Market Report
US close: Markets finish lower as Trump personnel jitters continue
Wall Street finished lower on Wednesday, following the release of data revealing a third consecutive month of falling retail sales, with some investors also carefully watching the special election to the US House of Representatives in the state of Pennsylvania.
Commodities: Gasoline, cocoa futures pace gains
Commodities were trading little changed on Thursday, with energy futures conspicuously higher despite the release of data showing a bumper increase in US crude oil stockpiles.
Results round-up
A $920m impairment charge on Hikma Pharmaceuticals' West-Ward Columbus business led to the company reporting a hefty $738m full year pre-tax loss on Wednesday.
Europe close: Stocks drift lower despite dovish ECB
Stocks on the Continent finished lower, despite 'dovish' remarks from the head of the European Central Bank on the outlook for monetary policy, weighed down by a dip on Wall Street shortly after the start of trading on Wall Street.
Goldman raises view on miners, upgrades Anglo American, BHP and Antofagasta
Having repaired their balance sheets and with a robust outlook for commodity prices, given strong economic growth in the 'Rest of the World' that was offsetting softness in China, Goldman Sachs upgraded its view on the European Metals & Mining sector from 'neutral' to 'attractive'.
Regal Petroleum shares rise almost 15% after new well spudding
Regal Petroleum’s shares shot up over 14% on Wednesday after the company announced the spudding of its VAS-10 well in Ukraine.
Directors dealings: Greencore non-execs left picking through rubble
Three of Greencore Group's non-executive directors could be seen picking through the rubble of the convenience food manufacturer's shares on Wednesday, a day after a warning from its finance chief sent them crashing lower.
London close: Stocks end lower as US equities retreat; Prudential bucks trend
London stocks reversed earlier gains to close lower on Wednesday as US equities retreated on the back of weak retail sales and growing political uncertainty, although a strong showing from Prudential and heavily-weighted miners kept losses to a minimum.
Sector movers: Life insurers rise, oversupply concerns knock oil engineers
Life insurers led the charge on Wednesday, while oil services companies were the main drag on the London equity markets.
Market buzz: FTSE ends flat, Moscow index falls after diplomats expelled
1656: Having opened higher, the FTSE 100 ended the day very slightly in the red again, falling six points or 0. 085% to 7,132. 69.
US open: Stocks slip on retail sales data, special election polls
Wall Street is moving lower following the release of data revealing a third consecutive month of falling retail sales, with some investors also carefully watching the special election to the US House of Representatives in the state of Pennsylvania.
Prudential announces plan to spin off UK businesses
Prudential announced plans to split off its UK and Europe business as the life insurer posted a rise in annual profit driven by surging sales at its Asian business.
FTSE 100 movers: Pru split impresses, Morrisons results do not
London's blue chip stocks were largely flat by Wednesday afternoon, with earlier gains erased despite strong gains for Prudential and the index's cabal of mining heavyweights.
Morgan Stanley reiterates 'overweight' on Cairn after selloff
Morgan Stanley reiterated its 'overweight' stance on Cairn Energy following the company's results a day earlier.
Conviviality discovers £30m tax bill that threatens covenants, cancels interim divi
The bad news just kept coming for Conviviality on Wednesday as it announced that it was cancelling the interim dividend that was due to be paid at the end of the week, after its shares were suspended following the discovery of a £30m tax bill that could force the alcohol wholesaler and distributor to break its banking covenants.
FTSE 250 movers: Dignity rises from the ashes; Dairy Crest hit by Peel note
London's FTSE 250 was down 0. 2% to 19,834. 19 in afternoon trade on Wednesday.
Flowtech Fluidpower buying Balu in £10.2m deal
Specialist technical fluid power products supplier Flowtech Fluidpower has entered into an agreement to acquire the entire issued share capital of Balu and its trading subsidiaries, Beaumanor and Derek Lane, for a total consideration of approximately £10. 2m, it announced on Wednesday.
Europe midday: Stocks push higher as ECB strikes dovish note, euro dips
Stocks on the Continent are pushing higher, after the European Central Bank's president struck a 'dovish' note on the outlook for monetary policy.
AfriTin upbeat on latest work at Uis mine
AfriTin Mining, a mining company with a portfolio of near production tin assets in Namibia and South Africa, updated the market on operations at its flagship Uis tin mine in Namibia on Wednesday, reporting the completion of detailed geological mapping over the V1 and V2 pegmatites.
Fall in US retail sales surprises
US retail sales unexpectedly worsened last month in what was the third consecutive month of decline.