Investors will be hopeful for another positive update when the company reveals its figures to the year to April on Thursday June 25.

The 10-year yield on UK gilts – Government bonds – rose by 0.05 percentage points to 4.81% shortly after the market opened.

The total volume of retail sales, which measures the quantity bought, rose by 1.2% last month.

The business and trade select committee has also urged Fujitsu to make an interim payment ‘immediately’ to support affected sub-postmasters.

It came as the FTSE 100 firm revealed a weaker-than-expected increase in sales for the past three months.

The Competition and Markets Authority has also made a currently voluntary data sharing tool a legal requirement for the firm.

Positive trading across Premier Inn in the UK and Germany was partially offset by a slump in food and drink sales caused the closure of restaurants.

The retailer revealed that total sales increased by 1% to £16.8 billion over the 13 weeks to May 30, compared with a year earlier.

Boss Rami Baitieh nevertheless said he was ‘pleased’ by the latest performance.

The Office for National Statistics said Consumer Prices Index inflation was 2.8% in May, remaining at the same rate as in April.

The rate of inflation was lower than expected by economists, who had predicted an uptick in inflation to 3%.

Airfare inflation and vehicle duty are expected to have driven a fresh increase in inflation for last month.

The move will see Yum sell the chain excluding Chinese operations to private equity firm LongRange Capital for 1.5 billion dollars (£1.1 billion).

The plans are part of long-term ambitions by Aldi to expand to 1,500 sites across the UK.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said ABF could have pulled out of the UK bakery sector if the merger were not to take place.

The company reported a £108.3 million pre-tax loss for the year to February 28, reducing from £326.4 million a year earlier.

However, the group said global information pressures and volatile conditions have weighed on UK market confidence in recent months.

The UK beauty and pharmacy giant revealed last week that it had held early discussions over a potential takeover deal.

Frasers currently owns a 22.9% stake in Accent but has now sought to take full ownership, amid a recent flurry of dealmaking by the UK firm.

Tesco will provide a trading update on Thursday June 18, alongside the firm’s annual general meeting.