Market Pulse
Europe close: Periphery stocks come under pressure
Stocks saw slight falls at the end of the week, although periphery stocks came under heavier selling pressure as investors took an increasinly cautious stance ahead of the 4 December Italian constitutional referendum.
London close: US dollar strength weighs on the Footsie
Stocks in London headed lower into the weekend, as the US dollar´s advance continued to weigh on commodity prices.
Italian PM Renzi under pressure as pollsters point to referendum defeat
The final opinion polls in Italy ahead of next month's crucial referendum on constitutional changes do not bode well for prime minister Matteo Renzi, with all major surveys pointing towards defeat for the proposals.
Parkmead Group losses narrow despite low oil prices
UK and Netherlands-focused oil and gas group Parkmead posted its preliminary results for the year to 30 June on Friday, with revenue from continuing operations almost halving to £10. 4m from £18. 6m.
Iraq oil minister confident of OPEC deal
Iraq's top oil official said on Friday that he is "optimistic" about the Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) reaching an agreement to cap production levels of the commodity.
Rate hike best sooner rather than latter, Fed´s George says
Ratesetters should avoid the risks that go with 'overheating' the US economy, a well-known Fed policy-hawk said, adding that she would prefer a rate hike sooner rather than later.
W Resources posts positive Portugal drilling results
Iberian Peninsula-focused tungsten, copper and gold mining, production, exploration and development company W Resources announced initial results of the first hole from the 1,500 metre diamond core drilling campaign that commenced in mid-September at the São Martinho Gold Deposit in Portugal on Friday.
SSE to freeze energy prices this winter
SSE, one of the UK’s ‘big six’ energy firms, confirmed on Friday that it will freeze standard household energy prices this winter, capping them at the current level until at least April next year.
Results round-up
Investment company Personal Assets Trust reported increased net assets despite the uncertain economic climate, which has led it to take a cautious stance about the future.
US open: Stocks retreat after Thursday's Fed rate gains
US stocks retreated on Friday after yesterday’s gains when Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen implied a rate hike in December, while the green back surged.
Glaxo’s ViiV starts phase III studies for HIV-1
Specialist HIV company ViiV Healthcare, which is majority-owned by GlaxoSmithKline with Pfizer and Shionogi Limited as shareholders, has started two phase III studies to evaluate an investigational long-acting, injectable regimen of cabotegravir and rilpivirine for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.
Mission Marketing collects slew of Drum Cream Awards
Marketing communications and advertising company The Mission Marketing Group announced on Friday that two of its agencies, bigdog and Chapter, collectively scooped a record 17 wins at The Drum Cream Awards held on 16 November.
Stobart agrees to buy remaining stake in Propius Holdings
Stobart had agreed to buy the remaining 33% it does not already own in Propius Holdings from Aer Lingus for $14. 7m.
FTSE 250: Electrocomponents on the rise while gold miners suffer
The FTSE 250 index was up 0. 43% to 17,677. 07 in the later afternoon.
Abercrombie share price tumbles after disappointing Q3 results
Fashion retailer Abercrombie and Fitch saw a significant fall in sales during the third quarter of 2016, sending shares in the Ohio-based company plummeting on Friday.
Bacanora Minerals makes solid progress in first quarter
Mexico lithium and borates-focused company Bacanora Minerals posted an update for the first quarter 30 September on Friday - a period in which the infill drilling programme to upgrade the resource classifications was completed.
Clear Leisure agrees €300,000 loan facility
AIM-listed investment company Clear Leisure has entered into an unsecured convertible loan facility agreement with Swiss investor and major shareholder Eufingest S. A.
ECB´s Draghi calls for greater regulatory certainty for banks
Monetary policy needs to and will remain accomodative, the president of the European Central Bank said, while calling for a halt to ever-higher capital requirements for banks and on other policymakers to do their bit in fostering a sustainable recovery.
Fed´s Bullard leans toward December rate hike
A top US central banker said he was leaning towards a rate hike when monetary policymakers next met, in December, and welcomed the rise in bond yields and inflation expectations since Donald Trump´s election victory.