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Charles Stanley downgrades Royal Dutch Shell to hold
Royal Dutch Shell's latest set of full-year numbers, but cash flow was weak, Charles Stanley analyst Tony Shepard said ahead of the oil major's Capital Markets Day.
Rolls-Royce slides on SFO reports
Shares in Rolls-Royce were sliding downwards on Thursday morning, after reports emerged that the Serious Fraud Office has widened the scope of its investigation into the aerospace engineering firm.
Travel stocks hit after Egypt-bound flight goes missing, crash presumed
EgyptAir Paris to Cairo flight MS804 disappeared from air-traffic controllers's radar screens shortly after the aircraft entered the latter Mediterranean country's airspace early on Thursday morning, with international authorities loathe to jump to any conclusions before an investigation was conducted.
Ricardo performing in line with FY expectations
Engineering consultant Ricardo enjoyed good revenue growth in the 10 months to end-April and said group profit was tracking in line with its full-year expectations.
Shanks well positioned as it reduces full year loss, lifts revenue
Waste management company Shanks Group said it is well positioned to meet its expectations for 2016/17 as it turned in a much-reduced full-year pretax loss on improved revenue.
Mothercare makes progress on returning UK operation to profitability
Shares in Mothercare were up more than 4% as it flagged significant progress towards returning its UK operation to profitability.
Brewin Dolphin funds perform well, earnings slide
Investment management firm Brewin Dolphin reported a 2. 5% uptick in total funds in its first half on Thursday, to £32. 8bn, though the costs of business restructuring seriously ate into its profits.
Electrocomponents profits fall but new year trading positive
Distribution group Electrocomponents said full-year pre-tax profits fell 63. 7% to £34. 9m due to an exceptional restructuring charge of £41. 9m, although it added that underlying sales growth in the first six months of the new year had risen 3. 5%.
Caledonia Investments lifts FY NAV against equity market uncertainty
Caledonia Investments managed to raise its full year net asset value 1. 1% to £1. 64bn for a total return of 2. 6% against a backdrop of falling markets and global uncertainty with the UK European Union referendum and US Presidential election looming this year.
Europe midday: Stocks extend losses, with miners under the cosh
European stocks extended losses as investors digested the release of hawkish Federal Reserve minutes, with basic resources under the cosh as the dollar gained ground.
London midday: Stocks drop on hawkish FOMC meeting minutes
London stocks slid on Thursday as the Federal Reserve’s hawkish policy meeting minutes overshadowed a better-than-expected UK retail sales report.
Grainger posts rise in first-half profit, sees FY profit ahead
FTSE 250 residential landlord Grainger reported a rise in first-half profit and said recurring profit for the full year is likely to be ahead of management expectations.
Mitchells & Butlers lifts profits as pub refurb plan kicks off
Mitchells & Butlers served up improved first-half profits despite sales falling as the group looks to freshen up its under-invested pub estate with a major refurbishment plan.
US pre-open: Stocks seen lower on hawkish Fed
US futures pointed to a slightly weaker open on Wall Street as investors continued to mull the possibility of a rate hike as early as next month following Wednesday’s hawkish Federal Reserve minutes.
Bayer confirms takeover talks with Monsanto
Shares in Bayer tumbled on Thursday after the German pharmaceuticals group confirmed it was in takeover talks with US seed giant Monsanto.
Going long FTSE 100 versus 250 may be a hedge on Brexit, says Credit Suisse
Going long the FTSE 100 relative to the FTSE 250 is a potential hedge on a Brexit, said Credit Suisse, adding that it would be cautious of sterling heading into the 23 June referendum.
Asia report: Forward Fed sends markets into red
Most Asia markets went lower on Thursday, after the Federal Reserve released its April minutes, increasing the prospect of an interest rate hike.
Macquarie hikes iron-ore price forecasts for 2016 and 2017
Commodity prices saw moderate selling pressure on Wednesday ahead of the release of the latest set of Fed minutes and after they were published.
Canaccord reiterates 'buy' and raises target price for Euromoney
Euromoney Institutional Investor has reported a weak first half but the results were in line with expectations and the company’s full year guidance was maintained, Canaccord Genuity said on Thursday.
Ad revenue slump, weak commodities hit Euromoney H1 results
A slump in advertising revenues and weak energy and commodities markets saw first half pre-tax profits at media group Euromoney plunge to £23. 4m from £93m.