Market Pulse
Mortgages for UK house purchases fall to 15-month low, business borrowing falls too
Numbers of UK mortgages have fallen for a third month in a row to a 15-month low, while businesses were reluctant to borrow amid economic uncertainty, industry figures showed on Thursday.
Alliance Pharma completes acquisition of Vamousse from Tyratech
AIM-listed specialty pharmaceutical group Alliance Pharma has completed the acquisition of the worldwide rights to the Vamousse lice treatment range from Tyratech.
BoJ policymakers determined to bring CPI back to target
Rate-setters at the Bank of Japan continue to be clearly-focused on bringing inflation back to their 2% target on a sustainable basis, details of their last policy meeting revealed.
Advanced Oncotherapy expects proton beam by third quarter of 2018
Advanced Oncotherapy expects its proton-beam cancer therapy to be able to begin treating tumours from its Harley Street base by the second half of next year.
US close: Slight gains for stocks in subdued trading ahead of year-end
US stocks edged higher on Wednesday as investors digested the latest data on home sales and consumer confidence, with volumes light as many traders were still away from their desks for the holidays.
Japanese industrial production jumps in November
Japanese industrial production shot ahead last month buoyed by output of semiconductor equipment and electronic parts, but companies were projecting relatively flat levels of output over coming months.
UK businesses finish year well but see slow start to 2018
Services, manufacturing and retail companies all enjoyed better growth in the last quarter of 2017, according to a survey from the CBI released on Thursday, though growth is expected to be very slow in the coming quarter.
Bitcoin drops 17% as Seoul closes in on cryptocurrency crackdown
A warning from Seoul that it was studying potential measures, including shutting down some cryptocurrency exchanges, to stamp out excessive and potentially costly speculation, put paid to a four-day rebound in Bitcoin from its worst week since 2013.
Glencore, Randgold among miners opposed to Congo measures
Subsidiaries of Glencore, Randgold Resources and other mining companies operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo have asked lawmakers to rethink proposed new taxes and other measures.
EQTEC completes merger with Spanish sister company
Irish waste-to-energy specialist EQTEC resumed trading on AIM on Thursday with a new-look board of directors after it completed the reverse takeover of a fellow subsidiary of its Spanish parent company.
Europe open: Stocks dip as US dollar falls to September lows
Stocks have started the morning dipping slightly lower amid a retreat in the US dollar to its weakest level since September.
London open: Stocks nudge up in thin volumes after record highs
London stocks nudged a little higher in early trade on Thursday after hitting fresh records the day before, but volumes and news were light as we head into the new year.
BGEO's m2 signs $11.6m contract to build Tbilisi shopping mall
BGEO said its m2 real estate subsidiary had signed a contract to build the shell and core of a new shopping mall and business centre in Tbilisi.
London pre-open: Stocks seen slightly higher, building on fresh highs
London stocks were set for more gains on Thursday, building on the fresh records seen in the previous session, although volumes are likely to be low again as many traders are still away from their desks for the holidays.
Thursday newspaper round-up: Automation, business growth, Lloyds
The rise of the machine economy risks social disruption by widening the gap between rich and poor in Britain, as automation threatens jobs generating £290bn in wages. Jobs accounting for a third of annual pay in the UK risk being automated, according to the study by the IPPR thinktank. Warning that low-paid roles are in the greatest danger, it urged ministers to head off the prospect of rising inequality by helping people retrain and share in the benefits from advances in technology.