Market Pulse
UBS downgrades Zoopla due to ongoing OnTheMarket threat
UBS has downgraded Zoopla to a 'neutral' recommendation from 'buy' due to continued competetive pressures from rival OnTheMarket, but left Rightmove at 'buy'.
Credit Suisse upgrades Sainsbury's on Home Retail deal
Credit Suisse upgraded Sainsbury’s to ‘outperform’ from ‘underperform’ and lifted the price target to 290p from 240p.
Spanish industrial production shrinks slightly in February
Spanish industrial production shrank slightly in February, led by drops in output of energy and capital goods.
Go-Ahead wins place on West Midlands franchise
Go-Ahead Group's 65%-owned Govia joint venture has won a place on the shortlist to bid for the West Midlands rail franchise by the UK Department for Transport.
US needs medium-term economic growth strategy, Fed's Bullard says
Policymakers in the US need to look beyond measures aimed at providing immediate stimulus to the economy, with an eye to boosting the country's long-term economic prospects of the economy, a top central bank official said overnight.
Bain and Advent sell stake in Worldpay
Ship Global 2 & Cy S. C. A. , a company jointly owned by funds managed by private equity groups Advent International Corporation and Bain Capital, has sold 275m ordinary shares in payments processor Worldpay at 269p each.
Europe open: Stocks edge higher as investors digest FOMC minutes
European stocks edged higher in early trade, taking their lead from a positive session on Wall Street, after minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting highlighted caution over future interest rate hikes.
UK house prices continue to accelerate in March
Home prices in the UK rose at a brisk pace in March and were set to continue doing so, amid an ongoing lack of supply, one of the country's leading mortgage lenders said.
Unite Group reports solid portfolio growth
FTSE 250 developer and manager of student accommodation Unite Group revealed the quarterly valuations of its UK Student Accommodation Fund (USAF) and London Student Accommodation Joint Venture (LSAV) on Wednesday, with growth in both operations.
Dutch vote in referendum against EU-Ukraine trade deal
The Dutch people voted overnight in a referendum to reject the lifting of trade restrictions between the European Union and Ukraine, in what some observers said might add fuel to the debate around the inner workings of the bloc of countries.
FirstGroup fourth quarter in line; to cut number of trading updates
FirstGroup confirmed its overall results for the fourth quarter were in line with management’s expectations as it announced a reduction in the number of trading updates it publishes in light of changes in regulatory requirements and market practice.
Dunelm reports growth in shorter third quarter
Home furnishings retailer Dunelm reported three months of growth on Thursday, with total revenue for the third quarter increasing by 5. 9%. Total like-for-like growth, combining like-for-like stores and home delivery, increased by 1. 1%.
London pre-open: Slightly higher start expected
Stocks were expected to start the morning higher, tracking strong gains on Wall Street in the wake of the latest set of Federal Reserve meeting minutes which revealed deep divisions among the US central bank's rate-setters.
Victrex expects improvement in second half
Victrex, which specialises in high performance polymer solutions, reported a drop in first half revenue but said it remains on track for an expected improvement in the second half of the year.
Thursday newspaper round-up: Cameron, Tata, Petrofac
David Cameron personally intervened in 2013 to weaken an EU drive to reveal the beneficiaries of trusts, creating a possible loophole that other European nations warned could be exploited by tax evaders. The disclosure of the prime minister’s resistance to opening up trusts to full scrutiny comes as he faces intense pressure to make clear whether his family stands to benefit from offshore assets linked to his late father. – Financial Times.