Commodities
Post-Brexit customs union would leave Britain 3% poorer, says NIESR
UK GDP would be 3% lower if the UK retained a customs union with the EU after Brexit than if it had remained in the bloc, according to a report on Thursday.
Commodities: Prices rangebound ahead of US-China trade talks
Overall, commodity prices were rangebound on Wednesday, with traders opting to stay put as they waited on the result of the next round of US-China trade talks.
Berenberg lowers target on Sirius Minerals, but believes financing package will succeed
Berenberg lowered its target for Sirius Minerals's share price from 40p to 35p after incorporating the structure of the potash miner's long-awaited stage two financing for its Woodsmith polyhalite mine into its valuation model.
Hackers nab $40m Bitcoin from Binance exchange
Hackers breached the security of the Binance exchange, making off with 7,000 bitcoins worth around $40m in a single transaction, revealed a post on the bitcoin market's website.
Europe midday: Stocks slip amid negative news on US-China talks, Italian politics
Stocks on the Continent are trading slightly lower, amid reports that Beijing is backtracking on trade commitments with the US and reports of tensions in the Italian government.
China foreign trade data for April paints mixed picture of the economy
Chinese export growth fell back unexpectedly last month and while an acceleration in imports pointed to an improvement in the domestic economy, economists were somewhat divided on the strength one could expected of any rebound.
Iran drops key commitments under 2015 nuclear deal
Iran announced on Wednesday that it would drop two of the key commitments that it entered into as part of the 2015 nuclear deal in response to America's withdrawal and its decision to reinstate sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
China reneges on multiple aspects of draft trade agreement
The White House received a diplomatic cable from Beijing late on Friday night containing systematic edits to the pair's nearly 150-page draft trade agreement, threatening to undo months of negotiations between the world's two largest economies.
German industrial production unexpectedly rises in March
German industrial production unexpectedly rose in March, according to data released on Wednesday by Destatis.