Market Pulse
Early Easter break slows decline in UK retail footfall
An earlier Easter break slowed the decline in UK retail footfall, fresh data revealed on Friday, with total footfall declining by 1. 3% year-on-year in March, although wet weather still kept a lid on growth.
Broker tips: Burberry, Ryanair, BT Group
RBC Capital Markets cut its price target on Burberry on Thursday to 1,200p from 1,500p as it reduced estimates ahead of the full-year results, which it said are unlikely to surprise positively.
London close: Stocks manage gains ahead of US payrolls report
London markets closed higher on Thursday, driven by a robust showing from the mining sector and as investors contemplated the UK services sector's latest figures.
Google parent Alphabet reportedly eyeing up HubSpot
Google’s parent Alphabet is reportedly considering making an offer to acquire HubSpot, an online marketing software firm valued at $35bn.
RBC Capital cuts Burberry price target ahead of FY results
RBC Capital Markets cut its price target on Burberry on Thursday to 1,200p from 1,500p as it reduced estimates ahead of the full-year results, which it said are unlikely to surprise positively.
Director dealings: Breedon chairman ups stake via Abicad
Breedon Group revealed on Thursday that chairman Amit Bhatia had purchased 1. 5m ordinary shares in the London-listed construction materials firm via his interest in Abicad Holding Limited.
US open: Stocks trade higher, Dow reverses yesterday's losses
Wall Street stocks were in the green early on Thursday following a third-straight losing session for the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average.
FTSE 100 movers: Entain rallies; Ocado in the red
London’s FTSE 100 was up 0. 5% at 7,975. 37 in afternoon trade on Thursday.
Aslef calls off next week's Tube strikes
Impending strikes on the London Underground, scheduled to start next week, were called off on Thursday by the train driver’s union, Aslef.
React Group secures three big contracts
Cleaning, hygiene and decontamination service provider React Group announced the acquisition of three significant contracts, collectively valued at over £1. 3m annually, on Thursday.
Gooch & Housego confident despite some reduced demand
Photonic components and systems specialist Gooch & Housego said in an update on Thursday that in its first half, it saw some customers in its industrial and medical laser markets adjusting their inventory levels, resulting in reduced demand for certain products.
International Paper to seek secondary London listing if DS Smith deal goes ahead
International Paper said on Thursday that it had made "significant progress" in reciprocal due diligence with regards to a potential takeover offer for UK-based DS Smith, and that it could seek a secondary listing in London if a deal goes ahead.
GetBusy acquires pricing intelligence platform SmartPath
GetBusy announced the acquisition of the trade and assets of SmartPath on Thursday, which it described as a pricing intelligence and revenue optimisation platform tailored for the accounting industry.
BT Group shares ripe for a re-rating, says JPMorgan
Shares of BT Group appear heavily undervalued and "ripe for a major re-rating", JPMorgan Cazenove said in a note on Thursday.
US pre-open: Futures higher as Dow looks to snap three-day losing streak
Wall Street futures were in the green ahead of the bell on Thursday following a third-straight losing session for the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Gulf Marine Services annual profits grow, FY24 outlook strong
Energy industry services business Gulf Marine Services said on Thursday that both revenue and profits had grown in 2023.
London midday: Stocks gain as investors mull services reading
London stocks had extended gains by midday on Thursday, helped along by a solid performance from the mining sector, as investors mulled the latest reading on the UK services sector.
Union Jack Oil starts US trading on OTCQB Venture Market
Onshore hydrocarbon explorer and developer Union Jack Oil announced the approval of its ordinary shares for trading on the OTCQB Venture Market in the US on Thursday, with trading starting at market open under the ticker ‘UJOGF’.
Cavendish Financial flags significant second-half growth
Cavendish Financial said in an update on Thursday that in the second half of its financial year it experienced significant growth, with revenues expected to reach £34. 5m, representing an increase of around 77% compared to the pro forma revenue of £19. 5m in the first half.
Amazon to cut hundreds of jobs in AWS division
Amazon's cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services (AWS), announced significant layoffs affecting hundreds of employees overnight on Thursday, in its physical stores technology and sales and marketing sectors.