STOCK WATCH

■ THE chief executive of the owner of restaurant group Fridays has resigned amid muted sales growth. Shares in Hostmore plunged 13.4pc, or 1.88p, to 12.14p after Robert B Cook stepped down from his role. Its brands include 63rd+1st and Fridays – recently rebranded from TGI Fridays. Revenues in December were £21.3m, marginally higher than the £21.2m it posted over the same month last year. Revenues for the 26 weeks to January 1 were 14pc below prepandemic levels from 2019.