The Stoxx 600 index rose for the third straight day on Thursday to close at another record high after the European Central Bank cut interest rates and data showed that the eurozone economy stalled in the fourth quarter.
London equities finished higher on Thursday, with investor sentiment buoyed by a rate cut from the European Central Bank and a decline in US jobless claims.
Vianet revealed on Thursday that executive chairman James Dickson had acquired 25,000 ordinary shares in the London-listed monitoring systems and data management services provider.
Shares in food manufacturer Bakkavor dipped on Thursday after Unite filed an ethical trading complaint against the company and reached out to its customers amid an ongoing dispute over pay.
The Property Franchise Group reported a transformational 2024 on Thursday, with revenue rising 146% to £67. 2m, driven by organic growth and the acquisitions of Belvoir Group and GPEA.
Concrete slab measurement and installation equipment specialist Somero Enterprises reported 2024 full-year revenue of $109. 2m in an update on Thursday, in line with guidance and market expectations.
Fintel reported a strong full-year financial and strategic performance in an update on Thursday, with revenue increasing 21% to £78. 3m, driven by organic growth and acquisitions.
Analysts at Berenberg downgraded exploration and development firm Adriatic Metals from 'buy' to 'hold' on Thursday and cut its target price on the stock from 220. 0p to 180. 0p following Q4 results from the firm a day earlier.
MaxCyte announced on Thursday that it has acquired SeQure Dx, a specialist in on-target and off-target editing assessment services for cell and gene therapies, in a move aimed at broadening its offerings in the cell engineering space.
Major indices were mostly higher early on Thursday as market participants digested quarterly earnings from several big-name tech firms.
US pending home sales unexpectedly slumped in December, pulling back after four straight months of growth, according to figures from the National Association of Realtors of Thursday.
London’s FTSE 100 was up 0. 8% at 8,626. 57 in afternoon trade on Thursday.
Fourth-quarter profits at Blackstone smashed expectations on Thursday, as assets under management at the alternative investment giant reached a record $1. 13trn.
Shares in UPS tanked on Thursday after the delivery giant announced it is planning to lower volumes with its largest customer, Amazon. com, by at least a half by the end of next year.
US jobless claims fell more than expected in the week ended 25 January, according to the Labor Department, marking a sharp pull-back from the previous week's two-month high.
The European Central Bank cut rates again and expressed confidence that inflation would continue to head lower.
Mulberry Group laid out turnaround plans on Thursday, including halting losses and reclaiming its position as a must-have, iconic British brand.
Caterpillar reported fourth-quarter earnings that exceeded analyst expectations on Thursday, but warned that sales and revenue for 2025 were likely to decline compared to the prior year.
Wall Street futures were in the green ahead of the bell on Thursday as market participants digested quarterly earnings from several big-name tech firms.