THE DAILY BRIEFING

LOTTERY BONANZA The chief executive at Camelot, Nigel Railton, has warned of economic uncertainty and competition as it posted a 5.4pc increase in first-half National Lottery ticket sales. He was encouraged by the progress made over the period. In the six months to September 29, ticket sales amounted to £3.46bn, up £175.9m from a year earlier. Camelot generated £793.2m for good causes, which was up £46.5m.

SNOOZE NEWS Online mattress firm Eve Sleep is raising £15m to fund a strategy by new chief executive James Sturrock who wants to double the product range.

CINEMA SUCCESS Revenues at Cineworld jumped 11.6pc between January 1 and November 11 following the popularity of films including Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War.

COOK IN Clothing and homeware chain Laura Ashley has appointed its former finance boss David Cook as an independent non-executive director. Cook headed the finance division from 2002 to 2008.

£150M INVESTMENT Meat substitute producer Quorn Foods has opened the world’s biggest meat alternative factory in Billingham, Durham, part of a £150m investment to double production of its main range of goods. MUSIC MILLIONS Bristol-based Pirate Studios is to receive £15m from Talis Capital after a fundraising round, valuing the music production firm at £36m.

FORECAST CUT Another Apple supplier, Austria’s AMS, has cut its sales forecasts, adding to fears the latest iPhones are not selling well. The warning comes after the iPhone’s component makers, Lumentum, IQE and Japan Display, also cut their forecasts. AIRPORT BACKED A bid by London Stansted Airport to raise the limit on its passenger numbers has been approved by its local council in Essex. It wants the cap to rise from 35m to 43m so that it can grow over the next decade. The proposal will now go to the Government for a final decision.

ASSETS FALL Assets under management at Close Brothers fell 2pc to £10.2bn during its first quarter to the end of October due to market volatility. The group’s total client assets also fell between July and October, down 2pc to £11.9bn.