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Three Tory MPs resign to join Independent Group
The febrile and fractured nature of British politics was laid bare on Wednesday as three Conservative MPs resigned from the party in protest at its lurch to the right and joined ranks with the Independent Group of eight Labour defectors in parliament.
Europe close: Stocks extend rally ahead of US Fed minutes, trade talks
Stockmarkets on the Continent pushed higher on Wednesday, seeing the day out from their session highs, after the US President signaled a more lenient stance towards China on trade and amid talk that Paris and Berlin might be set to agree on a common budget for the Eurozone.
UBS may be forced to pay $5.1bn in French tax case
UBS may have to pay a €4. 5bn fine after a French judge found the investment bank guilty of helping rich clients move undeclared funds to Swiss accounts.
Tesco 'sitting pretty' amid Sainsbury-Asda merger developments, says Jefferies
Jefferies stood by its 'buy' rating of Tesco on Wednesday, commenting that the case for investing in the company's shares remains unchanged after the Competition & Markets Authority's airing of "extensive" concerns over a proposed £13bn merger between Sainsbury's and Asda.
Tesla's top lawyer quits after just two months on the job
Tesla announced on Wednesday that its top lawyer Dane Butswinkas will leave the company after just two months on the job.
FTSE 250 movers: Plus500 fights back, Intu gets mauled
London's FTSE 250 was up 0. 32% in afternoon trading on Wednesday, with Plus500 leading the index higher after having dropped consistently since the spreadbetting company said in a statement last Friday it had accidentally misled shareholders over its losses in 2017.
London close: Shares extend gains ahead of Brexit talks, Fed minutes
London stocks finished with solid gains and near their session highs on Wednesday despite the powerful drag from Sainsbury's after the competition watchdog cast doubt over its merger with Asda, with investors waiting on the release of the Federal Reserve meeting minutes after the close and possible developments from Theresa May's latest talks in Brussels.
Broker tips: HSBC, RBS, Marston's
Analysts at JPMorgan downgraded global banking giant HSBC to 'underweight' from 'neutral' on Wednesday, noting the troubled outlook for revenue growth might weigh on prospects for the lender's return on tangible equity for longer than previously thought.
Eco Atlantic Oil & Gas secures rig for Guyana exploration well
Eco Atlantic Oil & Gas on Wednesday contracted a rig, the Stena Forth, to drill an exploration well at the Jethro-Lobe prospect on the Orinduik Block offshore Guyana.
Director dealings: Low & Bonar execs up stake
Low & Bonar chairman Daniel Dayan purchased 364,560 ordinary shares in the London-listed building materials outfit on Wednesday.
Thursday preview: Brexit, US-China trade talks in focus
Thursday may turn out to be an intense day on all fronts.
Ryanair to open new airport in Toulouse, reaches agreement with BeCA
Low-cost carrier Ryanair revealed that it will open a new airport in Toulouse in October.
FTSE 100 movers: Lloyds leads, investors betting on retailers
The FTSE 100 was on the front foot on Wednesday afternoon, up 0. 6% to above 7,220 as Lloyds and a handful of retailers led the way.
Codemasters signs esports partnership with Motorsports Network
Codemasters on Wednesday confirmed that it has signed a global esports partnership with Motorsport Network, the world's largest motorsport media company.
US open: Small gains at the open as US-Sino relations remain in focus
Wall Street opened slightly higher on Wednesday as investors mulled over the latest developments in Sino-US trade relations and looked to the release of Federal Reserve minutes later in the day.
JPMorgan downgrades HSBC to 'underweight', cuts target
Analysts at JPMorgan downgraded global banking giant HSBC to 'underweight' from 'neutral' on Wednesday, noting the troubled outlook for revenue growth might weigh on prospects for the lender's return on tangible equity for longer than previously thought.
Sector movers: Oil and banks higher, food retailers mixed
Oil stocks and banks marched the FTSE 100 back upwards on Wednesday, while a dejected Sainsbury's weighed on the food retail sector.
McBride tumbles after profit warning
European manufacturer McBride warned investors on Wednesday that its full-year adjusted pre-tax profits would come in roughly 10-15% lower than in the year before, as it struggles to cut back on raw material and logistics expenses.
Consensus underestimating potential for higher dividends from RBS, Berenberg says
Analysts at Berenberg reiterated their 'buy' stance and 340. 0p target price on RBS stock despite the shares' outperformance year-to-date, arguing that there was scope for "material" capital returns of roughly 12% per year and that the lender continued to be "undervalued".
Harvest Minerals connects Arapua project to Brazilian power grid
Fertiliser producer Harvest Minerals announced on Wednesday that the Brazilian energy company CEMIG had connected its Arapua multi-nutrient, direct application, natural fertiliser project to the country’s main electricity grid.