Market Report
UK mortgage approvals decline for second month
UK banks are continuing to approve fewer mortgages, with loans for house purchases falling more than expected to a six-month low.
US initial jobless claims drop more than expected
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, according to data from the Labor Department.
Wilmington sells Shoreditch office leasehold
Information, education and networking services provider Wilmington confirmed on Thursday that it exchanged contracts to sell the leasehold interest in its Underwood Street head office premises in Shoreditch, London for £7. 3m in cash as part of ‘Project 6th Gear’.
London midday: Stocks in the black after upbeat services data; HSBC, Shell rally
London stocks were holding onto gains by midday on Thursday as investors digested a better-than-expected reading on the UK services sector, with decent results from the likes of Shell and HSBC also lending a hand.
Europe midday: Cac at session highs as polls point to solid win for Macron in June
Poll results showing Macron's followers are on track to become the largest party in the lower house of the French parliament after the June elections have pushed European equities to their best levels of the day.
Thursday broker round-up
Wetherspoon: Canaccord upgrades to Hold with a target price of 1000p.
Kerry Group tells investors of first quarter growth
Taste and nutrition, and consumer foods company Kerry Group issued an interim management statement for its first quarter to 31 March on Thursday, as investors gathered for the firm’s annual general meeting.
UK new car sales reverse with potential bumps in the road ahead
New car sales shifted sharply into reverse gear in April, but experts wondered if this was more than just a rebound after the record previous month when drivers rushed to buy before the imposition of the new vehicle excise duty.
Asia report: Markets finish lower as metal prices tumble
Markets in Asia finished mostly lower on Thursday, as metal prices took a dive and after the US Federal Reserve stuck to its guns overnight, remaining hawkish on the state of the American economy.
Amazon commits to e-book competition rules in EU settlement
Ecommerce giant Amazon has agreed to commitments with the European Commission relating to how it releases e-books.
Consumer credit growth slows to eight-month low - BoE
Consumer credit growth continues to slow but the flow of borrowing rebounded slightly more than expected, the Bank of England said on Thursday as it continues keenly keep an eye on a potential red flag for the economy.
US pre-open: Stocks seen higher after Fed announcement
US futures pointed to a positive on Wall Street on Thursday as investors digested the latest policy announcement and statement from the Federal Reserve.
More crime and political instability a good thing for Falanx Group
Cyber defence and intelligence provider Falanx Group updated the market on its current trading on Thursday, reporting that full year trading for the 2017 financial year was in line with management's expectations.
Facebook user growth and ad income lead to earnings beat
Social network company Facebook Inc easily surpassed expectations in the first quarter of 2017, helped by another surge in mobile ads and a growing user base.
Imagination Tech begins dispute resolution with Apple, plans disposals
Multimedia, processor and communications technology company Imagination Technologies Group published a trading update for the year to 30 April on Thursday, as well as confirming it had commenced a dispute resolution procedure with Apple and announced that it intended to sell its MIPS and Ensigma businesses.
Punch Taverns swings to loss in first half
Pub group Punch Taverns swung to a loss in the first half of the year on the back of write-down charges.
Purplebricks on track for FY expectations, CFO stepping down
Online estate agent Purplebricks said on Thursday that it is on course to meet its full-year expectations as it announced that chief financial officer Neil Cartwright is stepping down due to ill health.
Eurozone retail sales rise more than expected in March
Retail sales in the eurozone rose more than expected in March, according to figures released by Eurostat.
ConvaTec disappoints as sales hit by forex
Medical products specialist ConvaTec started the year well, it said, with sales flattened by foreign exchange rates but expanding at the organic level thanks to its wound-care.