Market Pulse
US close: Stocks in repose on Veterans Day
A thinly traded Veterans Day session ended with US stock markets bowing down at the closing bell as a retreating crude price weighed on the oil majors.
FCA's new enforcement chief will 'nip misconduct in the bud'
The new enforcement chief at the City of London regulator said he aimed for financial misconduct to be "nipped in the bud" through better communication with companies.
Sector movers: Natural resource stocks weigh on London market
Metals, mining and oil and gas stocks continued to weigh on the London market on Wednesday, even though blue chips and midcaps finished marginally in positive territory.
Commodities: Oil futures plummet as copper heads sideways
Oil slipped lower on Wednesday after preliminary US stockpile data pointed to an inventory uptick, while copper futures headed sideways in a session marked by lower trading volumes as North American markets took a break for the Veterans Day holiday.
UK unemployment rate falls more than expected but wage growth slows
Unemployment in the UK fell more than expected in the third quarter, figures released on Wednesday showed, though wage growth also weakened, leading many economists to the conclusion that a near-term rise in Bank Rate was still uncalled for.
London close: Stocks edge higher after Chinese data
Equities and copper prices found their footing on Wednesday following a raft of more or less in-line economic data released overnight in China, although the latest UK employment numbers left a trail of confused analysts in their wake.
FX Roundup: Dollar rally seen losing steam
The dollar traded lower against a basket of global currencies on Wednesday, ending five successive sessions in the ascendancy, while the euro continued to slip lower against the greenback.
Europe close: Equities gain ground as Draghi calls for European banking union
European stocks rose on Wednesday as investors analysed a speech by European Central Bank president Mario Draghi.
Premier Technical completes Langston Jones deal
Premier Technical Services Group has completed the acquisition of electrical safety testing company Langston Jones for £700,000 in cash.
Broker tips: Jimmy Choo, Whitbread, Experian
Liberum downgraded Jimmy Choo to ‘hold’ from ‘buy’ and slashed the price target to 160p from 210p.
Hays non-exec director steps down
Richard Smelt has stepped down from his role as Hays’ non-executive director, the recruitment company said on Wednesday.
Harding picks up some shares as TalkTalk rockets
TalkTalk’s chief executive Dido Harding treated herself to some shares in the company as its stock rocketed following well-received first half results.
Macy's third quarter sales impacted by US dollar strength
Heading into the make-or-break holiday season, Macy’s, the operator of the iconic US department stores that go by the same name, announced lower than expected third quarter sales in part due to the stronger US dollar.
John Lewis to open stores in the Netherlands
UK retailer John Lewis has unveiled plans to expand its business in Europe by hoping three shops in the Netherlands.
Thursday preview: Burberry interims take to the catwalk
Since February's all-time high, Burberry's shares have fallen 31% as the market angsts about the effect of China's economic slowdown on consumer spending in Asia and on Thursday the company reports on its first half performance.
Barclays downgrades Schroders, bumps up Jupiter
Barclays downgraded Schroders to ‘equalweight’ from ‘overweight’ and cut the price target to 3,140p from 3,450p as it took a look at European diversified financials.
FTSE 250 movers: TalkTalk's dividend increase helps market rebound
The FTSE 250 has rebounded after a poor start to the week, with the market in the black by mid-afternon Wednesday at 17,097. 44, up 57. 62 points (0. 34%).
Abcam agrees AxioMx takeover
Protein research tools producer Abcam has reached an agreement to acquire monoclonal antibodies producer AxioMx in a deal worth up to $45m (£29. 7m).
Experian rallies again as Citigroup hails inflection point
Shares in information services company Experian rallied for the second day in a row, after Citigroup lifted its price target on the stock by 9% to 1,340p to reflect higher earnings and the re-rating of the broader business services sector.
FTSE 100 movers: Experian and SABMiller shine; Sainsbury's slumps on results
London’s FTSE 100 index was up 0. 5% to 6,308. 14 at 1440 GMT, with Experian and SABMiller pacing the advance as investors digested some mixed data releases.