Budget airline easyJet has hailed solid trading in the final quarter as demand was boosted by strikes at rivals Ryanair and British Airways.

It said it expects profit before tax for the year to September to be at the top end of company forecasts - between £420 million and £430 million.

EasyJet said it delivered an 8.6% surge in passenger numbers to 96 million for the year after it increased its capacity by more than 10%.

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However, total revenue per seat slipped by around 2.7% as airlines pulled prices down due to heavy consolidation in the sector.

In the second half of the year, total revenue per seat only decreased by 0.8% as it benefited from increased demand due to the strikes by Ryanair and BA pilots.

EasyJet's cost performance remained strong during the fourth quarter, despite "difficult disruption" in the sector during the period as tour operator Thomas Cook collapsed.

Rises in fuel costs, increased capacity and the weakness in the pound resulted in a 12% jump in the headline costs for the full year, the airline said.

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Chief executive Johan Lundgren said: "EasyJet has continued to perform in line with expectations, despite challenging market conditions.

"As a result of our self-help initiatives and the increased demand due to disruption at British Airways and Ryanair, we anticipate achieving headline profit before tax for the full year 2019 of between £420 million and £430 million.

"We have continued to invest in operational resilience, with the programme successfully reducing the impact of disruption on our operations."

Hollywood Bowl Group has seen shares push higher after it said new openings and refurbishments helped to drive profits ahead of expectations.

The entertainment business said it expects pre-tax profit for the year to September 30 to have risen by more than 10%, "slightly ahead" of market forecasts.

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The company welcomed a "strong performance" for the year, as it was boosted by its significant investment programme.

Total revenue for the year jumped 7.7%, while like-for-like revenue growth increased by 5.5%.

The group, which runs 60 ten-pin bowling sites across the UK, said it has made progress with its "customer-led strategy" over the year.

Recruiters PageGroup and Robert Walters saw shares tumble after laying bare the impact of Brexit and global political uncertainty on the jobs market.

PageGroup shares fell 7%, having opened as much as 15% lower after warning over annual earnings as profit growth slowed amid "heightened political and macro-economic challenges".

The firm reported a 2.1% rise in gross profit in the third quarter to £216.7 million, down sharply from the 7.4% growth seen in the previous three months.

Shares in fellow recruiter Robert Walters were also 7% lower after it cautioned that annual pre-tax profits are expected to flatline, blaming Brexit and political uncertainty elsewhere globally.

It revealed that UK gross profits tumbled 11% to £24.8 million in the three months to September 30, hit by weak confidence among employers and candidates as Brexit takes its toll.