Market Pulse
London open: Stocks rise ahead of FOMC minutes
UK stocks gained on Wednesday ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting minutes which will provide more details behind the central bank’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged.
Europe open: Stocks in the black as oil rebounds
European stocks rose in early trade as oil prices rebounded and investors digested some encouraging data releases from China and Germany.
Glencore confirms sale of stake in agriculture unit for $2.5bn
Glencore has confirmed it has agreed to sell 40% of its agriculture commodities business to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) for $2. 5bn (£1. 8bn) cash, potentially followed by a further sale of 20% more in the long-term.
Jeff Bezos defends Amazon's corporate culture in letter
Founder and chief executive of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, sent a letter to shareholders overnight on Tuesday, finally responding to a critical report on the online retailer’s corporate culture published in the New York Times.
Costain appoints former E.ON chief as chairman
Construction and engineering firm Costain announced the appointment of Dr Paul Golby as its new chairman, replacing David Allvey who will retire at the annual general meeting in May after seven years.
Topps Tiles reports second quarter sales growth
Flooring retailer Topps Tiles expressed confidence on Wednesday as it reported solid growth in second quarter sales.
German industrial production drops less than expected
German industrial production fell less than expected in February, according to data from Destatis.
Auto Trader directors and managers sell £60m worth of shares
Auto Trader's chief executive and finance director have together sold £32. 3m worth of shares in the company.
Passenger numbers up, load factor down at easyJet
FTSE 100 low-cost carrier easyJet saw passenger numbers increase in March, but its load factor decreased as hundreds of flights were cancelled due to industrial action.
London pre-open: Stocks seen higher as investors eye FOMC minutes
London stocks were set for a firmer open on Wednesday as oil prices bounced back and investors awaited the release of the latest FOMC minutes.
Wednesday newspaper round-up: Tata Steel, inversion deals, Panama Papers, pensions
The businessman at the centre of efforts to salvage the UK’s biggest steel factory has laid out his demands, calling on the UK government for sweeping subsidies if he is to take over the Port Talbot plant. Sanjeev Gupta, founder of commodities group Liberty House, said for him to buy Tata Steel’s operations — and save more than 3,000 jobs — the government would have to remove pension and environmental liabilities for the Port Talbot plant. He has also called for lower power costs for steel plants.