Market Pulse
Brent futures drop after as Libya's Sharara oilfield comes back online
Crude oil futures dropped following a report that a key oilfield in Libya had restarted production.
FTSE 100 movers: Mediclinic surges on Abu Dhabi news; ex-divs weigh
London's FTSE 100 was down 0. 6% to 7,242. 05 in afternoon trade as investors sifted through corporate news and continued to digest Trump's announcement on tax reform.
Worsening consumer confidence threatens economic growth and Tory election result
British consumer confidence weakened over the last month even as business confidence strengthened, as both sides eyed rising inflation but softening economic growth.
Highland Gold posts solid first quarter production
Highland Gold Mining reported its operating results for the three months to 31 March on Thursday, saying total production at Mnogovershinnoye (MNV), Novoshirokinskoye (Novo) and Belaya Gora in the period was 65,243 ounces of gold and gold equivalent, up 14. 7% from 56,889 oz in Q1 2016.
Orders for US durable goods edge past forecasts in April
Orders for goods made to last more than three years edged past forecasts on the back of stronger demand for military aircraft.
Analysts divided on Trump tax cut proposals
Economists were optimistic that some form of tax relief would pass Congress in 2017, despite the lack of detail in the White House's proposals announced overnight.
BP to sell 50% stake in SECCO to Sinopec
Oil giant BP has agreed the sale of its 50% stake in the Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Company to Gaoqiao Petrochemical, a subsidiary of Sinopec and BP's joint venture partner, for a $1. 68bn.
London midday: Stocks maintain losses but Lloyds bucks the trend
London stocks were still in the red by midday on Thursday, while the pound pushed to a week's high as investors continued to digest Donald Trump's tax reform announcement amid a slew of corporate releases.
Oxford Metrics confirms launch of Shogun motion capture platform
International software company servicing government, life sciences, entertainment and engineering markets Oxford Metrics announced the launch of Shōgun - a new Vicon motion capture software platform - on Thursday.
Trump backtracks on Nafta withdrawal vow in favour of renegotiation
US President Donald Trump has ruled out the departure of the country from the North American Free Trade Agreement, despite previously pledging to withdraw from the deal.
WPP sales slow in first quarter after major account losses
Advertising giant WPP reported a slower start to 2017 after the loss of some major accounts and softening in North America but struck a confident tone about "renewed and encouraging" new business wins to keep the full year on track.
Asia report: Most markets higher as investors digest Trump tax plan
Most markets in Asia were higher on Thursday, as investors brushed off a lower session on Wall Street overnight after the Trump administration revealed more details on the tax plan the President wants to implement.
AstraZeneca profits hit by patent expiry, second half seen easier
AstraZeneca remained confident of hitting its full year targets despite profits being knocked in the first quarter by falling sales of its cholesterol blockbuster Crestor after its patent expired.
Fidessa highlights increasing uncertainty but sees benefits from weaker pound
Fidessa said on Thursday that it expects constant currency revenue growth for the year to be around the levels seen in 2016, with further headline gains if the pound remains weak, despite increasing uncertainty in the market.
Camellia swings to loss as climate change dampens outlook
Camellia posted its final results for the year to 31 December 2016 on Thursday, with revenue from continuing operations rising to £257. 9m, from a restated £244. 7m in 2015.
Jaywing flags final results in line with expectations
Data science-led agency Jaywing provided a pre-close trading update ahead of its results for the year to 31 March on Thursday.
Victoria Oil & Gas says negotiations ongoing in Cameroon
Victoria Oil & Gas announced on Thursday that negotiations were continuing between its wholly-owned subsidiary, Gaz du Cameroun, Altaaqa Alternative Solutions Projects and ENEO Cameroun.
C4X continues fundraising as it expands drug discovery goals
Drug discovery company C4X Discovery Holdings announced its interim results for the six months to 31 January on Thursday, with the board reporting that it remained committed to the delivery of its vision to become the world's most productive, self-sustaining “drug discovery engine”.
US pre-open: Stocks seen flat as investors continue to mull tax reforms
US futures pointed to a muted open on Wall Street on Thursday as investors continued to mull over President Trump's tax reform plans, ahead of more earnings releases.
Barclays raises target price on Ibstock
Analysts at Barclays sounded a positive note on Ibstock following the full placement of Bain Capital's share, raising their target price on the stock.