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Week ahead: FOMC meeting, Q2 earnings reports in the spotlight
All eyes over the coming week will be on Wednesday's Federal Open Market Committee, as much for what it has to say on interest rates at the present meeting as well as for its guidance, together with a raft of corporate earnings reports on both sides of the Atlantic.
Wheat futures drop sharply after Kyiv and Moscow ink deal to restart grain exports
Wheat futures extended their recent declines after Russia and Ukraine penned an agreement to unblock exports of millions of tons of Ukrainian wheat through the latter's ports on the Black Sea.
Europe close: Stocks end week on an up note, despite poor data
European shares finished the week on a slightly positive note Friday even after the results of two key surveys pointed to a contraction in the euro area's economy in July - albeit alongside a marked cooling in price pressures.
London close: Stocks strengthen after avalanche of data
London stocks managed to close above the waterline on Friday, as investors mulled the latest retail sales, consumer confidence and business activity data.
Weekly review
The FTSE 100 ended the week 125. 16 points higher, closing Friday’s session at 7,276. 37.
FTSE 100 movers: Ocado in the black; banks take a hit
London’s FTSE 100 was up 0. 2% at 7,287. 45 in afternoon trade on Friday.
FTSE 250 movers: Beazley upgrade boosts sentiment
The FTSE 250 was up 0. 75% at 19,857. 60 at 1540 BST.
Broker tips: Hochschild, FeverTree, Quilter, Strix
Analysts at Berenberg downgraded mining group Hochschild from 'buy' to 'hold' on Friday, citing operational risks.
US open: Stocks mixed as earnings remain in focus
Wall Street stocks were mixed early on Friday as a busy week for corporate earnings gets set to draw to a close.
US business activity shrinks for first time since mid-2020 in July, S&P Global says
Business activity in the US shrank unexpectedly in July for the first time since mid-2020, the results of two closely-followed surveys revealed.
Twitter swings to Q2 loss as revenues dip amid deal uncertainty
Twitter said on Friday that it swung to a loss in the second quarter as revenue dipped, with the social media platform highlighting uncertainty surrounding the pending acquisition by Tesla owner Elon Musk.
Director dealings: Cambridge Cognition execs invest after solid update
Cambridge Cognition was among a relatively thin list of director deals on Friday afternoon, after two of its executives made share purchases.
Agronomics shares remain at premium to net asset value
Cellular agriculture investor Agronomics said in an update on Friday that its unaudited net asset value at quarter-end on 30 June was 15. 27p per share, including uninvested cash of £51. 5m.
Angus Energy nears first sales at Saltfleetby
Angus Energy updated the market on progress at its wholly-owned Saltfleetby project on Friday, reporting that wellhead gas has been introduced into the system, with wellhead pressure remaining high at 80+ bar.
BA staff call off Heathrow strike after agreeing new pay deal
British Airways workers at Heathrow have called off planned strike action after accepting a new pay offer from the airline, unions said on Friday.
Pires reports progress at portfolio firms
Pires Investments updated the market on company developments and further progress relating to companies within its investment portfolio on Friday, that it is invested in either directly, or indirectly through the Sure Valley Ventures funds.
Canaccord Genuity downgrades Strix to 'hold'
Canaccord Genuity downgraded kettle controls manufacturer Strix downgraded from 'buy' to 'hold' on Friday, stating headwinds were now "biting".
JPMorgan downgrades Quilter to 'neutral'
JPMorgan Cazenove downgraded Quilter on Friday to ‘neutral’ from ‘overweight’ and cut the price target to 115p from 180p.
Victoria Oil sales rise as it works to resolve RSM dispute
Victoria Oil & Gas, whose wholly-owned subsidiary Gaz du Cameroun (GDC) had operations located in the Cameroonian port city of Douala, updated the market on its second quarter on Friday.
If you buy now you'll pay later, BofA says
A "credible bull market" will require equally credible interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve once inflation has been "conquered", BofA Securities said.