Market Report
May's pledge to 'refresh' Cabinet results in few changes at the top
Prime Minister Theresa May's attempt on Monday to "refresh" her ministerial team ended smelling like a pub before the smoking ban took force, as several refused to go and one resigned rather than move.
US close: S&P 500, Nasdaq notch up fresh record highs
Wall Street finished on a mixed note come Monday, following a solid performance last week as traders debated on the outlook for equities and, somewhat strikingly, despite a top Federal Reserve official coming out in favour of modifying the central bank's policy framework and dovish comments from some of his peers.
Results round-up
Software group Micro Focus said interim pre-tax profits rose 28. 7% to $145. 7m after the acquisition of Hewlett Packard Enterprise's software unit helped to increase revenue.
Asia close: Stocks rise amid heightened risk appetite
Asian stocks were mostly higher at the start of the week, even as traders and analysts continued to ponder aloud about the underpinnings of recent equity market gains.
Sector movers: Software, Pharma drag on wider market
A mixed bag of cyclicals and more defensive issues led to the downside at the start of the week, amid a smattering of company-specific news and a strengthening pound.
Trump defends his mental health: "I'm a stable genius"
President Donald Trump has hit back at people questioning his mental health by boasting about his intelligence on Twitter.
Europe close: Analysts a tad cautious on near-term outlook
Stocks on the Continent held onto an early advance, following bumper gains during the prior week and amid an ongoing debate among analysts regarding the outlook for shares in 2018.
US open: All eyes on Fed speakers
Wall Street is trading on a mixed note come Monday, following a solid performance last week as traders wait on multiple Fed speakers.
London close: FTSE flops as mixed earnings and housebuilders weigh
After hitting a fresh all-time high in the morning, London's FTSE 100 ended Monday in the red after another retail profit warning and disappointing numbers from Micro Focus on revenues and from Halifax on house prices.
Shire splits in two, holds back from ADHD division spin-off
Shire is going to split itself into two, with one arm focused on rare diseases and the other on neuroscience, with separate reporting to begin from the first quarter of 2018 and a decision on a possible spin-off later this year.
Broker tips: G4S, BP, Shell, Ashtead
Security services and solutions outsourcer G4S is approaching a trough in its growth profile thanks to its leadership position in the cash handling market, supported by quicker growth in emerging markets, analysts at UBS said.
Avingtrans secures several notable contracts over first half of trading
Energy and medical sector component manufacturer Avingtrans announced on Monday that its full-year results would likely be in line with market expectations after a strong performance in the first half.
UBS sees inflection point in G4S growth in second quarter
Security services and solutions outsourcer G4S is approaching a trough in its growth profile thanks to its leadership position in the cash handling market, supported by quicker growth in emerging markets, analysts at UBS said.
Dialight chief executive steps down
Industrial LED lighting technology group Dialight announced on Monday that Michael Sutsko, the firm's chief executive, had stepped down from the board with immediate effect.
System1 shares fall on profit warning
Shares in marketing and brand consultancy firm System1 Group fell on Monday after the London-based company warned investors that gross profits for the twelve months leading to 31 March would be around 20% less than in the previous year.
Tuesday preview: Morrison leads retail rush, BRC retail sales, EU jobs
January is a big month for retail investors and Tuesday sees this start to become apparent with trading updates from Morrisons and four others, plus industry sales data from the British Retail Consortium and Kantar.
Xeros signs development agreement with major manufacturer
Polymer-based technologies company Xeros Technology Group has signed a second Symphony Project development agreement with another commercial washing machine manufacturer.
GoPro to cut more than 250 jobs after disappointing holiday quarter
GoPro announced that it would be undertaking a major restructuring of its business on Monday after issuing an unexpected warning on sales over the holiday period.
Morgan Stanley ups targets for BP and Shell, despite 'peak oil demand' concerns
Analysts at Morgan Stanley revised their price targets for a broad swathe of the European oil majors higher, despite 'peak oil demand' concerns in the marketplace, naming BP and Shell as their 'top picks' in the process.
UK manufacturers optimistic for 2018 despite Brexit worries
According to EEF/AIG's executive survey, the country's manufacturers are entering 2018 in the most optimistic mood about the global economic outlook since 2014, albeit amid a rising balance of companies who see more risks than opportunities.