Market overview: JP Morgan reiterates overweight on StanChart

1520: "Following the completion of StanChart’s $5.2bn rights issue and post the BOE stress test, capital concerns have been addressed by the new CEO Bill Winters in our view. With long term value and turnaround potential we remain 'overweight'. Lloyds remains our UK top pick," JP Morgan says.

1445: The US factory sector slowed sharply in December as the energy sector continued to be overwhelmed by the plunge in oil prices, the results of a survey showed. Markit´s manufacturing sector purchasing managers´index dropped from 52.8 to 51.3 in December - its lowest print since October 2012.

1415: Industrial output Stateside shrank sharply in November, as factory activity stalled and production in the mining and utilities sectors registered another month of large declines. Industrial production in the world´s largest economy fell by 0.6% month-on-month in November (consensus: -0.2%) and by 1.2% in comparison with a year ago, according to the latest data from the US Federal Reserve.

1330: US housing starts jumped back by a stronger-than-expected 10.5% month-on-month in NOvember to reach an annualised pace of 1.173m, the latest figures from the Department of Commerce showed. Economists had penciled in a rise of 6.6%.

1330: Three-month copper futures are 0.3% lower to $4,587 per metric tonne on the LME.

0930: The UK´s unemployment rate dropped to 5.2% in October from 5.3% in the month before (consensus: 5.3%). That came as 'core' avergae earings slipped to a 2.0% year-on-year pace from 2.3% in the month before.

0922: Aldermore and OneSavings Bank are higher on a report that the PRA will challenger any attempt by international regulators to foist more capital requirements on smaller lenders.

0919: To take note of, in remarks to Bloomberg TV Andrew Sentance said markets were bineg too complacent in their expectations for the first hike in Bank Rate.

0918: Stocks started the session on the front-foot ahead of this evening´s US FOMC policy decision at 19:00GMT and the post-decision press conference. Shares in Pearson were heading up gains on the back of an upgrade out of Exane. Dixons Carphone was also higher following the release of its interims, followed close behind by Rolls Royce after announcing a management reshuffle. FTSE 100 up 0.28% or 10.37 points to 6,034.60.