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FX round-up: Sterling gains on dollar and euro as all eyes turn to Yellen speech
Sterling strengthened against the US dollar and euro on Monday but remains potentially very sensitive to UK inflation and jobs data out this week, and more immediately to a speech by US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen tonight.
US close: Stocks eke out some small gains as oil rallies
Stocks on Wall Street eked out some small gains on Monday as strength in the energy sector helped to offset losses in the financials space ahead of key bank earnings later in the week, with geopolitical tensions never far from investors’ minds.
Europe close: Poll results weigh on French stocks, Spanish banks hit by woes at Popular
European stock traded lower as the latest polls ahead of the French elections showed support for far-Left candidate Jean Luc Melenchon continuing to climbing, even as investors were also keeping an eye on developments between Russia and the US following the US missile attack on Syria.
Foxconn weighing up $27bn bid for Toshiba chip business
Toshiba’s chipmaking operations will be the subject of a $27bn bid from Taiwanese company Foxconn, according to reports on Monday.
London close: FTSE 'forgettable' on Monday as UK inflation, jobs data loom
Stocks in London put in a "forgettable" day's trade on Monday with market watchers already looking to UK inflation data and jobs numbers out later in a shortened trading week ahead of the Easter break.
Bonds: US yields rise amid Fedspeak, financial sector regulation in focus
These were the movements in some of the most widely-followed 10-year sovereign bond yields: US: 2. 38% (+4bp)UK: 1. 08% (-2bp) Germany: 0. 23% (-3bp)France: 0. 89% (-1bp)Italy: 2. 22% (-5bp)Spain: 1. 61% (-2bp)Portugal: 3. 87% (-3bp)Greece: 6. 86% (-27bp)Japan: 0. 06% (0bp).
FTSE 250 movers: Tullow and JD lead slight gain
London's mid cap index was marginally higher late on Monday, led by Tullow Oil and JD Sports.
Tuesday preview: Spotlight on UK consumer price inflation, JD Sports results
Rising UK inflation and stuttering wage growth data are the big economic issues this week, with the two forces recently beginning to combine in a pincer squeeze on households' real purchasing power, beginning with consumer price inflation on Tuesday.
Barclays raises target prices on Croda, Synthomer
Analysts at Barclays expect the European chemicals sector to post one of its strongest first quarters in some time, thanks to pre-buying as prices for raw materials rise and after product spreads widened to "remarkable" levels over the first three months of 2017.
Dekeloil produces record quarterly palm oil levels as prices spike
Ivory Coast palm oil producer DekelOil Public generated record quarterly revenues up 37% to €9. 7m thanks to record monthly production and prices in the first three months of the year.
Commodities: Crude futures rise on Libya oilfield shutdown, Middle East geopolitical tensions
Crude-oil futures are on the front foot on Monday afternoon following a shutdown at Libya's largest oilfield and heightened tensions in the Middle East after the US military's missile strike in Syria last week.
US open: Stocks shrug off geopolitical concerns ahead of Yellen Q&A
US stocks climbed higher on Monday as Wall Street shrugged of rising US and Russian tensions after last week's missile strikes on Syria, as investors looked ahead to comments by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen.
UK government to water down climate change regulations to boost trade post-Brexit
Climate change regulations in the UK are set to be cut back by the government in order to provide a boost for trade when the region leaves the European Union, leaked civil service documents showed on Sunday.
Melenchon surge adds new drama to French election race
France's presidential election race has been shaken up by the late surge of leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon into third place in several polls, closing the gap on what had been thought a two-horse race.
Sector movers: Retailers in focus amid predictions for strong Easter trading
Health Care Equipment & Services and retailers more generally saw the biggest gains at the start of the week, with the latter boosted by hopes for strong trading over Easter and ahead of finals due out from JD Sports and Tesco.
Tesco's deferred prosecution agreement gets approved
Tesco said on Monday that the deferred prosecution agreement over false accounting between February and September 2014 entered into by its subsidiary, Tesco Stores Limited, has been approved by a court.
FTSE 100 movers: Hikma boosted by upgrade; Fresnillo and Randgold lose shine
London's FTSE 100 was flat at 7,346. 36 in afternoon trade as investors sifted through corporate news and exercised caution amid growing tensions between the US and Russia.
Barclays CEO Staley under investigation for whistleblower breach
City watchdogs have launched an investigation into Barclays chief executive Jes Staley's attempts to uncover the identity of a secret whistleblower at the bank, which went so far as to request assistance from a US law enforcement agency.
Uber denies theft of Google's self-driving technology
Ride-sharing company Uber Technologies has responded to a lawsuit brought against it by Google, denying their allegations of theft relating to the firms’ self-driving technology.
Anglo American to sell South Africa coal operations for $164m
FTSE 100 miner Anglo American is to sell its Eskom-tied thermal coal operations in South Africa to Seriti Resources Holdings Proprietary, a company majority owned by historically disadvantaged South Africans, for 2. 3bn rand ($164m).