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Bonds: Global hunt for yield continues, US treasuries wanted
These were the biggest movements in the most widely-followed longer-term sovereign bond yields:.
US close: Stocks end little changed as oil prices retreat
US stocks failed to make any headway on Thursday as oil prices reversed early gains to settle lower and investors digested some encouraging economic news that could be seen as underpinning the case for a rate hike.
Friday preview: Yellen may refrain from policy remarks
On an otherwise quiet Friday for UK stocks and data, traders eyes should swivel firmly across the Atlantic as Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen speaks amid newly heightened anticipation of a US interest rate hike.
Commodities: Advances in crude oil, copper peter out
Gains in crude oil and copper futures early in the European session faded by the time of the closing bell on Wall Street amid very cautious remarks from policy-makers in the euro area and Japan.
Small caps news round-up
Advanced Oncotherapy has signed a £24m investment agreement with a fund advised by Metric Capital Partners LLP, pushing its shares up more than 7%. Metric Capital will invest the money in a financing facility to support Advanced Oncotherapy's provision of vendor financing for the installation of its first LIGHT machine at its London Proton Therapy Centre in Harley Street.
Imagination Technologies promotes Heath to CEO as restructuring bites
Imagination Technologies warned revenues and adjusted losses would be "materially" below market expectations, though underlying trading remained in line and restructuring activities were on course to deliver healthy savings next year.
Homebuilders, miners buoy stockmarket
Mobile Telecoms firms paced Thursday´s advancers in terms of percentage gainers but it was gains for the major homebuilders and miners that provided the greatest support to the market.
Second rate increase may be appropriate fairly soon, Fed´s Powell says
A second interest rate hike in the US may be appropriate fairly soon, if the economic data continued to live up to expectations, one of the Federal Reserve´s top officials said.
UK National Broadband Scheme 2016-20 approved by European Commission
The UK National Broadband Scheme for 2016-2020 complies with European Union's state-aid rules, the European Commission has decided.
London close: Stocks take a breather ahead of Fed speakers
London´s top-flight index barely managed to close in the green, following the release of somewhat mixed economic data Stateside and ahead of speeches from two key Fed speakers, one later on Thursday and another on Friday.
FX round-up: Sterling falls after slowdown in Q1 GDP confirmed
Sterling was lower as UK's Q1 2016 gross domestic product (GDP) growth was confirmed to have slowed, with the US dollar down after a range of data and commentary from Federal Reserve officials.
Severn Trent maintained at 'overweight' by JPMorgan Cazenove
Severn Trent has had its 'overweight' rating maintained by JPMorgan Cazenove, which said it sees further upside potential for the shares as it hiked its target price.
Market overview: Stocks eke out slight advance
1630:Close The Footsie barely managed to eke out a positive close, with traders proving cautious following recent gains and given the headline risk surrounding speeches from two top US central banks officials tonight and tomorrow. Brexit polls leaning in the direction of the 'Remain' camp again coincided with gains in real estate stock and grocers. For their part, shares in miners tracked commodity prices higher. Reports also cited PBoC analysts according to whom China´s monetary authority favoured maintaining policy slightly loose.
Europe close: Auto shares pace gains
European equities managed a higher close on Thursday despite weakness in the banking sector and a slide lower in Brent after prices breached the $50 a barrel mark - for the first time since November - earlier in the day.
US open: Wall Street drifts lower ahead of Fed speakers
Shares on Wall Street were drifting slightly lower in late morning trading in New York following the release of a mixed bag of economic data and ahead of a much awaited speech on the economy from Federal Reserve governor Jerome Powell.
Director dealings: Ex-Asos CEO Robertson sells shares to fund divorce
Asos's ex-chief executive Nick Robertson has dumped 1. 3m shares at 3,525p on Thursday in order to fund an expensive divorce.
US pending home sales index jumps in April
Contract activity in the US homebuilding sector reached its highest level in more than a decade in April, according to the results of a widely-followed survey of conditions in the sector.
Thursday newspaper share tips: Dixons Carphone, Serco
Dixons Carphone's drive to close its weakest stores helped its comparable-stores sales growth in the April quarter, but there is much more to its success, writes the Financial Times' Lex column.
FTSE 250 movers: Ibstock retreats as Pets at Home accelerates
The FTSE 250 slipped further into the red late as Thursday wore on, despite having peeped its head above water around midday.
Thursday broker round-up
Great Portland States: Jefferies downgrades to underperform with a 650p target.