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Sirius Real Estate (SRE) said alongside its full-year results that it would pause investment in the UK until the political direction was clearer. 

Chief executive Andrew Coombs told the IC that the tax environment for its small business tenants was more favourable in Germany, its other jurisdiction. He added that the one possible exception for UK acquisitions might be self-storage, where the company is looking to grow.

The company has made a couple of larger defence-led acquisitions in Germany in recent months as it continues its pivot towards this sector. Coombs said that defence-led sites “were the preferred [acquisition] approach” but that other sites would also be under consideration. 

Sirius reported funds from operations, a measure of cash flow, of €133mn (ÂŁ115mn) on rental income of €240mn, up 8 per cent and 11 per cent respectively versus the prior year. Like-for-like rental growth was 6 per cent. 

The total dividend increased 4 per cent to 6.40c. Shares rose 1 per cent in early trading.

Wise’s (US:WSE) shares fell this morning after reports that the international money transfer company was being investigated by prosecutors in Belgium over concerns criminals may be using its accounts to launder money.

Its shares dropped 14 per cent after the probe was reported by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism. In response, Wise said it is “working with the Brussels prosecutor to respond to queries” and that it was a “normal part of operations” to respond to requests from law enforcement agencies.

Wise recently switched its primary listing to the US and made its debut on the Nasdaq last month. In the past fiscal year, its transaction volume grew 26 per cent, while its underlying income rose 24 per cent. This recent report, though, means that in the year to date its shares have fallen 7 per cent.

House prices fell 0.6 per cent during May, according to Nationwide, the first monthly decline the lender has registered in 2026. The average house price is 1.7 per cent higher than a year ago at ÂŁ278,000.

Chief economist Robert Gardener said that “some loss of momentum was to be expected” given broader economic uncertainty.

He added that improving affordability and limited increases in swap rates provided “some confidence that, if the latest shock passes relatively quickly, and energy prices normalise in the quarters ahead, any near-term softening in the housing market will also prove short lived”.

Oil and gas equipment specialist Hunting (HTG) will be on the hunt for a new boss after chief executive Jim Johnson announced he would retire within the next year.

Johnson has led the company since 2017 but joined just a few years after it went public in 1989.

The American has overseen continued expansion through acquisitions, while the share price has largely remained in thrall to the oil market. The market value hit a peak in 2018 of over £1.4bn before plummeting to under £300mn as Covid-19 smashed the sector. A recent rise in subsea investment has carried Hunting’s shares higher again.

“I am very proud of how Hunting has navigated a period of almost unprecedented change to emerge as one of the leading businesses in our sector and would like to thank all of my Hunting colleagues for their hard work, dedication and commitment in making the business what it is today,” said Johnson.

EasyJet (EZJ) shares soared 9 per cent in early trading on takeover interest from American private markets investment group Castlelake, as the FTSE 250 budget airline struggles with the ramifications of the Middle East conflict. 

On Friday, Castlelake said it was “in the early stages of considering a possible offer” for EasyJet. Castlelake, which has acquired more than 2.1 per cent of EasyJet shares, has until 26 June under UK takeover rules to make a firm offer.

EasyJet responded this morning by describing the timing of Castlelake’s interest as “highly opportunistic” given its share price is “temporarily depressed due to the current situation in the Middle East and its impact on customer confidence and jet fuel prices”. The group’s shares are down 15 per cent this year.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Ruairi Cullinane argued EU/UK ownership rules could “complicate a takeover”.

Drax (DRX) has had a ÂŁ561mn offer accepted by the board of Bluefield Solar Income Fund (BSIF), massively expanding its renewable energy portfolio.

The wood-burning power plant operator said it was “transitioning” alongside the UK energy system, and Bluefield’s solar generation would be “highly complementary” to its current set of power plants. Drax also took commercial control of a new gas-fired power plant last week, which can be used when renewable generation is low.

Bluefield owns solar and onshore wind assets with a capacity of around 850 megawatts, powering an estimated 326,000 homes.

The offer price of 92.6p plus a 2.25p interim dividend compares to Bluefield’s share price of 79p before the announcement. The company had launched a sale process in November in light of its shares trading at a significant discount to net asset value.

The Drax offer sits 14 per cent below the fund’s NAV. “In the absence of consistent access to new equity capital, BSIF has been unable to expand its asset base at scale, resulting in a natural NAV decline for BSIF shareholders,” the fund said.

Drax will fund the acquisition through a new ÂŁ1.1bn bridging loan and is pausing a ÂŁ450mn buyback programme with ÂŁ375mn remaining because of the deal.

Given the scheme of arrangement structure, three quarters of Bluefield shareholders will need to vote in favour for it to go ahead. Bluefield shares climbed to 91p on the announcement, and also pulled up Foresight Solar Fund (FSFL) and NextEnergy Solar Fund (NESF), which rose 7 and 9 per cent respectively.

Shares in ME Group International (MEGP) plunged by almost a quarter this morning after the photobooth and vending machine operator blamed ongoing travel uncertainty for a “softening” in revenue, and downgraded its profit guidance.

The group now expects FY26 pre-tax profit to be between ÂŁ69mn and ÂŁ74mn, down from previous expectations of up to ÂŁ79mn.

Sales in ME Group’s photobooth business dropped 17 per cent in April as a result of lower demand for passport photos, while its laundry and washing machine business was hit by slower consumer spending.

The shares are down 48 per cent over the past 12 months, and were temporarily suspended in March after the delays in publishing its audited financial statements. Interim results are expected in July.

Applied Nutrition (APN) shares jumped 11 per cent in early trading, after the sports supplement company upgraded its revenue guidance and announced a new acquisition.

The FTSE 250 group said it now expects FY26 revenue of ÂŁ148mn, and revealed it has bought Nutrablend Group, a US-based manufacturer of private label health supplements, for $16mn (ÂŁ12mn) in an all-cash acquisition. 

The news helped the stock recover from a sharp decline in March, after the company disappointed the market by holding full-year sales guidance at ÂŁ140mn despite a bumper set of interim results, and warned on the impact of conflict in the Middle East. 

“The acquisition of a US manufacturing site significantly strengthens our ability to support ongoing growth in the region and provides us with the ability to expand our North American offering,” said chief executive Thomas Ryder. EW

Read more: Inside Applied Nutrition’s bulking-up strategy