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London close: Stocks dip as economic data reveals hit from coronavirus
Stocks finished the week on a down note following another bout of selling on Wall Street late in the London session after a closely watched survey of economic conditions in the States fell sharply, pointing to a drop in activity for just the second time since the Great Financial Crisis.
Europe close: Investors move to the sidelines ahead of the weekend
A volatile day of trading in Europe came to an end with sharp losses after a closely-followed activity survey in the States came in well beneath forecasts, pointing to an economy on the brink of recession, in part on account of the Chinese coronavirus.
Week ahead: Coronavirus and G20 in focus
The coming week will be front-loaded, with G20 finance ministers due to meet in Riyadh over the coming weekend.
Jefferies stays at 'buy' on Centrica following meeting with CFO
Analysts at Jefferies reiterated their 'buy' recommendation for shares of Centrica following a meeting with the company's finance director, Chris O'Shea.
Facebook to offer payment in return for users' voice recordings
Facebook is offering paying its users in exchange for personal information such as voice recordings in a move to directly compensate people for data harvesting.
US business output registers first drop since 2013 amid coronavirus impact
US business activity registered an outright drop in February for the second time since the global financial crisis, survey data revealed.
Broker tips: Intertek, Moneysupermarket
Analysts at Shore Capital Markets downgraded British testing and assurance firm Intertek from 'hold' to 'sell' on Friday, stating it now anticipated a "slightly negative" earnings performance for 2020.
Director dealings: Checkit chairman ups stake
Checkit revealed on Friday that chairman Keith Daley had acquired 2. 5 million ordinary shares in the AIM-traded digital compliance management company.
Berenberg reiterates 'sell' rating on Moneysupermarket
Analysts at Berenberg upped their target on shares of Moneysupermarket from 285. 0p to 310. 0p on Friday but reiterated their 'sell' rating, stating that the previous session's share price gains were overdone.
US existing home sales miss forecasts in February
Existing home sales dipped at the start of 2020, dragged lower by softer activity in the West, but prices gained as inventories remained at their lowest level since 1999.
US open: Stocks slide as coronavirus fallout remains in focus
US stocks opened sharply lower on Friday as new cases of the Wuhan coronavirus accelerated overnight, adding to fears that a pronounced global economic slowdown was on the horizon.
FTSE 100 movers: Pearson sinks on outlook, Halma gains after acquisition news
The FTSE 100 remained below the waterline in afternoon trading on Friday, as investors digested reports of another increase in coronavirus cases in South Korea, and data showing that companies across the UK and the Continent were facing increasing difficulties in keeping their supply chains properly stocked with inputs.
New Mexico sues Google for harvesting minors' personal data
New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas sued Google 's search engine late on Thursday over the alleged harvesting of school children’s personal information without parent consent.
Construction of Tesla's Berlin Gigafactory approved despite environmental protests
A German court gave Tesla the green light to cut down trees to build its new European Gigafactory despite protests from environmental activists.
Oilex moves closer to Cooper-Eromanga sale with Doriemus placement
Oilex updated the market on Friday, reporting that Doriemus has successfully completed a conditional bookbuild to raise AUD 4. 5m (£2. 3m) via a placement of shares and options.
Daejan shares surge as Centremanor looks to take group private
Property investment and development company Centremanor revealed on Friday that it will take loss-making FTSE 250 property firm Daejan private following an offer that valued the group at around £1. 31bn.
UK public sector borrowing exceeds forecasts in January
The public sector borrowing was in surplus at the start of 2020 as is usual due to the timing of tax receipts for personal income and capital gains taxes.
Arricano Real Estate draws another $2.5m from Ukraine facility
Arricano Real Estate updated the market on the loan facility of its wholly-owned subsidiary Comfort Market Luks on Friday, which was first announced in July.
Europe midday: Stocks erase early losses on the back of euro area PMIs
Stocks had reversed their earlier losses come midday, despite news of an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in South Korea and even as the latest economic data underscored the disruptions to the global economy resulting from the coronavirus.