Market Pulse
US close: Dow sees biggest decline in three months
Wall Street broke its four-day winning streak in style, with the main stock indices each falling more than 1% as the dollar rallied on the revelation that Federal Reserve is more dovish than expected, with an attack in Barcelona darkening the mood.
Van attack in Barcelona leaves 13 dead and many more injured
A van has run over and killed 13 people on the popular Ramblas thoroughfare of Barcelona, Spain, leaving a further 80 injured.
Morgan Stanley reaffirms overweight rating for Direct Line
Morgan Stanley upgraded Direct Line Group's target price from 423. 00p to 451. 00p in a research report on the insurer on Thursday.
London close: Stocks succumb to profit-taking
London stocks ended lower with financials taking a hit from a dovish set of US central bank policy meeting minutes.
US open: Stocks soften after dovish Fed minutes, political squabbling
Wall Street appeared to be on track to break a four-day winning streak following the release of a more dovish-than-expected set of minutes of the US Federal Reserve's July policy meeting.
FTSE 250 movers: Hikma tanks after trimming guidance
The FTSE 250 was down 0. 35% in afternoon trade on Thursday, with Hikma Pharmaceuticals the main drag on the mid-cap index as falling oil prices and dovish Fed minutes kept stock markets lower.
Friday preview: Significant profit progress expected from Computacenter
Friday is down to be the quietest day of August so far, with no top-tier macroeconomic data and only one FTSE 350 company due to report.
Herencia Resources finishes review of core copper mineral prospects
Herencia Resources said a new comprehensive geological review of the company's core copper mineral prospects pointed to greater potential for those assets.
QinetiQ upgraded by Barclays after sell-off 'overdone'
Barclays has upgraded QinetiQ to 'overweight' after the defence technology firm's shares fell more than 20% after results in May and warned of an order slowdown in July.
Johnson Matthey upgraded as analysts dismiss diesel catalyst fears
Johnson Matthey received an upgrade to 'outperform' from Bernstein after the chemical manufacturer's shares fell almost 25% since October over the potential impact on its emission control technology unit from a declining diesel market.
VAT halted on mining imports to Congo
After reinstating a value-added tax (VAT) on imports by mining companies in mid-2016, The Democratic Republic of Congo has again suspended the duty.
Comment: Car finance's lack of transparency is hurting consumers
As consumer debt continues to pile up, writes Graham Hill of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers, the last few months has seen scrutiny turned on various lines of credit.
US industrial production jumps ahead in July
US industrial production continued expanding in July as increased energy and utilities output offset a decline in manufacturing.
August Philly Fed index points to stronger activity
Activity in the US mid-Atlantic factory sector gained momentum, according to the results of one of the most widely-watched surveys.
Commodities: Latest FOMC minutes reignite buying in gold
Wednesday saw a weaker dollar on the back of the latest release from the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee), after members dampened any rate hike expectations for this year, as "many" rate-setters see sub 2% inflation persisting longer than expected.
US pre-open: Stocks set to slip as traders digest Fed minutes
Stocks are set to start the session slightly weaker as traders digest the minutes of the US Federal Reserve's July policy meeting.
Price cutting puts Asda in the green
Asda said that like-for-like sales, excluding petrol, had increased 1. 8% in its second quarter, a welcome change from the declines it had experienced over the last eleven quarters.
Greatland strikes gold at Western Australia project
Mineral exploration group Greatland Gold announced on Thursday that regional targeting across its Paterson project area in Western Australia had highlighted the potential of a new iron oxide copper gold ore (IOCG) district.
Hikma Pharma trims guidance as generic Advair talks continue with FDA
Hikma Pharmaceuticals reported a 1% rise in first-half sales and flat profits, but trimmed its guidance for the full year as the generic drugs arm faces tougher market conditions and continues discussions with US regulators over a key generic asthma drug.