Fidelity Top Stories
Services sector bounce underpins UK growth in first quarter
The UK's key services sector reported better trading than expected last month, though economists were not united over whether it would be enough to prop up the wider economic growth figures for the first quarter of the year.
JP Morgan stays at 'overweight' on Eurozone, Japan
JP Morgan stuck by its 'overweight' recommendation on Eurozone and Japanese equities, arguing that the risk-reward trade-off from stocks was still "supportive" and that growth did not necessarily need to shift down sharply, although some stalling was a possibility.
Populist movement makes inroads in Italian elections
Italy's main anti-establishment parties made new inroads in Sunday's parliamentary elections, possibly paving the way for already-approved economic reforms to be rolled back and higher spending.
Uncertainty extremely high ahead of Italian elections, Oxford Economics says
It's unlikely that the upcoming Italian elections will yield a coalition of populist parties, which would unsettle both financial markets and business leaders, but neither are they likely to prove the much-needed cauldron in which an ambitious pro-reform coalition is forged, said analysts at Oxford Economics.
Theresa May tells Brussels the time has come to face some 'hard facts'
Theresa May discussed what she referred to as a set of "hard facts" regarding Britain's departure from the European Union while delivering her next big Brexit speech at Mansion House in London on Friday.
Buy humiliation, sell 'hubris', say strategists at BofA-Merrill Lynch
Strategists at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch on Friday laid out their case in favour of a re-test of the S&P 500's recent lows, towards 2. 534.
Yen jumps on BoJ chief Kuroda's reference to QE exit
The Bank of Japan will begin to ponder how to exit its ultra-loose monetary policy at some point next year, if justified by economic conditions, next year, Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said.
UK warns of 'serious damage' as Trump steams ahead with trade tariffs
Trading partners of the United States have reacted angrily to the White House plans to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.
Construction sector remains under pressure, confidence shattered
UK construction companies reported little easing in subdued trading conditions, according to a survey released on Friday, with confidence near five-year lows and on course to record a fourth consecutive quarter of reduced output.
Households keep borrowing, BoE figures show
Consumers borrowed an extra £1. 4bn in January as increased credit card lending more than offset a reduction in other loans and advances, Bank of England figures showed on Thursday.
UK manufacturing shows further signs of slowing
UK manufacturing growth slowed slightly in February, according to a survey of managers in the sector published on Thursday, with a major fall in the output balance to its lowest level in almost a year.
WPP blames squeezed client budgets for flatlining revenue
WPP blamed squeezed client marketing budgets for flatlining annual revenue as the world’s biggest advertising company said it made a slow start to 2018.