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Fed's Harker makes case for one rate hike in 2019 and another in 2020
One of the US central bank's top officials extolled the virtues of patience when setting monetary policy, even as he argued in favour of additional rate hikes - albeit very gradually.
Commodities: Weak Chinese factory PMI dampens sentiment
Commodities traded lower on Thursday for the most part, following the release of a weaker-than-expected reading on Chinese manufacturing sector conditions, although the latest US data did surprise to the upside.
Friday preview: Global factory PMIs, IMI in focus
Barring surprises, the spotlight at the end of the week is expected to be on Caixin's closely-followed factory sector Purchasing Managers' Index for the month of February.
Broker tips: Rio Tinto, AO World, WPP
Bank of America Merrill Lynch cut its stance on miner Rio Tinto to 'underperform' from 'neutral' on Thursday, slashing the price target to 4,150p from 4,770p as it noted limited positive catalysts in the near term.
Liberum expects weak performance from WPP, lowers target price
Analysts at Liberum took a fresh look at WPP ahead of the advertising and public relations outfit's full-year results on Friday, reiterating their 'buy' rating on its stock as it noted that the group's most pressing concerns appeared to already be priced in.
Shore Capital reiterates 'sell' rating on 'sub-scale' AO World
Analysts at Shore Capital reiterated their 'sell' rating on household appliances and electricals retailer AO World on Thursday, with the broker stating the UK electrical market had become even more competitive since the group's IPO back in 2014.
Europe close: Stocks finish higher for a second month in a row
Stocks sprinted into the green near the end of the session, putting paid to a second consecutive month of gains for European stockmarkets, despite news overnight that nuclear talks between the US and North Korea had ended abruptly, without a deal, reportedly after Pyongyang called on Washington to lift all its sanctions, and a weaker-than-expected reading on China's manufacturing sector.
London close: Miners drag down FTSE after Chinese data disappoints
London stocks rubbed out most of their earlier losses but still lost ground on Thursday as investors mulled weak Chinese factory data.
US-China trade deal nearing completion, says Politico
A deal to resolve the long-running trade war between the United States and China is "largely complete", according to a source cited by Politico.
US monetary policy needs to be especially data-dependent now, Fed's Clarida says
The US central bank's second-highest ranking official reiterated the case for patience in judging the Federal Reserve's next moves on interest rates, while highlighting that inflation expectations were near the lower bound of the range which he believed was consistent with policymakers' mandate to pursue stable prices.
BAT earnings growth heats up, finance chief retires
British American Tobacco grew underlying earnings above its target range last year despite cigarette volumes declining 3. 5% as it predicted.
Aston Martin expects continued sales growth, IPO costs hit profits
Aston Martin Lagonda Global reported good underlying growth in its the first results since its 2018 flotation, though fell to a statutory loss due to listing costs.
Rolls-Royce posts £1.2bn loss after engine troubles, restructuring
Rolls-Royce made a loss at the bottom line due to sizeable one-off charges but ended 2018 with a pile of cash after axing around 1,300 jobs and selling off its fuel injection business.
Sector movers: Packaging dented, REITs mostly alright
Automobiles and packaging companies put the brakes on gains on Thursday, while real estate investment trusts were one of the few sectors standing tall.
FTSE 250 movers: Aston Martin skids lower, Merlin works its magic
London's FTSE 250 was down 0. 19% in afternoon trading on Thursday, after Aston Martin Lagonda drove the index lower.
Director dealings: Tullow Oil CFO lowers stake following Jefferies downgrade
Tullow Oil chief financial officer Les Wood disposed of 75,414 ordinary shares in the FTSE 250-listed exploration and production outfit.
Facebook, Google and Twitter must do more in fight against fake news - EC
The European Commission has called on Facebook, Google and Twitter to do more to combat the spread of fake news.
US open: Mixed start to trading following abrupt end to Trump-Kim summit
Wall Street trading began on a mixed note on Thursday after Donald Trump's denuclearisation summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was cut short with no agreement reached.
Inmarsat surges on report of renewed EchoStar interest
Shares in Inmarsat rallied on Thursday after CTFN cited a senior executive in the sector as saying that US rival EchoStar may renew its interest in the satellite communications company soon and no later than the next six months.
FTSE 100 movers: Rentokil rallies on results but RSA Insurance retreats
London's FTSE 100 was down 0. 4% to 7,080. 92 in afternoon trade on Thursday.