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Thursday preview: Bank of England likely to lower forecasts but hold rates
There will be lots of attention on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee even though it is not expected to produce any change in policy but will update its forecasts, while there will be a torrent of company results earlier, including from clothing retail bellwether Next, medical devices group ConvaTec and satellite specialist Inmarsat.
US close: Dow breaches 22,000 as Apple hits record high
US stocks ended mostly higher on Wednesday, with the Dow outperforming and breaching the 22,000 level for the first time as Apple shares hit a record high on the back of well-received earnings.
Inflation not on a sustained downtrend, Fed's Mester says
A top US rate-setter said she continues to see a need for further interest rate hikes, telling an audience that recent soft readings on inflation were not pointing to a sustained drop in prices.
Rebounding sales sees Devro shares rise
Devro, a manufacturer of collagen based sausage casings, saw sales growth bounce back over the first half the year.
Broker tips: Morrisons, European Tobacco, Intertek
Morrisons was upgraded to 'hold' from 'reduce' on Wednesday by HSBC after the supermarket group added a new wholesale contract that it hopes will soon be worth £1bn.
Strong i performance and increased digital revenue bolster Johnston Press
Despite a significantly stronger performance in advertising revenues from the i newspaper and in the digital space, Johnston Press saw total revenues fall almost 8% to £103m during the first half of the year, on the back of a large dip in classified print advertising sales.
Arix Pharmaceuticals participates in $67m funding of antifungal agent
Arix Bioscience announced on Wednesday that it has taken part in a $67m Series C group financing round to take a stake in Amplyx Pharmaceuticals.
Europe close: Euro powers ahead, weighing on stocks
European stocks remained stuck in the red on Wednesday as the strong euro, weak bank results and falling commodities prices all weighed.
London close: Stocks drift lower ahead of BoE
London stocks ended the session slightly lower following some corporate dividend disappointments and the release of disappointing UK construction data, although sterling seemed to take the news in its stride.
Weekly US oil inventories fall less than expected, DoE says
US crude oil stockpiles fell last week despite a rise in imports last week, as refineries increased their runs, boosting prices for crude oil futures.
UK preparing post-Brexit trade team to deal with disputes
Theresa May’s government is preparing to set up a team to resolve trade disputes post-Brexit as the UK leaves the European Union.
Time Warner profits boosted by blockbuster films
US entertainment firm Time Warner saw its profits rise by 11. 6% in the second quarter thanks to the release of blockbuster films such as Wonder Woman.
IT failure results in severe delays for British Airways passengers
British Airways issued an apology to customers on Wednesday morning after it experienced another failure in its check-in system.
Hubble Connected acquiring infant heart monitor firm Kaishi
Hubble Connected, the Internet of Things (IoT) company which sells nursery products under the Motorola brand, announced its intent to acquire Kaishi - producer of an “award-winning” fetal heart-rate listening device - on Wednesday.
US open: Traders have another go at 22,000 on the Dow
Apple's results powered another assault by the Dow Industrials on the psychological 22,000 point mark, in what some traders said would mark another major milestone for US markets should that level be overcome.
Walker Greenbank sales boosted by Clarke & Clarke acquisition
Luxury interior furnishings group Walker Greenbank announce its pre-close trading update for the six months to 31 July on Wednesday, reporting that brand sales - including Clarke & Clarke - were up 35. 6% in reportable currency compared with the same period last year.
UK construction activity falls amid political uncertainty, soaring building costs
UK construction activity has fallen to an 11-month low due to a softening of commercial building amid political and economic anxiety, while building material costs rose at the one of the fastest rates seen for six years.
SocGen downgrades European tobacco sector
Societe Generale strategists have downgraded the European tobacco sector to 'neutral' from 'overweight' as higher US regulatory risks combine with declining US Treasury bill yields.
Aggregated Micro Power investment reaches EEX deal
Distributed energy company Aggregated Micro Power Holdings announced on Wednesday that IncubEx, in which it has a 28. 8% shareholding, has reached agreement with the European Energy Exchange to form a partnership to build and improve liquidity in environmental, energy and other related contracts.
StatPro sees revenue and profit growth through cloud investment
StatPro, the London based portfolio analytics software provider, reported organic revenue growth of 2% in the first half of 2017, with its key product, the cloud-based Revolution platform, seeing a 16% increase.