Market Pulse
US pre-open: Stocks set to ride oil bounce higher
Wall Street was being called to start the session moderately higher, with stocks riding a wave of lessened risk-aversion on the back of speculation of further monetary easing by the European Central Bank and Bank of Japan, especially the former of those two.
Petroceltic rockets as Worldview considers full takeover
Shares in Dublin-based oil and gas explorartion company Petroceltic International rocketed after major shareholder Worldview Capital Management said it was considering making a full takeover approach for the group.
Week ahead: Hold your fire, Blackrock boss tells the Fed
Central banks would be in focus over the coming week, with the boss of the world's largest asset manager, Blackrock, having recommended to the US central bank that it factor in more the potential impact of US dollar strength in an increasingly tightly-knit world.
Broker tips: BHP Billiton, Pearson, Antofagasta
BHP Billiton may need to raise between $5bn and $10bn to keep hold of its solid A credit rating , Liberum analyst Richard Knights said.
London midday: Stocks rally on oil price recovery, ECB stimulus hopes
The FTSE rallied on Friday as oil prices and Asian equities rebounded and after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi hinted at further stimulus in the previous session.
Europe midday: Energy stocks pace the advance as oil prices rally
European stocks racked up solid gains on Friday as investors continued to take heart from signs the European Central Bank may implement further stimulus measures, with energy issues in the lead as oil prices rallied.
Amazon to create 2,500 UK jobs this year
Online retailer Amazon is planning to create 2,500 jobs in the UK this year as it expands its UK and European operations and rolls out its grocery delivery services.
Citi still upbeat on European equities
A significant and synchronised global recession is not going to happen, so European equities are headed higher this year, Citi said.
BHP Billiton may need to raise up to $10bn to keep credit rating, says Liberum
BHP Billiton may need to raise between $5bn and $10bn to keep hold of its solid A credit rating, Liberum analyst Richard Knights said.
Investec rates Pearson at 'add', raising target price
Investec recommended an ‘add’ rating for Pearson on Friday and lifted its target price to 791 from 748p, hailing the education publisher’s restructuring programme.
Goldman lowers euro/dollar forecast after Draghi's remarks
European Central Bank president Mario Draghi is still able to push through his agenda and will not allow himself to be dissuaded from pursuing further policy stimulus, one of the world’s most influential brokers said.
UK public finances improve substantially in December
UK Chancellor George Osborne's fiscal plans got a shot in the arm on Friday as the Office for National Statistics reported a substantial improvement in British public finances in December.
UK retail sales fall sharply in January
Consumers in Britain pulled back on spending at the end of 2015 by far more than analysts had expected.
Asia: Stocks rebound on Japan stimulus hopes, oil price recovery
Asia stocks rebounded on Friday as a recovery in oil prices and hopes of further stimulus from the Bank of Japan soothed markets.
StatPro buys US-based Investor Analytics
AIM-listed StatPro has acquired US-headquartered, cloud-based risk analytics company Investor Analytics LLC for a cash consideration of $10m (£7m).
Moody's slashes oil price estimates to $33/bbl as supply glut continues
Ratings agency Moody's has reduced its price estimates for Brent and WTI crude amid continued oversupply in the oil markets and what it deems as “the risk of additional supply from Iran. ”.
Citigroup ups Antofagasta to 'buy', highlights strong balance sheet
Citigroup resumed coverage on Antofagasta after a restriction period, upgrading the stock to ‘buy’ from ‘sell’, having been a seller since 2012.
Thor Mining's deal with PC Gold to exclude Dundas project
AIM-listed mineral and development company Thor Mining updated the market on the progress of the sale of its gold interests to private Australian company PC Gold for A$3. 5m, plus royalties, saying the deal will no longer include the Dundas project.
Exane ups Home Retail, downgrades Marks & Spencer
Exane BNP Paribas took a look at general retailers, upping its stance on Home Retail but cutting its rating on Marks & Spencer.
Euro area growth slowed in January to least in almost a year, Markit says
The slowdown in China may be having an impact on the Eurozone economy at the start of the year, some market observers said following the release of weaker-than-expected manufacturing and service sector purchasing managers’ surveys.