Fidelity Top Stories
Friday preview: NFPs and Fedspeak could lift hike odds, IAG and IHG report
Following a what should be a quieter morning of UK company news, attention turns firmly across the Atlantic after lunch, with a Friday Fedspeak frenzy following the non-farm payrolls report.
European officials hit back at May's claim Brussels interfering in elections
The European Commission has hit back at British Prime Minister Theresa May's claims that Brussels was trying to interfere in the UK general election.
Congress passes government spending bill, focus now on Trumpcare
The US House of Representatives voted to pass legislation overnight which will fund the federal government with $1. 1trn through to the end of September, narrowly averting a shutdown on Friday.
UK mortgage approvals decline for second month
UK banks are continuing to approve fewer mortgages, with loans for house purchases falling more than expected to a six-month low.
Consumer credit growth slows to eight-month low - BoE
Consumer credit growth continues to slow but the flow of borrowing rebounded slightly more than expected, the Bank of England said on Thursday as it continues keenly keep an eye on a potential red flag for the economy.
Next cuts profit guidance as sales fall in first quarter
Next trimmed its full year sales and profits guidance after sales fell in the first quarter of its financial year.
Shell keeps first quarter dividend steady
Royal Dutch Shell's net income rose across almost all its main units at the start of the year thanks to the rebound in oil prices, with the company touting how its cash dividend was fully covered for a third consecutive quarter.
HSBC's investment bank starts strongly but profits dented by FX
HSBC's profits in the first three months of the year were severely dented by currency movements but at the underlying level they improved strongly against the first and fourth quarter of last year.
Rio Tinto aiming for $5bn of free cash flow in productivity improvements
Rio Tinto is aiming to deliver $5bn of free cash flow via productivity improvements over five years.
Fed June rate hike odds jump after policy statement
The odds of an interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve at its June meeting moved sharply higher following the release of the central bank's policy statement in which it brushed aside the importance of weaker than expected first quarter GDP figures.
UK will face €100bn Brexit bill, but Davis says 'we will not pay it'
Brexit minister David Davis said the UK will not cough up €100bn in any deal to leave the European Union, and will only pay what is legally due.
M&S poaches Halfords boss McDonald to run non-food arm
Halfords Group has lost another chief executive to a larger retailer, with Jill McDonald poached by Marks & Spencer to be managing director of its non-food business.
Barclays reinstates BP as Top Pick, eyes potential for positive surprises
Analysts at Barclays re-instated BP as their Top Pick in the European oils sector in anticipation of a "material and sustained" improvement in the oil major's free cash flow.
UK manufacturing activity spikes to three-year high
UK manufacturing activity was much stronger than expected in April, according to a survey published on Tuesday, as companies restocked rapidly as input price pressures remained high but continued to retreat from their peak.
BP barrels off to brilliant first quarter, analyst angst over dividend
BP got off to a strong first quarter, with a £1. 45bn profit and expectations of a "material improvement" in cash flow from the second half of the year as production begins at new upstream projects.
China manufacturing PMI registers unexpected drop in April
China's economy continued to slow down in April according to the results of various widely-followed surveys.