Market Report
Spotify files for public listing on NYSE, valued at $23bn
Having already shaken up the music industry, Spotify filed a prospectus to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, making it one of the most anticipated technology sector stockmarket debuts in years and a signal of the streaming market reaching its maturity as it continued to breathe life into a floundering music industry.
Alpha Financial sees FY profits ahead of market expectations
AIM-listed Alpha Financial Markets Consulting said on Thursday that full-year profits are likely to be ahead of current market expectations as trade has continued to be good since the interim results in November.
US initial jobless claims drop to lowest level in 49 years
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits hit its lowest level in 49 years last week, according to data from the Labor Department.
Reabold increases Corallian stake in fundraising bid
Reabold Resources may expand its stake in Corallian to 32. 9% through participation in fundraising to support the company’s operations, the company said on Thursday.
Porvair acquires US filter maker from CECO Environmental
Filtration and environmental technologies specialist Porvair acquired Keystone Filter, a division of CECO Environmental, on Thursday for an undisclosed amount.
FTSE 100 movers: WPP gets cold shoulder, Burberry swaggers in the snow
London's blue chip benchmark was getting a cold shoulder on Thursday as the snow continued to fall and investors gave results from WPP and Rentokil an icy reception.
US 'core' PCE accelerates in January
Personal income and spending printed ahead of forecasts at the start of the year, alongside a hefty 0. 9% jump in disposable incomes as recently approved tax cuts kicked-in, according to a keenly awaited release from the Department of Commerce.
Merlin sparkles after poor spell, eyes rooms for growth
Legoland park and Sea Life centre operator Merlin Entertainment reported an improvement in revenues and profits despite a year affected by UK terror attacks.
ITV shares cheap but 'no momentum' worries Barclays
ITV's results did not offer many positives for Barclays, which downgraded the shares and cut its target price.
Anheuser-Busch EBITDA on the rise despite North American struggles
Anheuser-Busch InBev, the largest brewer in the world, has predicted strong revenue and profit growth throughout 2018 after its Brasilian operations returned to form, resulting in much higher-than-expected earnings at the tail end of its recently wrapped up fiscal year.
Europe midday: Stocks hold lower ahead of Fedspeak, votes in Italy and Germany
Stocks are holding lower at the start of the month, with traders apparently continuing to try and digest the potential implications for equities of a modestly more hawkish policy bias from rate-setters in the US and ahead of two key votes at the weekend in Italy and Germany.
Burberry impresses with appointment of Tisci as creative chief
Burberry has appointed former Givency man Riccardo Tisci as its new chief creative officer as longtime head honcho Christopher Bailey bows out at the end of the month.
Asia report: Most markets lower, China surges on Caixin PMI
Most markets in Asia finished lower on Thursday after a red session on Wall Street, although China bucked the regional trend after positive manufacturing data.
Planes grounded, trains cancelled, roads closed amid big freeze
Whether travelling by air, rail or road, Britons face a tough journey on Thursday, with snow and ice having severe effects on the country’s transport infrastructure.
Putin finds Russian poverty 'unacceptable' and vows to halve it in 6 years
Putin has vowed to halve levels of poverty in Russia within the next six years, labelling the current situation as "unacceptable" in his annual speech before the two chambers of the Russian parliament.
US pre-open: Stocks seen lower again as investors eye Powell testimony
US futures pointed to another downbeat session on Wall Street on Thursday as investors awaited new Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s second testimony this week and a slew of economic data.
Households keep borrowing, BoE figures show
Consumers borrowed an extra £1. 4bn in January as increased credit card lending more than offset a reduction in other loans and advances, Bank of England figures showed on Thursday.
London midday: Stocks extend losses as WPP weighs; Powell testimony eyed again
London stocks had extended losses by midday on Thursday, dragged lower by disappointing results from advertising giant WPP as investors digested mixed data releases and looked ahead to another testimony by new Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
BlueRock Diamonds ups guidance after upgrading Kareevlei processing plant
South Africa-focused mining company BlueRock Diamonds expects to treat an extra 120,000 tonnes of rock in 2018, with its upgraded plant in the region leading the firm to up its production guidance in comparison to the prior year.
Hastings profit rises but premium growth disappoints
FTSE 250 insurer Hastings posted a rise in full-year profit on Thursday as it continued to grow its share of the UK private car insurance market, but growth in gross written premiums left investors disappointed.