Latest News
Netherlands Ukraine trade deal snub poses problems for EU
Dutch voters on Thursday rejected an EU partnership deal that would axe trade barriers with Ukraine, in an embarrassing result for the Netherlands government.
US pre-open: Stocks seen lower as oil slips; eyes on Yellen
US futures pointed to a weaker open on Wall Street following healthy gains in the previous session, as the oil price rally lost steam and investors looked ahead to a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.
Court approves Yokogawa takeover of KBC Advanced Technology
English consulting and software firm KBC Advanced Technology was being gobbled up by Yokogawa Electric Corporation on Thursday, with confirmation the previously-announced takeover deal had been given the green light.
GameAccount Network reduces placing size to minimise dilution
GameAccount Network was working to appease existing shareholders on Thursday, revising the size of its placing downwards to minimise dilution of existing shares.
China forex reserves see first rise in five months
China's foreign exchange reserves unexpectedly rose in March, according to data released by the People’s Bank of China.
Panama Papers: Iceland appoints new Prime Minister
Iceland's ruling coalition appointed Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson as the country's new prime minister and said early elections would be held in the autumn.
Kodal Minerals proposes West African acquisition and placing
Hitherto Norway-focused explorer Kodal Minerals has proposed the all-share acquisition of a group of gold exploration properties in Mali and Côte d'Ivoire and a fundraising of up to £680,000 to finance medium-term plans.
Sainsbury's ditches 'brand match' for lower everyday prices
Sainsbury’s has announced plans to scrap its ‘brand match’ scheme by the end of the month as the next step in its recent strategy to focus on lower regular prices.
Europe midday: Stocks reverse course as oil prices retreat
European stocks reversed earlier gains as oil prices turned lower and investors shifted their focus to the latest set of European Central Bank minutes.
London midday: Stocks decline as oil price rally ends
The FTSE 100 had erased early morning gains by midday on Thursday as the rally in oil prices snapped.
Samsung signals 10% jump in profit
Samsung Electronics signalled a 10% jump in quarterly profit on Thursday, suggesting strong early sales of its latest Galaxy S7 smartphone, though there were lingering doubts over whether the strength would last.
Asia report: Most markets rise after dovish Fed minutes
Most Asian markets rose on Thursday, with Japan’s benchmark finally breaking out of a seven-day spate of losses in the face of renewed strength in the yen.
Flybe descends to six-month low on weak demand and dollar uncertainty
Low-cost airline Flybe said it was on track for its summer trading as it reported stable passenger numbers for the fourth quarter and said 2016 results are likely to be in line with market expectations.
Burberry cut to 'underperform' from 'sector perform' by RBC
RBC Capital Markets cut Burberry’s rating to ‘underperform’ from ‘sector perform’ on Thursday, saying it expects the retailer's full year earnings in 2017-18 to be below the sector average.
Investec downgrades Xaar but likes long-term print story
Investec has downgraded Xaar to 'hold' on valuation grounds and lowered forecasts but said it continued to like the long-term structural growth opportunity for the printing technology group.
Co-operative chief requests pay cut as 2015 profit slumps
The Co-operative Group said on Thursday that its chief executive has requested a substantial reduction in his remuneration package as it reported a big slump in 2015 pre-tax profit.
Marks & Sparks's mixed fourth quarter still beats forecasts
Fourth quarter sales at Marks & Spencer were up 1. 9% as the food business outperformed the market but was again held back by weak clothing sales.
JP Morgan downgrades Glencore, Antofagasta; recommends selling rally
JP Morgan Cazenove reviewed its ratings on a number of metals and mining stocks as it took a look at the sector and recommended selling the recent rally.
UBS downgrades Zoopla due to ongoing OnTheMarket threat
UBS has downgraded Zoopla to a 'neutral' recommendation from 'buy' due to continued competetive pressures from rival OnTheMarket, but left Rightmove at 'buy'.
London open: Stocks gain after FOMC minutes
UK stocks on Thursday tracked gains in the US after minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting showed several policymakers argued against an interest rate hike in April.