Market Pulse
US close: Markets close higher despite oil dipping below $30
US stocks closed higher on Tuesday after China’s central bank set the yuan higher, however that sentiment was offset by oil prices briefly falling below $30 a barrel.
Sector movers: Supermarket shares up as resource companies struggle
Resource stocks posted further declines on Tuesday in wake of the slump in oil prices and ongoing concerns over lacklustre global demand for key commodities, but supermarkets dragged London indices back into positive territory.
Bonds: Poor factory data, Fed speak bolster Gilts
These were the movements in some of the most widely followed longer-term sovereign bond yields:.
Commodities: Oil market rout continues as Brent tests $30
Oil markets faced up to another bearish session on Tuesday with Brent and WTI futures staying at 12-year lows and heading lower still, as oversupply concerns continued to dominate market chatter.
Largest number of Americans since 2008 quit in November, JOLTS survey shows
The largest number of Americans chose to quit and look for a better job in November since just before investment bank Bear Stearns went under in 2008, a report from the Labor Department revealed on Tuesday.
Europe close: Chinese interventions drive bounce in stocks
European equities bounced back on Tuesday after China intervened repeatedly to stabilise its currency, although economists and strategists sounded a cautious note.
FX Roundup: Dollar gains ascendency, yuan strengthens
The dollar rose against a basket of global currencies on Tuesday, while the yuan strengthened after the People’s Bank of China set the mid-point for the currency at CNY6. 5628 per dollar, just two pips weaker than the previous strong fix and firmer than its spot levels late on Monday.
London close: Supermarkets lead equities into positive territory
UK equities ended higher, led by supermarkets after Morrisons reported an unexpected increase in sales over Christmas.
UK economy growing at close to potential, NIESR says
The economy slowed down last year but continued to grow at close to its potential rate, one of the country's largest think-tanks said on Tuesday.
Goldman strategist says wait for entry point into European equities
Things were likely to get worse before they got better in the equity space, but if they did, that might throw up some opportunities for investors, particularly in Europe, a strategist from Goldman Sachs told Bloomberg.
UK Mail sends confident message about parcel hub
Having axed its chief executive in November, UK Mail Group delivered a third-quarter result to help it return to investor's good books, showing 8% parcel volume growth as its new automated plant coped with the Black Friday and Christmas surges in demand from online shoppers.
Avesco puts sheen on results with Fountain Studio sale
Full year profits hit record levels at AIM-listed Avesco, while the events, television and broadcast equipment and services group also announced a £16m property disposal to transform its balance sheet.
Results round-up
Online clothing retailer Boohoo. com reported a big jump in sales for the four months to the end of December, with encouraging trading across all regions.
Apple may be set to outperform, BofA says
There were reasons to be cautious on the outlook for Apple in August, but they had now been discounted by the markets, analysts at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch said, pointing out several potential positive catalysts which were looming on the horizon.
Best of the Best's half year revenues jump 30%
Best of the Best, which runs luxury prize competitions, on Tuesday reported a 10. 9% increase in half year pre-tax profit to £0. 48m, driven by online revenues.
US job openings nudge up in November
Job openings in the US nudged higher in November, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
US small business confidence stuck in below-average rut in December, NFIB says
US small business confidence edged higher last month but the sector faced uncertainty with government policy-makers likely to be paralysed ahead of this year's presidential election, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.
Netdimensions lifts sales and cuts losses
Training and testing software group Netdimensions said its annual losses are likely to less than expected.
Octagonal non-exec director picks up 3.3m shares
Octagonal’s non-executive director Martin Davison bought a total of 3. 3m shares in the investment company via his pension fund.
Barclays downgrades easyJet, tags RyanAir as 'top pick'
Airlines might be set to trounce analysts' earnings forecasts courtesy of the oil price at 12-year lows, although there were some risks in the marketplace, Barclays told clients on Tuesday.