Market Pulse
Sector movers: Resource stocks end week on positive turf
Resource stocks rose on Friday to post decent declines following a wider uptick in the commodities market.
Commodities: Oil rises on output cut chatter, gold spike cools
Oil futures registered decent gains on Friday, while the previous session’s gold price spike cooled on profit taking as the weekend approached.
Qannas puts £3.8m into UAE 'Goldilocks Fund'
Qannas Investments announced a fresh investment on Friday, putting $5. 45m (£3. 77m) in the Goldilocks Fund, which primarily invests in listed equities in the United Arab Emirates.
Europe close: Oil shares and banks lead gains
European equities racked up healthy gains on Friday, rebounding from heavy losses in the previous session as investors cheered results from the likes of Commerzbank and Rolls-Royce.
FX Roundup: Dollar reasserts itself following days of decline
The dollar posted gains on Friday as the President of the New York Federal Reserve Charles Dudley described current US monetary policy as “quite accommodative. ”.
London close: FTSE finishes on front foot
The FTSE rang off a choppy week on a positive note, bouncing back 3. 1% on the day as bargain hunters snapped up mining stocks and lifted the index away from the previous day's three-year lows.
Paragon expands eastwards with new Latvian partner
Attractions design, production and fit-out business Paragon Entertainment announced a new partnership on Friday, with Latvia-based museums, attractions and heritage-based projects designer H2E.
Week ahead: EU council meeting to kick-off countdown to referendum
European affairs will matter more than ever in the coming week, with investors and even the average man on the street expected to keep close tabs on the outcome of the European Council meeting on 17-18 February, in Brussels.
European steel outlook negative as prices sink, Moody's says
Moody's has changed its outlook for the European steel sector to negative as the sharp fall in steel prices weighs heavily on profitability such that it will take at least 18 months to return to levels close to those of 2014.
Small caps news round-up
Oil and gas companies Premier Oil and Rockhopper Exploration announced the termination of a joint venture drilling contract with Ocean Rig in the Falklands. They said the termination followed "a number of material operational issues” at the Eirik Raude rig during the term of the contract to date.
Cairn Homes inks housing deal with Hines
Housebuilder Cairn Homes has inked a deal with real estate group Hines Ireland to buy two sites on the Cherrywood site in Dublin for €21. 5m (£16. 7m).
Alpha Real buys leasehold land for new renewable energy plant
Alpha Real Trust was expanding its renewable electricity operations on Friday, entering into a purchase agreement on a long leasehold interest in a central Scotland development site at Acham, Perthshire.
Broker tips: Tullow Oil, BT Group, StanChart
Tullow Oil has been downgraded from ‘outperform’ to ‘neutral’ by Exane BNP Paribas, as it signalled the challenges for the oil exploration and production sector are “worse than we thought”.
Good Energy cuts gas prices 7.2%
Good Energy has followed larger energy supply rivals like British Gas and E. On with its own 7. 2% cut to gas prices.
New chairman, finance director for Tlou Energy
Nathan Mitchell resigned as Non-Executive Chairman of Tlou Energy on Friday, with immediate effect, as the firm said he was focusing on his other commitments and various executive positions.
US open: JP Morgan leads bank sector higher
The main US market averages were sporting a solid advance and hopefully on track to break a five-day losing streak as bank shares bounced back and crude oil futures snapped higher in volatile trading.
Venture Life gets into the mouthwash business
Venture Life was getting itself into the mouthwash business on Friday, announcing the proposed acquisition of Periproducts, and a placing and bond issue to fund the deal.
Streetmap vows to take battle with Google further
Streetmap was vowing to take its case against Google further on Friday, having lost its High Court action in which it accused the internet giant of abusing its dominance.
Morrisons' price campaign faces new Aldi threat
Discounter Aldi has reacted to Morrisons’ recent ramping up of price competition with a wave of price reductions and a new advertising campaign.
Greene King's newest director buys in to company
Greene King’s newest director has put his money behind the company he’ll chair later this year.