Full List Of Stories
Sector movers: Food producers put on weight, oil engineers fall despite crude rebound
Food producers were the top rising sector on Thursday thanks entirely to Associated British Foods, a major sugar producer, bread baker, food and ingredients producer under brands such as Twinings Ovaltine and Australia's George Weston Foods.
FTSE 100 movers: 'Stellar' ABF and banks gains not enough to lift index
The FTSE 100 was in the red late on Thursday afternoon as ex-dividend stocks and a higher pound dragged the benchmark down.
Friday preview: UK industrial and trade bundle a hors d'oeuvres for US nonfarm
US non-farm payrolls are the big market event for Friday, but closer to home balance of trade, Halifax house price numbers and industrial production make it a fairly busy day on the economic calendar, with retailer Dunelm issuing a trading update.
Wine, cheese and financial services: EU and Japan strike free trade deal
The European Union and Japan have struck a trade deal to open up the South East Asian country to European exports with an estimated value of around €20bn.
London midday: Rising pound weighs on stocks but banks limit losses
London's stock indices were stuttering lower by midday on Thursday as the pound rose amid hawkish central bank talk in Europe and the US, though this was good news for banks and life insurers.
Dechra Pharmaceuticals claws higher sales as acquisitions bed in
Veterinary specialist Dechra Pharmaceuticals reported trading in line with forecasts for the full year to end June.
ITV eyes Easyjet boss for CEO role
ITV could poach EasyJet's chief executive Carolyn McCall to replace its departed boss, according to City rumours that emerged overnight.
London open: AB Foods gains balanced by Reckitt ransomware hit
London's stock indices hovered tentatively in early trading on Thursday amid a quiet day for macroeconomic events following the release of surprisingly mixed minutes from the US Federal Reserve overnight.
Thursday newspaper round-up: Austerity, Centrica, property spat, cheese
Theresa May raised the spectre of a Greek-style economic collapse if Britain fails to press ahead with tackling the deficit on Wednesday, as she was challenged repeatedly by Jeremy Corbyn over the public sector pay cap. With intense political pressure on the prime minister – including from her own cabinet colleagues – to ease the strain for cash-strapped public servants, including nurses and teachers, she warned MPs about the risks of loosening the purse strings.
AB Foods eyes higher growth as Primark prospers
Boosted by the weak pound, Associated British Foods improved its performance in the third quarter, with particularly strong trading at its Primark clothing retail arm that has slightly lifted the full year expectations.
Just Eat poaches Plumb to be new CEO
Just Eat has appointed Peter Plumb as its new chief executive, following the death of previous boss John Hughes.