Market Pulse
FTSE 100 movers: Housebuilders subside on weak construction report
The FTSE 100 was back in the red on Wednesday afternoon, led by ITV and a fall from the larger housebuilding companies.
FTSE 250 movers: Entertainment One slumps; Amec jumps on refinancing
London’s FTSE 250 index was down 0. 3% to 16,743. 10 at 1445 GMT as investors weighed up weak data on UK construction against a better-than-expected ADP employment report from the US.
ITV full year profit up, but shares slide on ad revenue outlook
ITV posted a rise in profit and revenue for 2015 thanks to a good performance in all parts of the business, and announced a special dividend but shares in the broadcaster slipped as it warned advertising revenue would be flat in the first quarter.
Banks have not been stress-tested for impact of referendum, BoE's Cunliffe says
Debt levels in the UK were vulnerable to a ‘shock’ the Bank of England’s Jon Cunliffe said on Wednesday.
Exxon Mobil slashes capex budget by a quarter
Exxon Mobil announced it would slash its investment budget by a quarter in 2016 in order to ride out the current downdraft in the commodities cycle.
Europa Oil finds three large prospects in Irish Atlantic
Europa Oil & Gas has identified three new prospects with prospective resources of 895m barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) among the new blocks it won in last year’s Irish Atlantic licencing round.
ADP jobs report beats forecasts again in February
The US private sector added more jobs than was expected in February, according to the ADP National Employment Report, which could have implications for Friday's closely watched non-farm payrolls report.
James Fisher profit down but margins holding up on cost cuts
Marine service provider James Fisher reported a drop in full year profit and revenue but said it was able to mitigate the sharp decline in activity in its offshore oil business with swift cost reduction actions.
Risks to economy have undoubtedly increased, ECB's Villeroy says
Risks to the economy had increased, a member of the European Central Bank’s governing council said on Wednesday.
Driver crashes after CEO resigns amid revenue worries
Driver Group's chief executive Dave Webster has stepped down from the role after five years, as the company admitted revenue visibility was limited and the UK had endured a slow start to the year.
Major earthquake strikes off Indonesia
A major earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia on Wednesday, off the west coast of the island of Sumatra, in the Indian Ocean.
Facebook facing German antitrust investigation
The Bundeskartellamt, Germany’s Federal Cartel Office, has initiated a proceeding against Facebook on suspicion the company is abusing its market dominance to violate data protection laws.
UBS trims Barclays's target price but keeps at 'buy'
Barclays's share price might be heading into rough waters, but the course set by its new management was the correct one, UBS said.
US mortgage applications decline further, MBA says
US mortgage applications fell further in the last week of February, registering a 4. 8% decline compared to the previous 4. 3% fall, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).
Fed's Williams says US recession not on the cards, some analysts more cautious
The US economy will continue to ‘power ahead’, driving inflation back to target in the process, a top US rate-setter reiterated on Wednesday.
Broker tips: Petrofac, ITV, Rightmove
Investec downgraded Petrofac to ‘hold’ from ‘buy’ saying investors should pause for breath following the recent strong rally in the share price, but lifted the price target to 940p from 780p.
US pre-open: Wall Street set for lower open as oil retreats
Stocks on Wall Street looked set for a slightly weaker open on Wednesday as oil prices slipped back and investors awaited the release of a key jobs report.
Investec downgrades Petrofac after share price rally
Investec downgraded Petrofac to ‘hold’ from ‘buy’ saying investors should pause for breath following the recent strong rally in the share price, but lifted the price target to 940p from 780p.
Redefine completes purchase of Aegon property portfolio
Redefine International completed a major acquisition on Wednesday, announcing it had reached the final point on buying the second tranche of the Aegon UK (AUK) portfolio for a price of £204. 7m net of costs.
Europe midday: Stocks pare gains as oil slips back
European stocks pared earlier gains as oil prices continued to slip back, but a solid performance from basic resources helped to keep regional indices in the black.