Market Pulse
US open: Stocks decline as investors brace for FOMC minutes
US equities slid early on Thursday, as investors awaited the release of the minutes of the latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
FTSE 250 movers: Dunelm rallies on strong sales; Hays tumbles on cautious outlook
London’s FTSE 250 index was down 0. 3% to 16,978. 38 at 1430 BST, as investors digested news that the Bank of England has decided to stand pat on interest rates and the size of its asset purchase programme, as widely expected.
FX Roundup: Pound corrects as BoE leaves interest rates unchanged
The pound sterling headed lower on Thursday, shedding some of the previous session’s gains as the Bank of England decided to keep its main policy settings unchanged in line with market expectations.
US jobless claims fall to lowest level since July
The number of first time unemployment benefits claimants in the US fell to their lowest since July last week , figures released on Thursday showed.
Broker tips: Soco International, M&S, UK industrials
Soco International was under pressure on Thursday after UBS downgraded the stock to ‘sell’ from ‘neutral’, keeping the price target at 150p.
UK inflation expectations edged higher in September
Inflation expectations among Britons for the next twelve months increased slightly in September.
Credit Suisse's new CEO said to be planning substantial capital raising
Credit Suisse’s new chief executive Tidjane Thiam is said to be planning a substantial capital raising when he reveals his strategic plan for the bank in two weeks, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
Greek unemployment steady in July, according to Elstat
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in Greece in July came in at 25%, unchanged from June’s downwardly-revised 25% and down from 26. 3% in the same month last year, according to figures released by the Hellenic Statistical Authority.
ECB's QE programme to go beyond September 2016 if needed, meeting minutes reveal
The European Central Bank reiterated that it would consider extending its asset purchase programme if the economic outlook worsened, according to minutes of the 2-3 September policy meeting on Thursday.
Dart Group expects profit increase, warns of second half losses
Dart Group has posted a positive trading update for the first half of the year, but it warned about losses on the horizon.
Moneysupermarket.com's chief product officer to step down
Moneysupermarket. com said its chief product officer Graham Donoghue has decided to leave the business after seven years.
Thursday newspaper share tips: Stocktake on Tesco
On Wednesday, Tesco announced its interim operating profit dropped as discount retailers continued to take their toll. It also warned the grocery market remained challenging. So on Thursday, the newspaper pundits decided it was time for a stocktake on the supermarket.
Qatar wealth fund said to be interested in Glencore's agricultural business
The sovereign wealth fund of Qatar has reportedly joined investors expressing an interest in buying a minority stake in Glencore’s agricultural business, which deals in commodities such as wheat, cotton, soybeans and sugar.
US pre-open: Futures slide ahead of FOMC minutes as earnings season begins
US stock futures turned south on Thursday, as investors awaited the release of the minutes of the latest Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
Europe midday: Shares waver after disappointing German data as investors await ECB minutes
European stocks wavered in a tight range as investors digested another set of disappointing German data, ahead of the release of minutes from the European Central Bank’s latest policy meeting.
London midday: Stocks rise as BoE votes to keep interest rates unchanged
London stocks recovered slightly from losses earlier on Thursday as the Bank of England decided to keep interest rates unchanged.
Asia: Chinese equities rally after holiday but other markets decline
Asian stocks closed on a mixed note on Thursday, as concerns about a slowdown in the emerging markets resurfaced.
AB InBev calls on SABMiller shareholders not to let board prevent bid
Anheuser-Busch InBev hit back at SABMiller on Thursday after the London-listed brewer rebuffed its third approach, calling on its shareholders to push the board to engage in talks.
Fed has lost control, more yen weakness ahead, says SocGen
More weak Japanese economic data this past week means the Bank of Japan may be closer to hitting the button for further quantitative easing, said SocGen’s strategy chief Albert Edwards.
Deutsche Bank warns of EUR6.2bn loss on impairments, writedowns
Deutsche Bank said late on Wednesday that it expects to book an impairment of around €5. 8bn in the third quarter for a writedown related to its corporate banking unit.