Market Pulse
US pre-open: Stock futures fall as earnings disappoint
US equities are expected to open lower on Friday as investors sift through disappointing corporate earnings and await a report on US manufacturing.
Europe midday: Stocks drift lower as corporate results, Daimler investigation weigh
Stocks were drifting lower going into the weekend, weighed down by slightly weaker than expected readings on the euro area economy and a spate of poor quarterly corporate reports out on Wall Street overnight.
London midday: Mining stocks drag FTSE lower
UK equities edged lower on Friday with mining shares leading the declines as investors weighed worse-than-expected Eurozone manufacturing data.
Prudential's Aki to become Hiscox finance chief
Hiscox revealed its next group chief financial officer on Friday, announcing Hamayou Akbar Hussain - known to many as Aki - will join the insurer later this year.
Daimler dragged into emissions investigations by US authorities
Shares in German automaker Daimler fell more than 5% in morning trading in Frankfurt on Friday, after news emerged that the US Department of Justice asked the firm to investigate its emissions testing processes.
Liberum sees value in housebuilders after sector subsidence
Broker Liberum has upgraded housebuilders Barratt Developments and Persimmon to 'hold' as it toned down its caution on the sector, but said Taylor Wimpey remained a 'sell'.
Mixed European services and manufacturing PMI adds gloom
April data on German and French service and manufacturing sector was mixed, leading to a surprise fall in the eurozone composite PMI, according to 'flash' purchasing managers' index readings from Markit.
Deutsche Bank upgrades Sainsbury's on Argos margin potential
Deutsche Bank upgraded Sainsbury's to 'buy' from 'hold' due to the expected benefit to earnings from the pending Argos acquisition and the supermarket's reduced level of price promotions.
Asia report: Most markets follow US lower
Most Asian markets ended the week downbeat, with losses across the region on Friday following drops in US equities overnight.
HSBC trims Sky's target price after third quarter interims
Sky’s shares fell on Friday as HSBC trimmed the broadcaster’s target price to 1,010p from 1,020p and maintained the stock at ‘hold’.
Citi starts coverage of Northgate at buy
The 'bears' on Northgate had it all their way last year, but the company's fortunes might be set for a turnaround, analysts at Citi said as they started coverage of the firm's shares with a 'buy' recommendation and target price of 600p.
Saga main shareholder sells out, chairman buys in
Saga's main shareholder and former private equity owner Acromas signed off the sale off its last remaining shares overnight on Thursday, with chairman Andrew Goodsell taking the opportunity to buy £5m of stock.
London open: Stocks decline as Greece holds debt talks with lenders
London stocks fell on Friday as Eurozone officials said Greece and its international lenders are unlikely to reach an agreement on debt relief.
Europe open: US corporate results, caution weigh on indices
European equities started of the session with moderate losses, weighed down by poor corporate results out overnight in the States and with speculation of further easing by the Bank of Japan underlining the 'defensive' moves seen of late by many major central banks to try and stem deflationary forces and kick-start activity.
Ultra Electronics wins sonobuoy contract extension with Royal Navy
Ultra Electronics has won a £9. 5m contract extension to supply its anti-submarine sonobuoys to the Royal Navy's Merlin Maritime Patrol Helicopter, releasing some of the £100m of pent-up orders delayed from the last financial year.
Lloyds looking at deeper job cuts or new strategic review, reports say
Lloyds Banking Group may make more than its planned 9,000 job cuts before the end of 2017, according to reports, with management pondering a new strategic review of the business.
Economic and political pressures weighing on P2P Global Investments
Market newcomer P2P Global Investments talked up its shareholder returns in its annual report on Friday, though it did admit to some strong headwinds in the markets heading into 2016.
Capita wins contract extension from Debenhams
Capita has won an extension to its customer services outsourcing contract with department store operator Debenhams.
Yen slides on news BoJ to target credit
Japan's central bank may help to finance lending by some of the country's lenders as it studies measures to help offset further reductions in its main policy interest rates into negative territory, according to a report in Bloomberg.
London pre-open: Footsie set for lower start despite yen weakness, oil price gains
Stocks are expected to start the session lower amid a sharp drop in the value of the yen and another move higher in crude oil futures.