Market Pulse
![Bell helicopter 525 Relentless Bell helicopter 525 Relentless](https://img5.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/2/f/bell5251_285x185.jpg)
Bonds: Global hunt for yield continues, US treasuries wanted
These were the biggest movements in the most widely-followed longer-term sovereign bond yields:.
![test test](https://img1.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/7/f/bernanke_yellen.jpg)
Friday preview: Yellen may refrain from policy remarks
On an otherwise quiet Friday for UK stocks and data, traders eyes should swivel firmly across the Atlantic as Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen speaks amid newly heightened anticipation of a US interest rate hike.
![Copper Copper](https://img3.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/f/1/copper_285x185.jpg)
Commodities: Advances in crude oil, copper peter out
Gains in crude oil and copper futures early in the European session faded by the time of the closing bell on Wall Street amid very cautious remarks from policy-makers in the euro area and Japan.
![img imagination img imagination](https://img6.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/7/6/imagination_technologies_img_office_285x185.jpg)
Imagination Technologies promotes Heath to CEO as restructuring bites
Imagination Technologies warned revenues and adjusted losses would be "materially" below market expectations, though underlying trading remained in line and restructuring activities were on course to deliver healthy savings next year.
![Berkeley, property Berkeley, property](https://img6.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/d/1/berkeleygroupappointsnewfinancedirector_opt_285x185.jpg)
Homebuilders, miners buoy stockmarket
Mobile Telecoms firms paced Thursday´s advancers in terms of percentage gainers but it was gains for the major homebuilders and miners that provided the greatest support to the market.
![federal reserve, fed, usa, federal reserve, fed, usa,](https://img3.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/6/c/federal_reserve_fed_285x185.jpg)
Second rate increase may be appropriate fairly soon, Fed´s Powell says
A second interest rate hike in the US may be appropriate fairly soon, if the economic data continued to live up to expectations, one of the Federal Reserve´s top officials said.
![federal reserve, fed, usa, federal reserve, fed, usa,](https://img3.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/6/c/federal_reserve_fed_285x185.jpg)
London close: Stocks take a breather ahead of Fed speakers
London´s top-flight index barely managed to close in the green, following the release of somewhat mixed economic data Stateside and ahead of speeches from two key Fed speakers, one later on Thursday and another on Friday.
![water cleaning plant water cleaning plant](https://img3.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/f/8/severn_trent_1_opt_285x185.jpg)
Severn Trent maintained at 'overweight' by JPMorgan Cazenove
Severn Trent has had its 'overweight' rating maintained by JPMorgan Cazenove, which said it sees further upside potential for the shares as it hiked its target price.
![ukflag ukflag](https://img.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/1/c/unitedkingdomflag_285x185.jpg)
Market overview: Stocks eke out slight advance
1630:Close The Footsie barely managed to eke out a positive close, with traders proving cautious following recent gains and given the headline risk surrounding speeches from two top US central banks officials tonight and tomorrow. Brexit polls leaning in the direction of the 'Remain' camp again coincided with gains in real estate stock and grocers. For their part, shares in miners tracked commodity prices higher. Reports also cited PBoC analysts according to whom China´s monetary authority favoured maintaining policy slightly loose.
![union-europea-banderas union-europea-banderas](https://img6.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/4/c/unioneuropeabanderaportada_285x185.jpg)
Europe close: Auto shares pace gains
European equities managed a higher close on Thursday despite weakness in the banking sector and a slide lower in Brent after prices breached the $50 a barrel mark - for the first time since November - earlier in the day.
![usa, us, america, labor, eeuu, harley, motorbike, automotive, motor usa, us, america, labor, eeuu, harley, motorbike, automotive, motor](https://img1.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/e/8/usa_us_eeuu_laborday_285x185.jpg)
US open: Wall Street drifts lower ahead of Fed speakers
Shares on Wall Street were drifting slightly lower in late morning trading in New York following the release of a mixed bag of economic data and ahead of a much awaited speech on the economy from Federal Reserve governor Jerome Powell.
![asos, robertson asos, robertson](https://img6.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/4/c/asosceonickrobertson_285x185.jpg)
Director dealings: Ex-Asos CEO Robertson sells shares to fund divorce
Asos's ex-chief executive Nick Robertson has dumped 1. 3m shares at 3,525p on Thursday in order to fund an expensive divorce.
![US USA United States of America house housing US USA United States of America house housing](https://img.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/9/3/us_house_generic_285x185.jpg)
US pending home sales index jumps in April
Contract activity in the US homebuilding sector reached its highest level in more than a decade in April, according to the results of a widely-followed survey of conditions in the sector.
![Dixons Carphone, electrical retail Dixons Carphone, electrical retail](https://img.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/9/3/dixonscarphone2_285x185.jpg)
Thursday newspaper share tips: Dixons Carphone, Serco
Dixons Carphone's drive to close its weakest stores helped its comparable-stores sales growth in the April quarter, but there is much more to its success, writes the Financial Times' Lex column.
![](https://img4.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/5/8/pets_at_home_opt_285x185.jpg)
FTSE 250 movers: Ibstock retreats as Pets at Home accelerates
The FTSE 250 slipped further into the red late as Thursday wore on, despite having peeped its head above water around midday.
![](https://img5.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/b/b/barclays_001_nc_125_285x185.jpg)
Thursday broker round-up
Great Portland States: Jefferies downgrades to underperform with a 650p target.
![japanese yen jpy japanese yen jpy](https://img4.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/0/4/yen_285x185.jpg)
London midday: Stocks higher amid conflicting headlines out of G7
Britain's top flight index was still in positive territory come midday, despite the conflicting headlines on Japan's intentions regarding a possible postponement of tax hikes and the likelihood of intervention in foreign exchange markets against the US dollar.
![cash money sterling pay deal offer acquisition m&a cash money sterling pay deal offer acquisition m&a](https://img3.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/f/1/cash_money_acquisition_ma_deal_offer_fine_sterling_gbp_285x185.jpg)
PPI still the most complained about product, says Ombudsman
The latest report from the Financial Ombudsman has revealed that payment protection insurance remains the most complained about financial product, while complaints about packaged accounts and payday loans have surged.
FTSE 100 movers: Miners advance, but M&S still under the cosh
London’s FTSE 100 was flat at 6,261. 41 in afternoon trading.
![barclays, bank barclays, bank](https://img.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/0/e/barclays_285x185.jpg)
Broker tips: Barclays, Melrose, Electrocomponents
Exane BNP Paribas upgraded Barclays to ‘outperform’ from ‘neutral’ and lifted the price target 19% to 220p, having already upped the stock two weeks ago, saying things were looking brighter and the fog is lifting.