Market Pulse
JPMorgan downgrades Cobham after results
JPMorgan Cazenove downgraded aerospace and defence group Cobham to ‘neutral’ from ‘overweight’ and cut the price target to 255p from 305p following the company’s full year results on Thursday.
London open: Stocks gain on rally in miners
The FTSE 100 started Friday on the front foot as mining stocks rallied on the back of an increase in metal and oil prices.
Europe open: Stocks nudge higher as investors look to payrolls
European equities nudged higher in early trade but moves were muted as investors erred on the side of caution ahead of the all-important nonfarm payrolls report.
ECB requests new funding plan from Banca Carige, shares plummet
Italian lender Banca Carige was ordered by the European Central Bank to present a new funding plan and a fresh strategic roadmap to counter falling deposits and profitability and meet compliance and supervisory requirements.
UBS downgrades William Hill amid increasing competition
William Hill was under the cosh on Friday after UBS downgraded the stock to ‘sell’ from ‘buy’ and slashed the price target to 365p from 410p as it pointed to an increasingly competitive backdrop.
Kennedy Wilson to be added to FTSE EPRA/NAREIT real estate index
Kennedy Wilson Europe Real Estate has been notified by the European Public Real Estate Association that it will be added to the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Global Real Estate Index Series as of 21 March.
UDG Healthcare disposal clears regulatory hurdle
UDG Healthcare's proposed sale of two of its businesses to McKesson Corporation has made it over a significant regulatory hurdle, the company revealed on Friday.
WPP keeps income steady in 30th year despite wild currency fluctuations
WPP celebrated its 30th birthday in style in 2015, with another record year of results despite strong currency headwinds.
China's central bank raises Yuan fixing by most in three weeks
China's currency jumped at the end of the week after a top central bank official said the yuan and the country's monetary policies will remain stable, apparently helping to curb worries of further easing moves.
Assura chairman steps up as Graham Roberts takes leave
Assura was working to reassure shareholders about the health of the company, and its chief executive, on Friday.
EasyJet February traffic up but load factor slips
Low-cost airline EasyJet reported a rise in passenger numbers in February but a slip in the load factor.
London Stock Exchange posts 31% uptick in pre-tax profit
London Stock Exchange Group reported strong underlying growth in capital markets accompanied by rising pre-tax profits in a trading update on Friday, as suitors Deutsche Borse and Intercontinental Exchange line up to pitch a potential merger.
London pre-open: Stocks seen higher as investors eye payrolls
London stocks are expected to open higher on Friday following positive finishes in the US and Asia, as investors await the release of the all-important nonfarm payrolls.
Friday newspaper round-up: Pensions, BHS, SSI, Schroders
George Osborne is facing mounting pressure from within government to rule out radical changes to pensions tax relief, with the pensions minister Ros Altmann cautioning against a major overhaul of the system. With a final decision imminent on the future shape of pensions tax relief, opponents fear reform proposals would lead to deep and lasting damage to retirement saving. – Financial Times.