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Atalaya Mining (ATYM) has made a surprise C$13.5mn (ÂŁ7.4mn) investment into a Canadian mining company developing a copper mine in Brazil. The Spanish miner has just raised ÂŁ130mn for internal growth so this is a drop in the pond, but still came as a surprise. The purchase will give Atalaya 7 per cent of Lara Exploration (CA:LRA).

“We were sitting tight and expecting an update on Touro permitting, but instead we are surprised with a C$13.5mn investment into a copper-gold project in Brazil,” said RBC analyst Laura Chan, who also noted Atalaya management had previously expressed a “willingness to venture outside of Spain”.

The company gave its shareholders little insight into the decision, saying only that it was for “investment purposes”.

It’s been a mixed winter in weather terms but utility SSE (SSE) increased its renewables output by 10 per cent nonetheless to 14.5 terawatt (TWh) hours. That helped push up FY2026 earnings per share guidance to 147p-152p, raising the low end from 144p.

SSE has expanded its renewables output by 50 per cent since FY2023, but will have to invest hugely to hit a 2030 goal of 50TWh.

The utility’s business is split between electricity networks, renewable and thermal generation. Operating profit expectations for the other business units remain the same.

The investment in FY2026 is largely in the networks unit, with a 60 per cent increase in spending. This is funded by a ÂŁ2bn equity raise completed in November.

RBC forecasts £3.6bn in capital spending in FY2026 and £5.8bn in 2027. SSE’s shares are up a fifth year-to-date, with the growth coming in January and February.

Shares in Speedy Hire (SDY) fell 11 per cent in early trading as the company blamed a difficult economic backdrop for the downgrade to its 2026 guidance.

The tool and equipment hire specialist said that market conditions had worsened since it reported interim results in November, attributing the deterioration to pre-Budget uncertainty and conflict in the Middle East.

Speedy’s board is consequently guiding for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) of £90mn for the year ended 31 March, 16 per cent below consensus expectations.

It added that it “remains confident of its outlook for FY2027”, when the company is guiding for its recent tie-up with ProService (PRO) to drive between £50mn and £55mn of additional revenue and increase earnings “significantly”.