solely on its traditional desktop solutions, but 80% of its revenues are coming through cloud subscriptions, versus 60% in 2023.

The action will counter the threat of competitors such as Intuit and Xero in the United States, as Sage will have a strong presence in Europe-45% of its sales in continental markets.

Upgrade Citi: Fueling Investor Optimism

The reiteration of a buy rating with a PS135 target by Citi, which suggested a 12% increase, mentioned the AI momentum of Sage as one of the factors. Analysts project 11% revenue growth to PS2.2 billion by fiscal 2026 and an increase in EBITDA margins to 32 per cent on cost efficiencies.

The note points to Sage having a 98% recurring revenue stream, which offers stability in the volatile markets, and the possibility of a bolt-on acquisition in AI in payroll. In 5 years, the stock has increased by two times, making PS10,000 worth PS20,500, which includes dividends.

The current pop is the largest single-day increase since July, and the volume was 50 per cent above average. Sage crushes FTSE tech laggards: Darktrace up Flat, Softcat Up 1%. The 1.8 yield and 28x P/E imply that it is priced at a premium based on growth, which is an average of 12x on the FTSE.

There are still challenges: GDPR-based data privacy and AI ethics can be fined, and SME spending can be hit by the economic slowdown. However, Sage has PS1.5 billion cash reserves that support resiliency, such as a recent PS100 million share repurchase.

Sector Ripples and FTSE Momentum

Convatec, AstraZeneca, and its UK tech company, Sage, buzz in the UK, echoing the U.S. R&D promise by Convatec and its listing pivot. The FTSE technology sub-index improved by 1.2, and it was offset by the 11th month of manufacturing contraction, according to S&P PMI. PMI of services at 52.8 is an indicator of vigour, which favours the demand for software.

Wider picture: Asian markets and the U.S. futures are up 0.3% after Columbus Day, overcoming the tariff phobia. In energy, Brent at $72 helps, but in the rise of Sage, Non-cyclicals are outstanding. The chances of the Bank of England reducing rates to 3.75 per cent by December support growth stocks.

Prospect: AI as the Engine of Growth of Sage

The Q2 November 12 results will describe AI uptake, and it will recommend 10-12% organic growth. Analysts project PS3 billion revenue in 2028, which is enabled by 20 per cent AI penetration. To investors, Sage is a defensive bet in uncertainty, combining stability and innovation.

Sage is an example of the tech shift in Britain as FTSE looks at 9,500. With the modern trade wars, an homeless software is a bright thing, and AI is not simply a hype, it is a key to FTSE leadership that Sage can reach thanks to AI.

London, October 13, 2025 – Shell plc has been pleased to welcome Spanish energy giant Moeve as the first external supplier to its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blockchain-based platform in a move that highlights the rapid change to green energy.

Coming at an opportune moment when the trading week began with choppy moves, the announcement has been a small ray of sunlight to the stock of oil giant investors, which are gaining slightly in the initial London trading despite the more general jitters in the market over the trade tensions between the U.S. and China.

The shares of Shell, which trade on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker SHEL, opened just slightly higher, up 0.4 per cent to trade at about PS26.50 in the mid-morning. This increase is in the face of a flat FTSE 100 index itself, in the face of the lingering fears in the aftermath of the sharp sell-off on Wall Street last week.

The joint venture with Moeve not only supports Shell in the expanding SAF market but also shows the strategic shift of the company to low-carbon solutions, which makes a significant part of the long-term expansion strategy when regulators and stakeholders increasingly pressure companies to decarbonise the aviation industry.

Dismantling the Moeve-Shell Partnership

The core of this change is the Shell Avelia platform, a digital marketplace that was introduced in 2022 in collaboration with American Express Global Business Travel and Accenture. Avelia is based on a book and claim system where the airlines, fuel manufacturers and corporate clients can exchange certificates to use SAF without the actual delivery at each airport.

This system is based on blockchain technology that handles the issue of transparency, traceability, and verifiable claims, addressing one of the largest obstacles to scaling green fuels, which will demonstrate their environmental impact.

Moeve (formerly Cepsa and the second-largest Spanish oil refiner) is a major force at the table. The company has been increasing its production of SAF at its state-of-the-art La Rabida Energy Park plant, where waste-based feeds such as used cooking oil are used to produce drop-in fuels that can be used by the existing aircraft engines.

Moeve also intends to achieve a scale of 800,000 metric tons annually in output by 2030, which is a very high target, yet it is perfectly aligned with the world aviation aim to reduce emissions by as much as 50 per cent by mid-century.

Through incorporating in Avelia, Moeve will have access to an international market network of purchasers, comprising large airlines and organisations that are keen to neutralise their carbon footprints. In the case of Shell, this will be a milestone in broadening the supplier base of the platform to the outside operations of the platform.

Since its inception, Avelia has already certified more than 41 million gallons of SAF in 17 airports around the globe, yet the introduction of external participants such as Moeve is likely to accelerate the adoption of SAF.

According to industry pundits, this would see SAF being able to increase its portion of the total aviation fuel to something significant, 5-10 per cent by the close of the decade, as opposed to the paltry 0.7 per cent it has at the moment, which has been projected to grow to 10 per cent by the close of this year alone.

The partnership is symptomatic of a wider trend in the industry, in which the use of the industry experience of oil giants in renewables is taking place. SAF is a high-margin opportunity for Shell, which has already invested billions in hydrogen, biofuels, and charging of electric vehicles.

As aviation contributes approximately two per cent of all CO2 gases globally, the certified green fuel market is booming with mandates in the EU, which mandate 6 per cent SAF by 2030 and policies in the UK, which also mandate similar requirements.

Green Transition Strategic Implications to Shell

The agreement provides Shell with a point of contention over the speed at which it is selling off fossil products. In early 2021, the company announced its plan for the Capital Markets Day with a promise of PS10-15 billion annual returns to shareholders till 2025 and devoting up to 25 per cent of capital investment to low-carbon projects. SAF can be well placed within this structure, and it provides a transition between old-fashioned oil trading and energy services of tomorrow.

In the case of Moeve, the tie-up makes it more visible in the foreign markets. Being a comparably new participant in the SAF, which rebranded in 2024, the Spanish company can leverage an established network of logistics and the credibility of Shell.

The combined capability of the two (Shell being a digital expert and Moeve a production powerhouse) might reduce the costs and increase the efficiency of the supply chain, which will make SAF more competitive compared to conventional jet fuel, which is 2-4 times cheaper in terms of gallon-per-gallon prices. There is a feeling of optimism among the environmental groups because they feel that the news is a tangible move towards dealing with the promises of the Paris Agreement.

Nevertheless, there are still hurdles to overcome, a shortage of feedstock, and expensive initial capital investments may limit growth unless the government intervenes in the form of subsidies or carbon taxation. Such innovations benefit the UK with its Jet Zero strategy, which seeks to have net-zero aviation by 2050, which would result in thousands of green jobs in refining and distribution.

Share Price Dynamics: A Sceptical Rebound

In 2025, Shell shares have fallen by approximately 5 per cent since the year-end due to declining oil prices and negative geopolitical impacts on the company. The primary measure, Brent crude, rose 1 per cent today to approximately 72 per barrel, following a fall to five-month lows on Friday due to optimism that U.S.-China rhetoric would de-escalate.

The Moeve deal was another tailwind, with traders referring to it as a boost in interest in Shell’s diversified portfolio. Shell slightly outperformed its counterparts: BP fell 0.2 per cent as TotalEnergies in Paris rose 0.1 per cent.

The resilience of a PS10,000 investment in Shell over the last five years would have increased to approximately PS14,100. The company has recently paid 1.32 million shares back to the market as a buyback, demonstrating its confidence in the valuation.

In the future, Shell will provide more hints on the performance of trading with its third-quarter update, which will be presented later this month. It is projected to have a stable LNG, which is a boon in Shell earnings, yet refining margins are tightened due to oversupply.

Shareholders will be keen on the performance of the Moeve integration into the actual revenues, and this would be able to increase tens of millions of dollars in Shell SAF’s book in the near future.

Staying on the Broader Market Turbulence

The current FTSE 100 index covers volatility. Asian markets crashed on the profit taking, the U.S futures are signalling a possible recovery after Donald Trump reversed his tariff move against China.

In the case of UK energy stocks, the industry beats 1% a week, indicating optimism in hydrogen trials and wind offshore auctions, but with Russian threats of a hybrid invasion of the European grids, there is an element of risk.

Here, the SAF push of Shell would make it a progressive thinker. When Big Oil is struggling with dwindling mega-profits (down 30% as of 2022), such renewable investments as this joint venture may insulate dividends and fuel future growth. Shell has a forward yield of 4.2 per cent. and a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.5, which makes it a defensive income-seeking stock.

With the aviation industry racing to sustainability, the alliance between Shell and Moeve may be groundbreaking. To the shareholders, it’s a disturbance of the fact that in a transition period, flexibility is not greenwashing, but good business.

It remains to be seen whether this leads to a long-lasting surge or ends up being dampened in the vagaries of oil; however, one thing is clear: the skies are turning greener and Shell is in the flight.

London, October 10, 2025 – The London stock market fell 3 per cent in afternoon trading on Friday on shares of the Pets at Home Group PLC, the biggest pet care retailer in the UK, as it announced the results of its full-year activities that were above expectations but showed that the high-margin veterinary services unit was not performing very well.

The FTSE 250-quoted company that has more than 450 stores and a network of veterinary practices also pointed to robust retail sales but volatile growth in the professional services because of inflationary consumer expenditure pressures.

The Handforth-based company posted pre-tax underlying profit of PS136.6 million in the 52 weeks ended July 13, 2025, which is higher than the analyst expectations of PS132 million. The group revenue increased to PS1.45 billion by 4.6%, and the like-for-like sales grew 2.8% following a growth of 6% in its retailing side.

Vets4Pets and Companion Care divisions, however, experienced a growth in revenue of 7.5 per cent against 12 per cent last year, raising some investor worries that the company may struggle to maintain its margin in a cost-conscious setting.

The shares of Pets at Home dropped to 268 pence per share and wiped out PS50 million of its PS1.2 billion market cap and trailed the FTSE 250 by 0.1%. To date, the company has declined by 8 per cent on a year-to-year basis, representing the retail industry issues more broadly, but the profit’s better-than-expected performance first created optimism of a recovery.

Resilient Profitability in the Pet Boom Challenges

The annual report of Pets at Home referred to a solid performance in a year of economic volatility, with pet parenting, which currently influences 62% of UK households, holding the high-end food, accessories and grooming markets.

Its retail business, which includes its Vets4Pets, made PS1.1billion sales, up 3.8%, driven by own-label, which took 45 per cent market share, and e-commerce increased 15 per cent through its app and its site.

The CEO, Peter Singleton, focused on strategic investments: “We have strengthened our omnichannel environment, combining brick-and-mortar shops with digital convenience to support the changing needs of pet owners.

Highlights were that there was an increase in subscription services such as the Complete Care plan (bundled vet visits and insurance) by 20 per cent, and it brought PS80 million in recurring revenue. Gross margins were maintained at 38.5 per cent, which was supported by supply chain efficiencies that counter a 5 per cent increase in freight costs.

The veterinary division, which brings 25 per cent of profits, is also a driver of growth, with 530 practices currently being managed. However, the number of appointments increased by only 4% due to clients delaying non-urgent procedures under the cost-of-living pressure. Singleton said, “Inflation at 2.1 is easing, though discretionary spending on pet health is breathing less easily; we are making a cut on value-added packages.”

Market Reaction Signals Caution on Services Slowdown

The share slide reflects investor caution in the PS8 billion UK pet industry, where pet expenditure had stalled at PS1,200 per head a year following the pandemic influx. The reduction in the growth of the vets was a warning sign to traders, and one of the City analysts noted, “The Pets at Home retail stronghold was good, but services were the profit booster; any outlet was exposed to several forms of compression.

The stock trades at 11 times forward earnings, a discount compared to peers like CVS Group at 14 times. However, the drop has caused the yield of the stock to fall to a seductive 3.9%.

This is after a transformative year: In June, Pets at Home bought a 50.1% majority stake in its vet joint venture, PS250 million, and acquired full ownership, along with the potential to accrue 10% EPS each year.

The transaction, which was financed through a PS200 million rights issue, leaves the group in a position to combine its services in a more seamless manner in an attempt to achieve PS50 million synergies by 2027. Interim dividend was held at 6.7 pence, which was proposed to be final at 10.1, and is equivalent to 16.8, 5 per cent up, and 1.6 times covered.

The outlook to the new fiscal year is 3-5% revenue increase and PS140 million underlying profit, with no significant inflation fluctuations and no significant supply shocks. The analysts are celebrating the prospects in which the mean price forecast stands at 320 pence, which means a 19 per cent growth.

Expansion and Innovation to Drive Future Gains

Pets at Home is also speeding up the expansion of its stores with an expansion of 30 stores and 50 vet clinic remodels in 2026, with further expansion to the less served suburbs. A PS100M internal investment initiative will improve in-store technology, such as AI-based health scanners to identify early signs of disease, which will increase the use of the vets by 15%.

Sustainability is in the limelight, and 70% of the packaging is currently recyclable, and they have decided to attain 100% sustainable fish food by 2028. Such attempts are heard: 75% of customers mention eco-factors in their choice, according to the internal surveys.

On an international level, there is potential expansion in terms of franchise models through which the company can expand by adding PS100 million in sales by the end of the decade through exploratory talks of European entry.

Singleton reinforced the element of community affiliation: “Pets are family- we are dedicated to affordable care. This will involve free microchipping and collaborating with the RSPCA, boosting brand loyalty in a market where 80 per cent of owners remain loyal to familiar ones.

Economic Forces and Segment Forces

Headwinds persist. An increase in the veteran wage, which increased by 7 per cent following an increase in the national living wage and an increase in medicine costs, which increased by 6 per cent, pressured the operating margins to 9.4 per cent.

Wider retail footfalls, which are decreasing by 1 per cent in the industry, are putting pressure, but Pets at Home has 95 per cent store occupancy against the trend. Regulatory risks loom, as the government conducts a review of the prices of the pet insurance, which may limit the premiums to an 8 per cent growth rate.

The industry has a balanced future: 4 per cent CAGR to PS10 billion in 2028 forecasted, with the trend of wellness, such as preventive nutrition. The main competitors, like Jardine Pet Services, are trailing behind with 2% growth, highlighting the dominance of 25% market share by Pets at Home.

Economic Pressures and Sector Dynamics

The value hunters can be attracted to Friday because the forward P/E of the stock of 10.5x does not reflect its ecosystem moat. Analysts such as Shore Capital have been pinned to the ground with the full control of vets and anticipate a 12% growth in the EPS. With the outcome in the future pulling further than the November capital markets day, the emphasis narrows in on services rebound.

This is not just selling to a nation where pets have more than children- Pets at Home is cultivating a PS100 billion lifetime value per customer. Unconditioned pet love tailwind, though shaky, ensures this profit win, and positions shares in the prospect of another wag of market approval.