Market Pulse
Ryanair to set up new Prague base
Budget carrier Ryanair announced plans to open a new base at Prague Airport from 30 October.
Cyan Holdings surges after securing Iran meter contract
Shares in Cyan Holdings surged on Wednesday after the smart metering company said it has received an order for around £10m from telecommunications contractor Micromodje in Iran.
US open: Stocks edge higher ahead of Fed meeting minutes
US stocks opened higher on Wednesday ahead of the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting.
Wednesday broker round-up
Electrocomponents: Credit Suisse upgrades to neutral with a target price of 250p.
Inflation trends diverging among advanced economies, Citi says
Inflation trends among the world's advanced economies are diverging, with upside and downside risks now possibly balanced, at least in the case of the US, economists at Citi believed.
Trump and Clinton lose out in Wisconsin
It was a case of the favourites losing out in both the Republican and Democratic primaries in Wisconsin this week, with Ted Cruz scoring a decisive win for the state’s GOP delegates.
Intermediate Capital joins battle for Argus, reports say
Intermediate Capital Group has made an offer to acquire a large share of oil market data provider Argus Media, according to reports.
Pfizer and Allergan abandon merger
US drug maker Pfizer confirmed on Wednesday that its $160bn agreement to buy Allergan has been abandoned by mutual agreement, after the US Treasury announced new measures to curb tax inversions.
JP Morgan upgrades CRH
The gloom hanging over emerging markets might be lifting on a 'tactical' basis, but the poor outlook for cement prices in that geography was set to drive a wedge between European building materials firms exposed to them versus those with a greater relative footprint in the US and Europe, JP Morgan said.
Nokia cutting 1,300 jobs in Finland, refuses to clarify global cuts
Mobile telecoms equipment group Nokia will axe 1,300 jobs at its Finnish base and refused to rule out further cuts globally.
US pre-open: Stocks seen touch higher ahead of FOMC minutes
US futures pointed to a marginally higher open on Wall Street, where investors will be shifting their attention to the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting.
London midday: Stocks gain before Fed's meeting minutes
London stocks advanced on Wednesday as oil prices regained strength and investors awaited the Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes.
London-listed pharmas rally as Pfizer-Allergan deal collapses
Shares in pharmaceuticals companies Shire, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline rallied on Wednesday as investors bet that the termination of Pfizer’s agreement to buy Allergan might make the London-listed companies bid targets.
Retail price deflation eases in March, BRC-Neilsen data shows
Retail prices fell 1. 7% in March, completing three years of deflation as retailers wage war on the pricing front, but easing off from the fall the month before.
Asia report: Markets mixed on oil rise, China data
Markets in Asia ended Wednesday mixed, despite rising oil prices and indications that China’s flagging services sector was picking up.
WhatsApp launches full encryption for all its users
WhatsApp, the messenger app owned by Facebook, has officially rolled out end-to-end encryption for its billion-plus users, meaning only the sender and receiver of a message or call will have access to its contents.
New car sales hit 17-year high but slowing growth causes worries
UK car sales in March reached levels not seen since 1999, with 5. 3% growth in the new car market, though growth in private new car registrations has slowed.
Russia wants oil price to settle in $40-$50 range
Russia was eyeing up oil prices of between $40 and $50 a barrel on Tuesday ahead of a meeting with leading producers in Doha later this month.
UK Mail to deliver on profit targets despite revenue miss
After an eventful year, UK Mail Group said it would report lower revenues than expected but that profits would hit target.
Tullow Oil announces successful well appraisal in Barents Sea
Tullow Oil said on Wednesday that it has successfully explored and appraised the Wisting South & Wisting West appraisal well in the Barents Sea, offshore Norway.