LONDON -- The FTSE 100 (INDEX: ^FTSE) has regained yesterday's losses, rising 37 points by midday to 5,877. However, day-to-day movements in the index -- from U.S. elections, inflation, unemployment numbers, whatever -- don't really matter to long-term Fools.

But we do care about updates from individual companies, and here we take a look at three whose shares are benefiting from news today.

G4S (LSE: GFS.L)
Shares in security firm G4S put on 2% to 266 pence this morning after the release of an interim statement. Excluding the London 2012 Olympics contract, revenue for the year to date has grown by 6.9%, with organic growth reported at 5.5%. Operating margins were down a little, but that was expected.

G4S reiterated its estimate of a 50 million pound loss over the Olympics contract, and that has already been accounted for as an exceptional item in the company's first-half figures.

ARM Holdings (LSE: ARM.L)
ARM Holdings is having another good day, up 3.6% to 720 pence after the chip designer revealed it has joined a consortium, along with other "major technology companies," and is in an agreement to acquire 580 technology patents from MIPS.

The patents cover various aspects of chip design, and the total cost of their acquisition will amount to $350 million, with ARM putting up $167.5 million. ARM shares have climbed 25% in just three weeks.

High-tech growth shares can play a big part in making your first million from shares, but there is much more to it than fortuitously getting the timing right. That's why we have produced the Motley Fool guide "10 Steps To Making A Million In The Market." It's free, so click here for your personal copy.

Bowleven (LSE: BLVN.L)
Oil explorer Bowleven saw its shares boosted by 9.7% to 82 pence today after releasing preliminary results and announcing a strategic alliance with FTSE 100 giant Petrofac (LSE: PFC.L) for the development of the Etinde Permit in Cameroon. The deal will see Petrofac contributing its technological expertise and up to $500 million toward the development of the project. The two companies will share the production revenue. Petrofac shares were unmoved.

Oil and gas success stories like this don't come along every day, so it pays to be informed for when they do. We've produced our free "How To Unearth Great Oil & Gas Shares" report to help you do just that. It's available for a limited period, so click here to get your copy while you still can.

Further Motley Fool investment opportunities: