Market Pulse
US elections will not influence central bank policy, Fed´s Williams says
Rate-setters in Washington would not hold back from tightening monetary policy in 2016 on account of the US presidential elections, a regional Fed boss said.
US economy on verge of meeting conditions for another rate hike, Fed´s Rosengren says
The US economy was on the cusp of meeting most of the conditions set out by the country´s central bankers to tighten monetary policy again, a top official said over the weekend.
HSBC upgrades Weir to 'buy', lifts Smiths target price
HSBC upgraded Weir to ‘buy’ from ‘hold’ and lifted the price target to 1,450p from 1,150p as it took a look at UK engineers.
Deutsche Bank downgrades Stoxx 600 year-end target
Deutsche Bank slashed its year-end target for the Stoxx 600 index and said it sees no further upside for European equities for the rest of the year.
Europe midday: Stocks down in choppy trade; FOMC speak in focus
European stocks were down in choppy trade by midday as investors weighed up some encouraging German data against weaker oil prices and the possibility of a June rate hike by the US central bank.
Monsanto likely to reject Bayer approach as BASF looks on, Olivetree says
Monsanto is likely to reject the takeover approach from Germany's Bayer, analysts at Olivetree Financial suggested on Monday, although the price of the deal is "hard to argue against".
Plastic fantastic set to oust cash
Card payments are set to overtake cash payments in the UK for the first time, a new study from Payments UK has found.
London midday: Stocks dragged lower by miners and oil producers
London stocks were under the cosh on Monday as mining and oil shares edged lower.
Stride Gaming declares maiden interim dividend
Online soft gaming operator Stride Gaming declared a maiden interim dividend on Monday as it reported a rise in revenue but a drop in profit.
Goldman Sachs downgrades Sports Direct on margin concerns
Goldman Sachs has downgraded Sports Direct International to a 'neutral' rating and taken the retailer off its Pan-Europe Buy List after cutting its earnings per share (EPS) forecasts for this and next year.
Asia report: Mixed Monday as yen drags Nikkei
Markets in Asia ended Monday mixed, with a stronger yen putting pressure on equities in Japan.
Glenwick suspends shares ahead of expected reverse takeover deal
Cash shell Glenwick has suspended trading of its shares as it nears its much-anticipated reverse takeover in the natural resources sector.
ICAP slumps on Credit Suisse downgrade
ICAP was under the cosh on Monday as Credit Suisse downgraded its stance on the stock to ‘neutral’ from ‘outperform’ and cut the price target to 450p from 475p following the full-year 2016 results, with the valuation up with events.
Royal Mail upgraded to 'sector perform' from 'underperform' by RBC
Royal Mail’s shares gained on Monday after RBC Capital Markets raised its rating on the stock to ‘sector perform’ from ‘underperform’ and lifted its target price to 525p from 445p.
Morgan Stanley cuts Inmarsat to 'equalweight'
Morgan Stanley downgraded Inmarsat to ‘equalweight’ from ‘overweight’ and slashed the price target to 800p from 1,350p as it cut its earnings forecasts for the stock.
DDD seeking AIM listing cancellation; FY loss widens
Shares in DDD Group tumbled on Monday after the advanced imaging and 3D solutions company said it is seeking a cancellation of its shares on AIM and posted a wider loss for the year ended 31 December 2015.
De La Rue sells cash processing arm after lossmaking year
De La Rue has sold its Cash Processing Solutions division to Privet Capital for £3. 6m, which could rise by a further £6. 5m depending on performance.
Markit's flash Eurozone PMI hits 16-month low
Markit’s flash Eurozone composite purchasing managers’ index slipped to a 16-month low of 52. 9 in May from 53. 0 in April, missing expectations for a reading of 53. 2.
German PMIs beat expectations in May
Markit’s flash composite purchasing managers’ index for Germany rose to a five-month high of 54. 7 in May from 53. 6 in April, beating economists’ expectations for a reading of 53. 8.
Europe open: Stocks in the red; Bayer, Fiat under pressure
European stocks fell in early trade as the prospect of a June rate hike by the Federal Reserve and disappointing Japanese trade data undermined sentiment.