Market Pulse
Europe open: Stocks start lower, US tax reform debate in focus
European markets have started the morning slightly lower, weighed down by poor results from various corporate heavyweights and with traders focused on the onging tax reform debate Stateside.
Portfolio performance drives growth at 3i Infrastructure
Investment company 3i Infrastructure reported “good” portfolio performance in its first half on Thursday, which it said drove growth in net asset value.
CityFibre soars as it teams up with Vodafone to build gigabit network
Vodafone and CityFibre, the UK's largest alternative provider of wholesale fibre network infrastructure, announced a long-term strategic partnership on Thursday that would bring gigabit-capable full fibre broadband to up to five million UK homes and businesses by 2025.
Paul Lester to succeed John White as McCarthy & Stone chairman
McCarthy & Stone announced the appointment of Paul Lester CBE as a non-executive director and chairman-designate on Thursday.
London open: Stocks edge lower as investors wade through corporate news
London stocks edged lower in early trade on Thursday as investors waded through a torrent of corporate news ahead of the resumption of Brexit talks.
AstraZeneca ups earnings target as cancer partnership Lynparza delivers
AstraZeneca upped its full year core earning guidance after a third quarter where revenues and profits beat City forecasts after fast-growing external partnership revenues offset lower direct drug sales.
Burberry heads further upmarket under new boss Gobbetti
Burberry's new boss has vowed to move further upmarket in search of stronger profit margins after the fashion brand announced the departure of design guru Christopher Bailey.
Rolls-Royce says full-year performance on track
Rolls-Royce said its financial performance for 2017 is on track despite continued weak demand in the offshore oil and gas market.
Hammerson confident in portfolio amid UK struggles
Retail property development and investment company Hammerson reported continued positive momentum in leasing across the group on Thursday, as investors gathered in Southampton for an investor event.
Informa confident in solid full-year progress
Events, information services and academic publishing group Informa reported continued performance and delivery for the 10 months to 31 October in a trading update on Thursday, and re-confirmed its expectations for the full year.
National Grid reports 'good' first half progress, reiterates outlook
Electricity transmission network operator National Grid reported “good progress” against its key priorities in its interim report on Thursday, with adjusted operating profit excluding timing up 4% to £1. 4bn.
Unite Students buys Brass Founders in Sheffield for £35.5m.
Unite Students’ Students Accommodation Fund has bought Brass Founders in Sheffield for £35. 5m.
Dairy Crest profit rises despite challenges in butters business
Dairy Crest posted a rise in first-half revenue and profit thanks to good growth across its brands and despite challenges in the butters business.
Halfords interim profit drops as weaker pound drives up costs
Halfords reported a drop in interim profit on Thursday as the weaker pound increased costs.
London pre-open: Stocks seen lower as Brexit talks resume
London stocks were set for a weaker open on Thursday as investors digested the latest inflation figures out of China and eyed the resumption of Brexit talks.
CLS Holdings buys Bracknell office property for £14.7m
CLS Holdings has acquired Columbia Bracknell, a multi-let office property in Bracknell, Berkshire, for £14. 7m excluding costs, it announced on Thursday.
Coca-Cola HBC boasts 'excellent' revenue performance in third quarter
Europe-focussed bottling giant Coca-Cola HBC updated the market on its third quarter trading on Thursday, reporting “excellent” revenue performance, with foreign exchange-neutral revenue growth of 6. 0%.
Thursday newspaper round-up: Factory workers, Four Seasons, China steel dumping
A shortage of factory workers is starting to push up pay rates but wage rises in the services sector remain rooted at around 2%, according to the latest feedback from the Bank of England’s regional agents. The central bank said its agents, which are based in offices across the country, found that shortages this month across the manufacturing sector were leading to a “slight increase in pay growth” that would take average rate of pay rises up by half a percent, from 2-3% this year to 2.