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US close: Stocks mixed ahead of Trump speech
US stocks finished mixed on Monday as investors looked to speeches by US president Donald Trump and Federal Reserve policy maker Charles Evans, following last week's rate hike.
FX round-up: Brexit start date ushers in new era of punishment for sterling
Sterling had a tough time on key crosses Monday after PM Theresa May's office said Article 50 will be triggered on 29 March, beginning UK's divorce from the EU and ushering in a new era of punishment for the already threadbare currency.
US Fed may raise rates four times (or two) in 2017, not three, Evans says
The US central bank might hike rates a total of four times over the course of 2017, and not three, a top official said on Monday.
Bonds: Gilts edge higher as Brexit date set amid dovish Fed -speak
These were the movements in some of the most widely-followed 10-year sovereign bond yields: US: 2. 48% (-2bp) UK: 1. 23% (-1bp)Germany: 0. 44% (+1bp)France: 1. 12% (+1bp)Spain: 1. 85% (-3bp)Italy: 2. 36% (+1bp)Portugal: 4. 24% (-5bp)Greece: 7. 49% (+8bp)Japan: 0. 075% (0bp).
Europe close: Weak oil prices, G-20 statement weigh on sentiment
Weaker oil prices and mixed trading on Wall Street and the result of the G-20 finance minsiters' meeting weighed on shares in Europe as investors turned their focus towards the first of two televised debates between France's main presidential candidates.
London close: FTSE 100 drifts higher as May sets Brexit start date
Equities in London spent the session drifting sideways even as Prime Minister Theresa May set 29 March as the day she would trigger Article 50 to begin Brexit talks to bid farewell to the EU.
Directors dealings: Speedy Hire non-exec buys in
Speey Hire's David Shearer picked up a batch of shares ahead of the company´s year-end close on 31 March.
Downing announces launch of Micro-Cap Investment Trust
Downing announced plans to launch a new investment trust focused on the UK micro-cap space, which some analysts hailed as a potentially useful addition to the sector.
Sector movers: Evraz gains, Big Oil slips
Cyclicals were on the front-foot on Tuesday with shares in steel-maker Evraz pacing gains following an upgrade out of analysts at Citi.
Commodities: Crude firmly lower amid unease about Opec's price-control abilities
Crude-oil futures are firmly down Monday afternoon with markets increasingly uneasy about cartel Opec's ability to control prices amid a global supply glut and US shale output.
Touchstone Innovations throws another £3m at promising Pulmocide
Touchstone Innovations announced on Monday that it participated in a £25m Series B funding round in Pulmocide, committing £3m to the round alongside new investors SR One and Longwood Fund, plus existing investors SV Life Sciences, F-Prime Capital, and Johnson & Johnson Innovation.
US open: Stocks little changed ahead of Trump, Fed official speeches
US stocks were little changed on Monday as investors looked to speeches by US president Donald Trump and Federal Reserve policy maker Charles Evans, following last week's rate hike.
Small cap news round-up
Real Estate Investors' shares are up almost 2% after it posted a rise in EPRA net asset value per share, as its full-year pre-tax profit slipped lower.
FTSE 250 movers: Evraz lifted by Citi note; Nostrum gushes lower
London's FTSE 250 was up 0. 3% to 19,151. 12 in afternoon trade, with Brexit in focus after it emerged that Prime Minister Theresa May will trigger the UK's exit from the European Union next Wednesday.
FTSE 100 movers: AB Foods boosted by upgrade; Hikma hit by downgrade
London's FTSE 100 was flat at 7,424. 87 in afternoon trade as investors digested news that Prime Minister Theresa May will trigger the UK's exit from the European Union next Wednesday.
Learning Tech offer for NetDimensions goes unconditional
Integrated e-learning services and technologies provider Learning Technologies Group’s offer for enterprise talent management software platform provider NetDimensions was all but a done deal on Monday morning, as it was declared unconditional in all respects, save for admission.
Taptica types up top results as users turn to mobile
End-to-end mobile advertising platform provider Taptica announced its full year results for the 12 months to 31 December on Monday, with revenue increasing by 66% to $125. 9m.
FCA probing historic Redcentric asset and profit overstatement
Redcentric provided a regulatory update to the market on Monday, advising that the Financial Conduct Authority had commenced an investigation following the historic overstatement of net assets and profits.
BT turns to virtual reality for engineer recruitment
Openreach, the BT subsidiary that owns and operates most of the UK’s telephony and broadband infrastructure, announced a major expansion of its engineering workforce on Monday with plans to recruit 1,500 trainees.
Pipehawk lifts H1 revenue, reduces pre-tax loss
Shares in AIM-quoted Pipehawk are up almost 5% after it reported a reduced first-half pre-tax loss on improved revenue.