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Week ahead: Global services sector surveys, China CPI in focus
Investors' focus at the start of the second quarter will be on a raft of surveys results for services sector activity from around the world.
Europe close: Stocks start Q2 on front foot, helped by US stimulus and manufacturing news
European shares gained on the first day of trading of the second quarter, as new US plans for massive infrastructure spending offset worries about a third Covid lockdown in France and on the back of a very strong reading for euro area factory activity.
Canaccord Genuity starts Aquis Exchange at 'buy'
Canaccord Genuity started coverage of Aquis Exchange at a 'buy', setting a target price of 1,047. 0p per share.
London close: Markets finish higher after encouraging manufacturing data
London stocks closed the Good Friday-truncated week with a positive finish on Thursday, as a surprise rise in US jobless claims was apparently offset by US President Joe Biden’s $2trn infrastructure plan, a profit upgrade from Next and encouraging manufacturing data.
Weekly review
The FTSE 100 ended the Good Friday-truncated week 3. 29 points lower on Thursday, ending the session at 6,737. 30.
Broker tips: Empiric Student Property, Harbour Energy
Analysts at Berenberg upgraded real estate investment trust Empiric Student Property from 'hold' to 'buy' on Thursday, stating the group was "geared into the operational recovery".
Van Elle takes over steel foundations company ScrewFast
Geotechnical and ground engineering company Van Elle has acquired 100% of helical pile and steel modular foundations company ScrewFast Foundations, it announced on Thursday, for a maximum consideration of £3. 68m.
Bushveld makes follow-on investment in Enerox
Vanadium production and energy storage company Bushveld Minerals updated the market on its 84%-owned subsidiary Bushveld Energy and its investment in vanadium redox flow battery manufacturer Enerox on Thursday, reporting that a consortium of investors in Enerox Holdings (EHL), which wholly owns Enerox, was investing $30m (£21. 7m) to scale up production capacity to 30MW by 2022.
Diaceutics wins data deal with unnamed pharma firm
Diaceutics has secured a data licensing agreement with an unnamed global pharmaceutical company to provide Covid-19 testing data insights in the US, it announced on Thursday, enabled by its proprietary diagnostic network ‘DXRX’.
FTSE 250 movers: Quilter gains; Royal Mail retreats
London’s FTSE 250 was up 1% at 21,743. 24 in afternoon trade on Thursday.
US manufacturing PMI hits highest level since 1983 in March
Manufacturing sector activity surprised sharply to the upside in March, accelerating at its quickest pace in almost four decades.
Initial weekly US jobless claims jump unexpectedly
The number of Americans filing jobless claims for the first time rose unexpectedly during the preceding week.
US open: S&P 500 crosses 4,000 point barrier for the first time
Wall Street stocks were in the green early on Thursday, with the S&P 500 breaking above 4,000 for the first time in its history ahead of the Good Friday long weekend.
Tribal to acquire scheduling software firm Semestry
Education software company Tribal has agreed to acquire cloud-based higher education scheduling software supplier Semestry, it announced on Thursday, for initial cash consideration of £4. 5m.
Great Western makes progress with Mineral County claims
Great Western Mining updated the market on its operations in Mineral County, Nevada on Thursday, where it holds around 17,000 acres of claims, and was exploring for, appraising and developing precious and base metals.
FTSE 100 movers: Melrose rallies; Phoenix goes ex-div
London’s FTSE 100 was up 0. 3% at 6,733. 45 in afternoon trade on Thursday amid quiet trade ahead of the Easter weekend.
Hummingbird Resources upbeat on latest results from Yanfolila
Hummingbird Resources updated the market on its 2021 exploration drilling programme at the Yanfolila gold mine in Mali on Thursday, which was focussed on increasing mineral resources at known deposits and testing new greenfield targets.
Berenberg upgrades Empiric Student Property to 'buy'
Analysts at Berenberg upgraded real estate investment trust Empiric Student Property from 'hold' to 'buy' on Thursday, stating the group was "geared into the operational recovery".
Stanley Gibbons 'hopeful' as trading remains difficult
Stanley Gibbons Group updated the market on its trading on Thursday, reporting that the patterns seen in the first half of its financial year had continued, including increased levels of digital activity and remote selling of albums and accessories, compared to lower levels of high-ticket sales and in person activities as a result of lockdown restrictions .
UK manufacturing growth hits 10-year high in March
UK manufacturing growth hit a 10-year high in March thanks to the swift vaccine rollout and the planned easing of lockdown restrictions, according to a survey released on Thursday.