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Friday preview: US data, ECB minutes in focus
Investors' focus at the end of the week will be on a deluge of first-tier economic data out of the US.
Europe close: Stocks find a small bid after heavy selling
European shares found their footing more or less on Thursday, helped by relatively benign economic data out in the States but only after a couple of sessions of heavy selling.
Thursday broker round-up
Hargreaves Lansdown: Numis downgrades to add with a target price of 2,019p.
London close: Stocks close off earlier lows amid inflation consternation
London stocks closed below the waterline on Thursday, having clawed back some earlier losses, as worries about rising inflation rattled investors again.
Broker tips: Diageo, Go-Ahead Group, UDG Healthcare, Ilika
Citi lifted its price target on Diageo on Thursday to 3,325p from 3,200p following the drinks maker’s trading update.
Director dealings: Surface Transforms director makes share purchase
Surface Transforms said on Thursday that non-executive director Matthew Taylor had acquired 55,000 ordinary shares in the AIM-listed manufacturer.
Immedia narrows losses even as revenue declines
Audio-visual communications company Immedia reported a 43% decrease in revenue in its preliminary results on Thursday, to £2. 3m.
Agronomics ups stake in Dutch lab-grown meat firm
Alternative proteins investor Agronomics announced a purchase of 117 shares, worth €0. 2m (£0. 17m), in existing portfolio company Meatable on Thursday.
FTSE 250 movers: Wood Group loses ground; Elementis rallies
London’s FTSE 250 was down 0. 1% at 22,076. 70 in afternoon trade on Thursday.
IGas maintains production guidance as it advances new projects
IGas Energy said in an update on Thursday that it was still expecting net production of between 2,150 and 2,350 barrels of oil equivalent for 2021.
Caledonia Mining earnings slip in difficult first quarter
Caledonia Mining reported gross revenues of $25. 7m (£18. 3m) in its first quarter on Thursday, up from $23. 6m year-on-year.
US open: Dow Jones up more than 500 points as major indices stage early turnaround
Wall Street stocks were firmly in the green early on Thursday as tech stocks were back in favour after the blue-chip index turned in its worst performance since January in the previous session.
De La Rue renews contract with Microsoft
De La Rue has signed a five-year renewal of its contract with Microsoft, the banknote printer said on Thursday.
M&G rallies as Schroders said to have mulled buyout
M&G shares rallied on Thursday following a report that Schroders spent months earlier this year looking at a potential buyout of the investment manager.
FTSE 100 movers: M&G rallies on Schroders bid talk; Burberry slumps
London’s FTSE 100 was down 1. 2% at 6,920. 57 in afternoon trade on Thursday amid worries about rising inflation.
Jobless claims fall to another pandemic-era low
Jobless claims fell yet again in the week ended 8 May, according to the Labor Department, slipping from January's peak of about 900,000 to a new pandemic-era low of 473,000.
Tui agrees to be clear on refunds as regulator acts
Tui agreed to give customers better information about refunds on holidays cancelled because of Covid-19 as the UK's competition regulator ordered travel firms to honour customers' legal rights.
Best of the Best ends year in line with market expectations
Online car and lifestyle competition organiser Best of the Best updated the market on its trading for the year ended 30 April on Thursday.
ECR Minerals makes progress on Bailieston and Creswick projects
Australia-focussed gold exploration and development company ECR Minerals updated the market on drilling and related activities underway across the Bailieston and Creswick gold exploration projects in the Victorian Goldfields on Thursday.
Citi lifts Diageo price target after update
Citi lifted its price target on Diageo on Thursday to 3,325p from 3,200p following the drinks maker’s trading update.