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Week ahead: US non-farm payrolls, inflation data in focus
Investors' focus over the coming week will be on the US jobs market.
London close: Stocks end week on a positive note
London stocks finished higher on Friday, even as investors locked in profits following nine straight days of gains, driven by easing trade tensions and hopes of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
US close: Alphabet results, trade newsflow lifts stocks
US stocks logged their fourth day in positive territory as investors focused on improving newsflow regarding tariffs and shrugged off some gloomy consumer confidence data.
Mobico tanks 40% on warning profit will hit lower end
The value of UK transport company Mobico was almost halved on Friday after a warning that annual earnings would be at the lower end of guidance, completely overshadowing the sale of its North America school bus business to I Squared Capital for up to $608m (£457m).
Number of UK firms in 'critical' financial distress has surged, says Begbies Traynor
Corporate restructuring specialist Begbies Traynor saw a double-digit annual increase in the number of UK businesses in a "critical" state in the first quarter of 2025, as firms felt the pressure ahead of impending tariff and tax changes.
M&S suspends online orders after cyber incident
Shares in Marks & Spencer fell after the retailer said it would suspend taking online orders in the UK and Ireland due to a recent cyber incident.
US open: Stocks lower as traders digest Alphabet earnings, Trump comments
Major indices were in the red early on Friday as market participants digested earnings from Alphabet and assessed recent tariff comments from Donald Trump.
Pantheon Intl. says volatility has impacted discount to NAV per share
Analysts at Pantheon International reported just a dip in the business's net asset value during the month of March.
Deutsche Bank cuts IAG target price on US exposure
Analysts at Deutsche Bank lowered their target price for shares of IAG, telling clients that the outlook for transatlantic airlines had "undoubtedly" deteriorated in the aftermath of the reciprocal trade tariffs levied by the US and EU.
FTSE 100 movers: US-exposed stocks rise as trade tensions soften
Companies with heavy exposures to the US were among Friday's top performers as trade tensions between America and China eased, raising hopes that the two economic powerhouses could eventually come to an agreement over tariffs.
Berenberg ups target for Babcock, cites outlook, leverage, pensions deficit
Analysts at Berenberg upped their target price for shares of defence engineer Babcock, from 885.0p to 910.0p.
Director dealings: RWS Holdings CEO raises stake
RWS Holdings revealed on Friday that chief executive officer Benjamin Faes had acquired 1.0m ordinary shares in the AIM-listed software developer.
Colgate-Palmolive beats Q1 forecasts but cuts FY guidance
Colgate-Palmolive delivered a mixed earnings report on Friday as it beat analysts' forecasts with quarterly profits and simultaneously lowered its full-year outlook.
Europe close: Stocks push higher for third week straight
European stock markets pushed higher for the fourth straight day on signs of a potential easing of trade tensions between the US and China.
Warm weather helps lift UK retail sales
UK retail sales rose by more-than-expected in March, official data showed on Friday, fuelled by the sunny weather.
London pre-open: Stocks set for 10th day of gains on Fed, trade chatter
UK stocks are expected to rise for the 10th straight session on Friday as an easing of tensions between the US and its trading partners lift investor optimism, along with hopes that the Federal Reserve may move sooner than expected to cut interest rates.
London midday: Nine-day rally loses steam as markets flatline
London's top-tier equity index was struggling for direction on Friday as investors locked in profits following nine straight days of gains, driven by easing trade tensions and hopes of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
London open: Stocks flat as investors take pause after nine-day win streak
A nine-day winning streak for the FTSE 100 came to an end on Friday morning, with markets flatlining following a near-10% surge over the past two weeks on the back of optimism regarding US trade talks and Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts.
Shell to exit three offshore projects in Colombia
Shell is to exit three of its co-owned offshore gas projects in Colombia after just four years as they no longer meet the company's "strategic ambitions".
Friday newspaper round-up: Apple, South Korea, Drax...
Apple plans to shift the assembly of all US-sold iPhones to India as soon as next year, according to people familiar with the matter, as President Donald Trump’s trade war forces the tech giant to pivot away from China. The push builds on Apple’s strategy to diversify its supply chain but goes further and faster than investors appreciate, with a goal to source from India the entirety of the more than 60mn iPhones sold annually in the US by the end of 2026. – Financial Times
FTSE 250 movers: Mobico slump dominates index; Indivior gains again
FTSE 250 (MCX) 19,593.02 0.45%
Berenberg hikes target price on Babcock
Analysts at Berenberg raised their target price on engineering services firm Babcock from 885.0p to 910.0p on Friday, stating the group was "charting a profitable course".
US pre-open: Futures mixed as tariffs remain in focus
Wall Street futures were mixed ahead of the bell on Friday as traders continued to assess the impact of Donald Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs on the US economy.
Accor impresses with strong Q1 revenue growth
Shares in Accor were rising strongly in Paris on Friday after the French hotel group reported solid increase in first-quarter revenues and reaffirmed its mid-term growth outlook despite a "volatile" environment.
Alphabet results beat forecasts, shares jump
Shares in Google-parent Alphabet sparked on Friday, after quarterly earnings at the US tech giant beat expectations.