Market Pulse
Sunday share tips: Saga, the FTSE 100, Safestay
Shares in Saga are a 'buy' for the Sunday Times' Inside the City column, after a steady but unshowy performance since its initial public offer two years ago. Management plan to shift the business from a plain old insurer that also markets holidays and other services to its over-50s customers, into a broker that makes commission from sales made to third parties, who will offer services under the company's brand but take on more of the risk.
Sunday newspaper round-up: AstraZeneca, Monarch Airlines, HSBC, Opec deal
AstraZeneca has held talks with US-based rival Medivation that could see it make a $10bn (£7bn) takeover bid, where it will battle France's Sanofi, which had a bid rejected last week, and others. Although oncology drug maker Medivation has been criticised for “price gouging” by American presidential contender Bernie Sanders, the UK company is "looking very closely at an offer”, according to a banking source cited by the Sunday Times.
US close: Stocks drift lower as oil slips, but see strong gains for the week
Wall Street was slightly in the red on Friday, albeit after a strong week that saw many short-sellers forced to cover their positions, as bank sector earnings came in less weak than analysts feared and oil prices remained near their recent highs.
Commodities: Iron ore down, oil slips as traders take positions
There was a weak tone to commodities at the end of the week, especially in the energy space - albeit after several session of solid of gains - in the run-up to a weekend meeting of many of the world's major crude oil producers.