Market Pulse
US close: Markets slide after ECB cuts interest rates and Yellen comments on jobs
US equities continued to slide after investors analysed the latest moves from the European Central Bank and responded to Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen’s remarks on US jobs.
Market overview: Stocks crash after Draghi fails to deliver
1630:Close Stocks received a thrashing on Thursday after the ECB’s Draghi failed to live up to market expectations, with some analysts having expected an increase in the size of the monthly amount dedicated to its repurchase programme from €60bn. Instead, he chose to keep it steady at that same amount. That drove an enormous rebound in the euro/dollar from its intraday lows. Debenhams and Spire led he rout on the second tier index on the back of negative broker comments.
Sector movers: Metals, chemicals lead downward charge
Industrial sectors, chemicals and mining were the losers on Thursday, on the same day the European Central Bank eased its monetary policy, much to the disappointment of the market.
Polypipe executives cash in to cover tax liabilities
It was another case of directors selling shares to satisfy tax liabilities on Thursday.
London close: Stocks plunge as ECB's decision on QE disappoints
UK stocks reversed earlier gains in Thursday’s session to end lower after the European Central Bank failed to deliver on market expectations for an increase in monthly asset purchases.
Europe close: Stocks tumble as ECB leaves investors disappointed
European equities slumped on Thursday, after the European Central Bank president Mario Draghi disappointed investors as the new monetary policy was not what markets had hoped for.
Friday preview: Nonfarm payrolls key to Fed rate hike
Friday's nonfarm payroll figures were being described as the "most eagerly anticipated data release of the year" on Thursday, as the US Federal Reserve sniffed through economic data to find a route to the first interest rate hike in more than nine years.
Commodities: Oil futures remain at six-year lows ahead of OPEC meeting
Oil benchmarks continued to lurk near six-year lows on Thursday, ahead of the OPEC ministers meeting in Vienna, Austria, while metals extended losses for much of the afternoon.
JD Sports sees full year ahead of market expectations
Shares in JD Sports Fashion bobbed higher in afternoon trade after the company said it expects headline profit before tax and exceptional items for the current financial year to exceed consensus market expectations of £125m by £10m.
IAG traffic soars 14.3% in November
British Airways and Iberia parent International Consolidated Airlines Group said traffic, as measured in revenue passenger-kilometres, a measure of the volume of passengers carried by an airline, rose 14. 3% in November from the same month last year, or 7. 2% on a pro-forma basis.
FTSE 250 movers: Spire downgrade leads market south
The London markets took a turn downhill after the ECB announced a 10 basis point cut to the deposit rate to -0. 30%, as expected.
US ISM non-manufacturing slumps in November
Activity in the US services sector slumped in November, figures released on Thursday showed.
US durable goods largely unchanged in October
Orders for US durable goods declined less than expected last month, figures released on Thursday showed.
FTSE 100 movers: Whitbread rallies on Credit Suisse note but Ashtead slumps
London’s FTSE 100 was down 1. 8% to 6,306. 85 at 1510 GMT, tracking broader losses in Europe as the European Central Bank’s latest stimulus measures failed to live up to expectations.
US factory orders beat expectations in October
US factory orders rose slightly more than expected in October, official data showed on Thursday.
US open: Stocks struggle for direction ahead of Yellen's speech
US equities struggled for direction early on Thursday, as investors awaited a speech from Federal Reserve chairwoman Janet Yellen and analysed the latest moves from the European Central Bank.
FX Roundup: Euro jumps in wake of ECB move
The euro spiked in intraday trading on Thursday, as the European Central Bank unveiled an economic stimulus package that fell short of analysts’ expectations but did spring a few surprises.
Triple-play merger continues at Amino
Combining three firms into one continued apace at Amino Technologies, which signalled positive movement in a trading update on Thursday.
Investec downgrades Spire Healthcare on NHS cuts
Spire Healthcare slumped after Investec cut its stance on the stock to ‘sell’ from ‘hold’ and slashed the price target to 234p from 375p, saying near-term risks are not fully reflected in the price.
Leftfield's Brent Montgomery appointed CEO of ITV America
Broadcaster ITV has appointed Brent Montgomery, the current chief executive of Leftfield Entertainment, as CEO of ITV America.