Market Pulse
Norges Bank keeps policy rate unchanged at 0.75%
Norway’s central bank kept its key policy rate unchanged at 0. 75% on Thursday.
Sir Nigel Rudd to step down as Heathrow chair
Sir Nigel Rudd is stepping down as chairman of Heathrow in September next year, but is going out fighting for a third runway for the airport.
Euronext suspends trading pending court verdict
Netherlands-based exchange group Euronext NV has suspended trading in its shares with immediate effect pending a Dutch court verdict over consolidated capital requirements.
Ultimate Sports Group's shares tumble on fundraising
Ultimate Sports Group stock tumbled on Thursday after announcing it had raised £200,000 through the placement of 1m shares in the company.
UK retail sales surge past expectations in November
UK retail sales rose 1. 7% in November from October, beating economists’ expectations for a 0. 5% increase as shoppers made the most of ‘Black Friday’ bargains.
Jet2 Three orders 3 Boeing 737s
Dart Group - owner and operator of large leisure airline Jet2 - announced the order of three new jets from Boeing on Thursday.
Mild weather mutes market for NWF
A mild winter has seen muted demand for products at NWF Group, with its feeds and fuels divisions feeling the pinch.
AstraZeneca buys majority stake in Acerta Pharma to expand oncology portfolio
AstraZeneca has announced it will acquire a 55% stake in Acerta Pharma over its oncology treatment – a deal valued at $4bn (£2. 7bn).
UK solar panel subsidies slashed 65%
The government has slashed subsidies for householders installing solar panels by 65%, days after reaching an agreement in Paris to move to a low-carbon energy future.
RSA signs five-year exclusive deal with Nationwide
RSA Insurance has signed an exclusive five-year partnership deal to underwrite all of Nationwide’s home insurance products from spring 2017.
German business confidence unexpectedly drops in December
German business confidence unexpectedly fell in December, according to a widely-followed survey.
Redde picking big profit after strong December trading
Strong trading volumed led a recently-expanded Redde to reconsider its profit expectations for the current period on Thursday.
New 61,000-seat Tottenham Hotspur stadium gets local council approval
Tottenham Hotspur’s new 61,000 seat stadium has been given the green light by Haringey Council.
London open: Stocks gain after Fed raises interest rates
UK equities gained on Thursday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates and chair Janet Yellen assured the market that further increases would be gradual.
Europe open: Stocks rally as investors cheer Fed rate hike
European stocks rallied in early trade, taking their cue from upbeat sessions in the US and Asia as investors welcomed the Federal Reserve’s first rate hike in nearly a decade and reassurance that the tightening path will be gradual.
Goldman Sachs downgrades iron ore price forecasts
Goldman Sachs cut its forecasts for iron prices as it pointed to slowing demand and growing supply.
Entertainment One extends deal with DreamWorks through new partnership
Entertainment One has extended its output agreement with DreamWorks Pictures through the creation of a new partnership.
Workspace to build business centre, 200 homes in Stratford
A large new business centre and 200 new homes were announced for Stratford on Thursday, with Workspace revealing its final plans for a large site in the east London area.
Halma to buy Spain's Visiometrics for up to €125m
Safety, health and environmental technology group Halma has acquired Spain-based Visiometrics from private shareholders and Atlas Capital for a maximum total consideration of €125m (£90. 8m), in a deal that is expected to be earnings-enhancing within the first year of ownership.
Economy, online retail underpin Tritax Big Box performance
A strong economy, and stronger growth in online retailing were underpinning optimism at Tritax Big Box this week.