International News
US close: Stocks end session lower on back of weaker industrials
Fears of a partial government shutdown saw US stocks close lower on Thursday as weaker industrials also weighed on investors.
Europe close: Stocks climb despite bounce in euro
Stocks on the Continent ended the session higher as Wall Street steadied, albeit with traders keeping a close eye on government bond yields on both sides of the Atlantic as some of the world's top policymakers met in Frankfurt to discuss the challenges facing Germany.
Bitcoin veterans unshaken by South Korea ban, as analysts battle over theory
Some of the most experienced Bitcoin investors are defying regulator's threats to ban trading in the cryptocurrency and say the restrictions can be circumvented easily, while the prices began to rebound after the huge recent crash.
BP and Shell eyeing first purchases of Libyan crude in four years
Royal Dutch Shell and BP are said to have agreed to annual purchase deals of Libyan crude on Thursday as recovering production levels from the North African nation and decreased security fears began to draw in several of the world's largest oil companies.
Alcoa falls short of Wall Street expectations
US aluminium producer Alcoa's fourth-quarter profit and revenue fell short of market estimates as higher power prices in Spain coupled with ongoing droughts in Brazil that hampered bauxite production, increased expenses.
Amazon narrows list of potential locations for second headquarters down to 20
E-commerce giant Amazon has shortened its list of potential host cities for its second headquarters from 238 down to just 20.
US open: Risk of federal government shutdown looms over stocks
Wall Street is trading on the back foot ahead of a House vote on the legislation needed to avert a government shutdown and amid another leg lower in the Treasury market, amid reports that Apple might unload some of its holdings of US government debt to pay its tax bills.
Most Ryanair pilots accept increased pay offer
Ryanair pilots have mostly agreed to accept pay increases from the budget airline of up to 20%, which will be put in place for January's payroll.
Concerns for Apple sales as Taiwan Semiconductor cuts forecasts
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) forecast revenue behind market expectations from its current trading quarter, as dwindling smartphone sales in China and a stronger Taiwanese dollar outweighed product demand from cryptocurrency miners.
Emirates to purchase up to 36 new Airbus A380s
Dubai-based airline Emirates signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase as many as 36 new Airbus SE A380s for a total of $16bn.
World confidence in US leadership has slumped under Trump administration
Global approval of the US has fallen to a new low, from 48% under Obama to 30% under Trump, Gallup’s global leadership poll finds.
Jobless claims drop to lowest level since 1973
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits dropped more than expected last week, according to figures from the Labor Department.
Sharp fall in US December housing starts, but permits stable
Homebuilding activity in the US hit the skids at the end of the year in part due to poor weather.
Philly Fed factory index dips in January, as expected
Factory activity in the US mid-Atlantic region cooled in January, according to the results of one of the most widely-followed surveys for the sector.
US tax cuts boost Balfour EPS by 4%, says Numis
The boost from US tax cuts should provide a 4% earnings per share boost at infrastructure construction specialist Balfour Beatty, broker Numis said on Thursday.
US pre-open: Stocks seen flat as Morgan Stanley, BNY Mellon report
US futures pointed to a muted open on Wall Street on Thursday as investors digested more bank earnings, with Morgan Stanley and Bank of New York Mellon both reporting.
Morgan Stanley climbs after Q4 results beat forecasts
Morgan Stanley posted stronger-than-expected fourth quarter results as the performance of its wealth management arm more than offset weak results from fixed income sales and trading.
Asia report: Markets mixed after Nikkei hits 26-year high
Markets in Asia finished mixed on Thursday, with the Japanese benchmark hitting a 26-year high early in the session before closing in the red.
Balfour Beatty sees positive impact from US tax cuts
Balfour Beatty said US President Donald Trump's tax cuts will result in a one off £20m non-cash credit from the revaluation of US deferred tax liabilities.
China fourth quarter GDP growth beats forecasts, but some economists sceptical
China's economy grew more quickly than expected in 2017, according to both official and private sector estimates, but some economists believed the official figures belied the extent of the slowdown in the fourth quarter.