Personal Finance
FX round-up: Sterling sails higher on UK retail data, ECB rate call
Sterling sailed higher on most key crosses Thursday as investors liked the currency after pleasing UK retail data, European Central Bank holding interest rates and last night's US tax-reform disappointment.
London close: Resources weakness, US tax-reform hangover and ex-divs punish FTSE
Equities in London were punished lower on Thursday as pronounced weakness among mining and oil majors, a US tax-reform hangover, and a bundle of ex-dividend shares all told against the FTSE.
Merkel warns UK not to approach Brexit talks with "illusions"
German chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that British people should not harbour "illusions" about the country's fate in the aftermath of Brexit.
US pending home sales drop less than expected in March
US pending home sales fell less than expected in March, according to data from the National Association of Realtors.
US initial jobless claims unexpectedly rise
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, according to data from the Labor Department.
Worsening consumer confidence threatens economic growth and Tory election result
British consumer confidence weakened over the last month even as business confidence strengthened, as both sides eyed rising inflation but softening economic growth.
Retail sales grow at fastest pace since September 2015 - CBI
Retail sales grew at the fastest pace since September 2015 in the year to April, according to the Confederation of British Industry's latest monthly Distributive Trades Survey.
Wealthy people should be ineligible for pensions, OECD says
State pensions in the UK should not be handed out to wealthy people in order to ensure that benefits for those on the lower end of the pay scale can be given out, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has said.