Market Pulse
London close: Stocks end up as investors mull US inflation reading
London stocks ended up on Friday as investors mulled the latest US inflation reading, with broker notes helping to lift the top-flight index.
FTSE 100 movers: National Grid boosted by broker note; JD Sports out of fashion
London’s FTSE 100 was up 0. 4% at 8,263. 76 in afternoon trade on Friday .
London midday: Stocks rise as broker notes lend a hand; US PCE eyed
London stocks had edged further into the black by midday on Friday, with broker notes helping to lift the top-flight index, as investors eyed the release of US CPE figures.
JPMorgan reiterates ‘overweight’ on Whitbread
JPMorgan Cazenove reiterated its ‘overweight’ rating on Whitbread on Friday as it said it continues to be one of its key convictions, and sees the recent pullback - the shares are down 20% year-to-date - as "an opportunity to revisit the story".
RBC Capital lifts Centrica to ‘outperform’, shares rally
RBC Capital Markets upgraded Centrica on Friday to ‘outperform’ from ‘sector perform’ and lifted the price target to 170p from 145p.
AB Foods slumps as majority shareholder sells 10.3m shares
Associated British Foods was in the red on Friday after UBS said that its biggest shareholder, Howard Investments Limited - a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wittington - has sold 10. 3m shares in the Primark owner in a placing.
London open: Stocks nudge up ahead of US PCE
London stocks nudged up in early trade on Friday as investors mulled the latest UK house price and retail footfall data and eyed the release of US CPE figures.
UK house prices return to growth in May - Nationwide
UK house prices returned to growth in May after two months of declines, according to data released by Nationwide on Friday.
London pre-open: Stocks to edge up ahead of US PCE
London stocks were set to edge up at the open on Friday as investors eyed the release of the latest US CPE figures.
Friday newspaper round-up: Royal Mail, fossil fuels, Anglo American
The union that represents workers at Royal Mail has called for a new business model for the company that would see workers given a stake in the company and pay tied to growing services and meeting certain social benefits. Dave Ward, the general secretary of the Communications Workers Union (CWU), said that the potential takeover by the Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský should provide a moment to overhaul how the company is structured, which could mirror that of US-style public benefit corporations.