Market Pulse
Analysts see 'genius or madness' in Sainsbury's Home Retail offer
Brokers remained undecided and a little perplexed by Sainsbury's revelation that it is pondering making another takeover bid for Home Retail after a November offer was rejected.
Asia: North Korean bomb test shakes up markets
North Korea's apparently successful testing of a hydrogen bomb shook up Asian markets on Wednesday, although hints of some government help stabilised Chinese markets further.
7digital to buy French music streaming provider Snowite
7digital has agreed to acquire French digital streaming music provider Snowite, which is currently trying to extricate itself from insolvency.
Barclays upgrades Royal Mail as it hails cost-cutting programme
Barclays upgraded Royal Mail to ‘overweight’ from ‘equalweight’ and lifted the price target to 575p from 440p as it took a look at the European postal and parcel delivery market.
Eurozone producer prices slip in November
Eurozone producer prices slipped 0. 2% in November from October, according to figures released by Eurostat, in line with economists’ expectations.
Vedanta appoints new India metals chief
Vedanta Resources' subsidiary Vedanta Limited has appointed Samir Cairae to head up the company’s India metals division.
FinnAust Mining edges towards Greenland production
FinnAust Mining was looking for a year of wins on Wednesday morning, as it continued its work to extract titanium products from a Greenland coastal site.
France continues to drag on Eurozone growth, December services PMIs show
The French economy continued to lag behind peers and act as a drag on the wider euro area economy at the end of 2015, the final results of one of the most widely-followed surveys revealed.
UK services PMI nudges lower in December
The Markit/CIPS services purchasing managers’ index nudged down to 55. 5 in December from 55. 9 the previous month.
China's PBoC sets weaker fix for yuan, surprises some investors
China's central bank surprised some in the markets on Wednesday by setting a lower fix for the country's currency against the US dollar.
BAE Systems takes off as RBC upgrades to top pick
BAE Systems has started the day up after RBC Capital Markets upgraded it from ‘outperform’ to ‘top pick’, and raising the target price from 570p to 630p.
DDD adds patent protection for 'green screen' imaging technology
DDD Group has strengthened patent protection for its video and photo image processing technology as it looks to commercialise products in the computer gaming and video conferencing markets.
John Lewis Christmas sales rise as online shines
Sales at the John Lewis Partnership rose 4. 1% to £1. 81bn during the festive trading period, helped by another of its heartwarming Christmas advertising campaigns.
London open: Stocks fall on China woes, geopolitical tensions, oil price slump
London stocks declined on Wednesday as Chinese service activity growth eased, oil prices continued drop and reports that North Korea has tested a nuclear weapon rocked markets.
Europe open: Stocks slide as worries over China intensify
European stocks fell in early trade following another batch of disappointing data from China and amid rising geopolitical tensions.
APC Technology Group subsidiary wins four key LED contracts
One of AIM-listed APC Technology Group’s subsidiaries has won four major LED lighting contracts worth over £1. 15m.
Apple iPhone sales may miss second quarter expectations
Sales of Apple iPhones may be slowing, leading to excess capacity and some lay-offs at its key component suppliers, according to reports, which also hit the shares of suppliers including chipmaker ARM Holdings.
Tajikistan finally bears fruit for China Nonferrous Gold
Staff and investors were celebrating at China Nonferrous Gold this week, after the company's efforts in central Asia finally bore fruit.
Motive TV launching popular tablet service in UK
Motive Television announced the expansion of one of its popular consumer technologies to the UK on Wednesday, after a successful period of sales in the United States.
Staffline stumbles despite positive trading update
Recruitment group Staffline has confirmed full year trading reached earning growth targets thanks to good performances from both divisions.