Market Pulse
London open: FTSE flat amid Middle East woes, ahead of payrolls
London stocks were flat in early trade on Friday as Israel’s strikes against Lebanon intensified and as investors eyed the latest US non-farm payrolls report.
Wetherspoon reinstates dividend after year of underlying growth
JD Wetherspoon reported a 5. 7% increase in full-year revenue on Friday, to £2. 04bn, with a 73. 5% rise in profit before tax to £73. 9m before separately disclosed items.
Maersk among Friday's fallers as US port strike called off
Shares in shipping firms were in the red on Friday, with Maersk particularly affected, following the resolution of a US port strike that had initially raised hopes for a boost in global shipping demand for European operators.
Virgin Wines agrees strategic partnership with Ocado
Virgin Wines said on Friday that it has agreed a strategic partnership with online supermarket Ocado. com, which will stock a selection of 50 wines from its portfolio.
London pre-open: Stocks to nudge down ahead of payrolls
London stocks were set to nudge lower at the open on Friday amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and as investors eyed the latest US non-farm payrolls report.
Friday newspaper round-up: Electric car sales, SSE, small businesses
Rachel Reeves is paving the way for a multibillion-pound increase in public-sector investment at the budget after the government announced plans to commit almost £22bn over 25 years to fund carbon capture and storage projects. In what is expected to be one of the biggest green spending promises of the parliament, the chancellor, prime minister and the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, will unveil the details on a visit to the Liverpool city region on Friday declaring a “new era” for clean energy jobs.