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US open: Stocks look to Fedspeak for guidance past June after jobs data
The main Wall Street gauges are mixed despite the release of what some economists labelled a "solid" jobs report for the month of April, with investors steeling themselves for a raft of speeches from multiple Federal Reserve officials scheduled for later in the day.
Directors deals: Pearson's top brass buys in, but analysts unconvinced
Pearson's top brass put their money where their mouth is, picking up shares of the education at multi-year lows.
FX round-up: GBP mixed, USD down after US payrolls and ahead of France vote
Britain's Brexit-weakened currency produced a mixed Friday performance after US non-farm payrolls (NFP) data, with markets already looking ahead to the second round of France's presidential election over the weekend.
Europe close: Investors head confidently into French elections, analysts wary
Investors appeared to throw caution to the wind heading into Sunday's French presidential elections amid polls showing centrist-reformist candidate Emmanuele Macron had managed to widen his lead over far-right rival Marine Le Pen to 24 percentage points.
FTSE 250 movers: Inmarsat and Morgan AM a drag on mid-caps
London's mid-cap index did not benefit quite as much as its larger sibling from the strong US jobs report on Friday afternoon.
London close: FTSE 100 shrugs off sterling strength, falling metals' prices to gain
UK blue-chips shrugged off sterling strength and falling industrial metals' prices to enjoy a moderately higher close on Friday, helped by impressive gains in Pearson, International Consolidated Airlines and Marks & Spencer.
Fed's Fischer argues against foisting policy rule on US central bank
The US central bank's second-highest ranking official argued against the use of "simple" mathematical rules when deciding on monetary policy.
US nonfarm payrolls top expectations, unemployment rate ticks lower
The US created more jobs than expected in April while the jobless rate unexpectedly declined, according to the latest release from the Labor Department.
S&P affirms Italy's BBB- long-term debt rating, outlook stable
Standard&Poor's reiterated its rating on Italy's long-term debt on expectations for continued growth, reforms and a stable debt load.
Sector movers: Miners bounce on position squaring, Rolls Royce wanted
Mining stocks bounced back at the end of the week despite another move lower for iron ore prices.
Weekly review
The FTSE 100 finished the week 175. 95 points, or 2. 47%, higher at 7,297. 43 on Friday.
Tullow Oil outlook upgraded by S&P
Tullow Oil's improved credit outlook has been hailed by agency S&P after the debt-laden oil producer's recent fundraising.
Amur Minerals begins 2017 drill programme early
Eastern Russia-focussed nickel-copper sulphide mineral exploration and resource development company Amur Minerals Corporation announced on Friday that it had initiated its 2017 drill programme at its wholly-owned Kun-Manie nickel copper sulphide project, located in the Russian Far East.
Uber faces criminal investigation in US over software misuse
US tech firm Uber Technologies is set to face a criminal investigation from the government after accusations that it used software that enabled it to operate in restricted regions.
Week ahead: Will the MPC turn more hawkish (on Thursday)?
Should the Bank of England bring forward the date of its expected first hike in Bank Rate? Investors will hopefully have the answer to that question resolved after this week's Monetary Policy Committee meeting and Inflation Report.
John Lewis of Hungerford turnover falls, though same-store sales improve
John Lewis of Hungerford posted its interim results for the six months to 28 February on Friday, reporting total turnover of £3. 57m, down from £3. 61m in the same period a year ago.
Commodities: Crude finds some respite amid global economy concerns
Beleaguered crude-oil futures found some respite on Friday afternoon against a curtain of concerns surrounding the health of the global economy.
FTSE 100 movers: Pearson surges on restructuring; Barclays drops on downgrade
London's FTSE 100 was up 0. 6% to 7,287. 40 in afternoon trade as investors digested a better-than-expected US non-farm payrolls report and encouraging news from Pearson.
ValiRx losses widen as it continues drug development
Cancer therapeutics and diagnostics-focussed life sciences company ValiRx issued its final results for the year to 31 December 2016 on Friday, with its losses widening as it ramped up testing and trials of its products in development.
Marks & Spencer surges after Archie Norman appointed as chairman
Marks and Spencer Group has appointed Archie Norman as chairman to take over from Robert Swannell at the start of September.