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Week ahead: Brexit talks, Fedspeak in focus
Investors will need to navigate a steady stream of data and potential risk events over the coming week.
Rio Tinto scrambles to adapt after US sanctions hit partner Rusal
Global mining group Rio Tinto said on Friday that it is reviewing arrangements with Russian companies impacted by US sanctions.
Results round-up
Sage Group tumbled on Friday as it cut its full-year guidance to reflect "inconsistent operational execution".
Europe close: Geopolitical worries weigh, Italian government talks fail
Stocks on the Continent finished off their best levels heading into the weekend, as traders opted to play it safe given the heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Market Buzz: Investors play it safe going into the weekend; 'Sell the rip', BoA says
1700:Close Stocks carved out slight gains as the pound trimmed early sharp gains, as investors reacted positively to hints of progress in Washington's trade negotiations with Beijing and its NAFTA partners.
Euro area February goods trade surplus shows peak growth now past
The single currency bloc's trade surplus with the rest of the world widened in February, but only because imports fell more quickly than exports.
London close: Gains in shares capped by geopolitical worries, pound strength
London stocks finished higher on Friday - but only just - as investors played it safe going into the weekend, due to the tense geopolitical situation in the Middle East, and strength in the pound.
Broker tips: TalkTalk, Ultra Electronics, Halma, GKN
TalkTalk fell on Friday as RBC Capital Markets cut the stock to ‘sector perform’ from ‘outperform’ and reduced the price target to 125p from 140p.
Director dealings: BAE finance director holds onto his bonus shares
Peter Lynas, group finance director of defence firm BAE Systems, disposed of 10,525 ordinary shares in the firm on Friday, for a total of £62,255, to satisfy the income tax and NIC liability resulting from the exercise of options under the firm's Long Term Incentive Plan .
Russia claims chemical attack in Syria was staged with western help
Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, blamed the chemical attack carried out in the Syrian town of Douma on 7 April on opposition rebels and western intelligence agencies, claiming he had "irrefutable" evidence to support his accusations.
Berenberg initiates coverage on Halma with a 'buy'
Analysts at Berenberg initiated coverage on manufacturer Halma on Friday, calling it one of the "highest-quality companies in the UK industrials sector" and placing a 'buy' rating on the firm's shares straight off the bat.
Russian government blocks Telegram for not handing over message encryption keys
A court in Moscow has approved a request from a Russian media regulator to block the messaging app Telegram with immediate effect. The media regulator proposed the measure after the app refused to hand over the encryption keys it uses to scramble users’ messages.
Norwegian chief says no plans to sell to IAG
Norwegian Air Shuttle chief Bjorn Kjos said on Friday that the low-cost carrier wasn't for sale and that he had not spoken to anyone from International Consolidated Airlines Group, IAG's holding company.
US open: Wall Street opens down as big banks lose ground
US stocks turned slightly weaker at the start of trading on Wall Street on Friday as investors kept one eye on geopolitical developments and first reads on the earnings season from the country's biggest banks.
RedT Energy targets growth after injection of £3.85m through placing
Energy storage firm RedT Energy announced on Friday that it has successfully raised £3. 85m through an oversubscribed share placing.
Leaked financials suggest Saudi giant Aramco more profitable than Apple
Secretive Saudi oil giant Aramco achieved a colossal $33. 8bn in net income over the first six months of 2017 according to reports from Bloomberg.
FTSE 100 movers: Mondi on a high as Sage Group sinks
The FTSE 100 had its head just above water on Friday afternoon, as investors kept an eye on the geopolitical situation, with the latest Chinese trade data in focus and US bank earnings eyed.
FTSE 250 movers: Ultra Electronics boosted by upgrade; Hammerson hammered
London’s FTSE 250 was up 0. 4% to 19,856. 46 in afternoon trade on Friday, with broker notes providing most of the action.
US consumer sentiment slips in April amid trade war fears
Consumer sentiment in the US deteriorated in April amid trade war worries, according to data from the University of Michigan.