Weekly review
The FTSE 100 ended the week up 29.29 points, or 0.39%, at 7,535.44.
Equity view
Kwon Oh-hyun, one of the chief executives of Samsung Electronics, has resigned due to an “unprecedented crisis”, on the same day the technology giant flagged record quarterly profits.
Engineer GKN warned full-year profits before tax will be only slightly ahead of their 2016 level as a result of two significant "commercially sensitive" external claims and continuing headwinds at GKN Aerospace North America, with the latter expected to drag on the group's trading margin.
Provident Financial has begun to staunch the blood flow at its doorstep lending business after two profit warnings earlier this year, though analysts were divided as to whether the non-standard lender is out of the woods yet.
The City's chief watchdog, Andrew Bailey, revealed on Friday that he met with Saudi Aramco early this year to tell the oil giant about plans to change listing rules that could allow it to float in London.
Acacia Mining produced 191,203 ounces of gold and sold 132,787 ounces of gold during the third quarter, it confirmed on Thursday.
Subscription broadcaster, fixed line telephony and broadband, and mobile provider Sky issued an update on its first quarter trading on Thursday, reporting “strong growth” in revenue and profits with a 5% increase in like-for-like revenue to £3.3bn.
Tullow Oil has acquired 90% stakes in four onshore blocks in Côte d'Ivoire, it announced on Thursday.
FTSE 250 recruiter Hays reported another record quarterly net fee performance on Thursday as all its divisions saw solid growth.
Hargreaves Lansdown enjoyed a strong start to its new financial year, with strong levels of net new business flows and assets under administration swelling 3. 5% over the first quarter or 21% over the same period last year.
Homeware retailer Dunelm reported a jump in total like-for-like sales on Wednesday, but said the addition of Worldstores - which it acquired last November - has hit margins.
Mondi issued a warning that is full-year profits will come in below expectations on Wednesday, pinning it on rising costs and currency movements.
Ibstock announced on Wednesday that Wayne Sheppard has notified the board of his intention to retire in 2018 after 22 years with the group - including the last two as chief executive.
Outsourcing group Capita has appointed former Amec Foster Wheeler boss Jon Lewis as chief executive to continue its turnaround.
Whitbread announced on Tuesday that its Costa division has acquired 49% of its South China joint venture from its partner, Yueda, for RMB 310m (£35m).
Domino’s Pizza Group posted its third quarter trading update on Tuesday, with group system sales rising 11.9% on an organic basis to £286.4m, or 20.8% on a reported basis.
Ted Baker reported a jump in first-half profit and revenue on Tuesday as it said it was on track to meet its expectations for the full year.
The US drug regulator has given AstraZeneca's osimertinib treatment for patients with advanced metastatic non-small cell lung cancer 'breakthrough therapy designation' to fast-track its becoming a first-line treatment.
Medical technology business Smith & Nephew announced on Monday that Olivier Bohuon has notified the board of his intention to retire by the end of 2018, after seven years as chief executive officer.
Lancashire Holdings announced its range for its estimated net ultimate losses arising from hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and the two recent earthquake loss events in Mexico on Monday.
Centamin reported record third-quarter gold production on Monday as all sections of its Sukari mine in Egypt performed well.
Economic news
Nicky Morgan, chairperson of the Treasury select committee warned the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) that it would invoke rarely-used powers to compel the regulator into disclosing the details of its report on the Royal Bank of Scotland's treatment of customers.
Transport for London’s provision of free, real-time open data is helping the capital’s economy by up to £130m a year, according to new data released on Friday.
UK consumer credit growth is slowing and lenders expect the biggest decline in consumer credit availability since the financial crisis in the last three months of the year, a Bank of England survey revealed on Thursday.
More than 300,000 low-paid Britons were given an added boost to their pay packets after former chancellor George Osborne's National Living Wage (NLW) scheme coalesced into the biggest year-on-year fall in low pay since 1977.
One million British households are set to save an average of £120 a year on their energy bills, Ofgem announced on Wednesday, as it confirmed an extension to its prepayment safeguard tariff for “more vulnerable people” this coming winter.
UK Chancellor Philip Hammond has echoed sentiments that the government is preparing for a no-deal conclusion to Brexit negotiations, but will not make funds available for such contingency plans.
Thanks to a modest revival in infrastructure and private housebuilding, UK construction activity showed more signs of life last month after four consecutive months of negative growth for the industry.
UK industrial and manufacturing data has improved more than expected, giving a slight lift to the pound on Tuesday as Bank of England watchers were sceptical over the likely impact on national growth and interest rates.
While the Royal Mint estimated that somewhere in the vicinity of 1. 2bn of old £1 coins would have been handed in by the end of the week, roughly 500m would remain in circulation, leading thousands of shops to make the decision to continue accepting the coins after Sunday's deadline.
Global airline trade association the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Monday that recently collated industry performance statistics for 2016 showed that throughout its system, airlines carried 3. 8bn passengers on 242m scheduled services throughout the year, a 7% year-on-year increase over 2015.
International events
China's exports and imports continue to strengthened, trade data showed overnight, giving a boost to commodities stocks around the globe.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday that Australia had seen some of the highest levels of income inequality growth on the planet since the 1980s, just weeks after Treasurer Scott Morrison denied inequality was worsening across the nation.
Eurozone industrial production rose more than expected in August, according to data released by Eurostat on Thursday.
US jobless claims retreated by slightly more than expected over the last reference week, although the government statisticians cautioned that hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria had impacted the claims data.
Spain's Socialist leader welcomed a deal with the country's Prime Minister to analyse a possible reform of the Constitution.
US crude oil inventories dropped sharply last week alongside a fall in imports and rising product stockpiles.
The world's financial watchdog bumped its forecasts for global economic growth this year and next even as it marked down projections for the US and UK in comparison to the prior set of estimates made in July.
Industrial production in the euro area's largest economy jumped in August amid a surge in output of capital goods.
China's foreign exchange reserves were little changed last month as capital outflows from Asia's largest economy remained small.
Republican senator Bob Corker has said US President Donald Trump’s recklessness could lead the world to a major conflict.