Market Pulse
Retail sales grow at fastest pace since September 2015 - CBI
Retail sales grew at the fastest pace since September 2015 in the year to April, according to the Confederation of British Industry's latest monthly Distributive Trades Survey.
Wealthy people should be ineligible for pensions, OECD says
State pensions in the UK should not be handed out to wealthy people in order to ensure that benefits for those on the lower end of the pay scale can be given out, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has said.
German consumer confidence strengthens more than forecast in May
Germans were in more buoyant spirits in April amid significant increases in income expectations and for the economy with further improvement expected, the results of a widely-followed survey showed.
Deltex Medical wins EU grant for blood monitoring product
Deltex Medical Group, a maker for blood monitoring and fluid management equipment for use in surgical operations, has won a €50,000 grant from the European Union.
Mission Marketing Group buys pharmaceutical consultancy services provider
AIM-listed Mission Marketing Group has bought RJW & Partners, a provider of consultancy services to the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries, for up to £6. 23m.
Dixons Carphone appoints Graham Stapleton as CEO of software division
Dixons Carphone has appointed Graham Stapleton as chief executive officer of its software division, honeyBee, with immediate effect.
Jardine Lloyd Thompson warns about challenging trading conditions in 2017
Insurer Jardine Lloyd Thompson said that it made a “good” start to the year but warned that the “challenging trading conditions of 2016 in many markets around the world have continued in 2017”.
Thursday broker round-up
GlaxoSmithKline: Deutsche Bank reiterates Hold with a target price of 1700p.
Tourism boosts Spanish consumer prices for April
Spanish consumer prices rose past forecasts in April, pushed higher by tourism prices as a result of the Easter holidays and a higher cost of electricity versus a year ago.
DS Smith reports good packaging volume growth
As it approaches its year end, recycled packaging specialist DS Smith reported strong volume growth and good progress with integrating five acquisitions in the period.
Countrywide income drops in Q1, as expected
Integrated property services group Countrywide reported a drop in revenue for the first quarter, in line with its expectations.
London open: Stocks in the red as Trump tax plan disappoints
London stocks edged lower in early trade on Thursday as US President Donald Trump's tax announcement failed to get investors' pulses racing.
KAZ Minerals on track to meet 2017 production guidance
KAZ Minerals posted its production results for the first quarter to 31 March on Thursday, with copper production up 16% to 52 kilotonnes quarter-on-quarter as new mines ramped up.
Aggreko first-quarter revenue up 2%, leaves FY guidance unchanged
Temporary power provider Aggreko reported a rise in revenue for the first quarter as it left its full-year guidance unchanged.
Europe open: Stocks slip lower ahead of ECB
Markets slipped at the start of the session after the White House's tax cut proposals released overnight underwhelmed analysts, with investors also playing it safe ahead of the European Central Bank's policy meeting later in the day.
Mediclinic gets shot in the arm as Abu Dhabi waives treatment payment
Healthcare provider Mediclinic International said that it will monitor the changes on its Middle East business after Abu Dhabi waived 20% of the co-payment for Thiqa health insurance card holders.
Weir Group on track for recovery in 2017
Weir Group posted its interim management statement for the period to 26 April on Thursday, as the board reporting the company was on track for a “strong” recovery in 2017, with full-year profits anticipated to be in line with current market expectations.
Contracts division keeps Travis Perkins in line in Q1
Travis Perkins posted its first quarter trading update for 2017 on Thursday, claiming to be in line with expectations with total sales growth of 4. 9% and like-for-like sales growth of 2. 7%.
Synthomer trading in line, reiterates 2017 expectations
Specialist chemical group Synthomer said on Thursday that it continues to trade in line with the board's expectations as it reiterated it 2017 expectations.
Countryside Properties' parnerships CEO to retire after 35 years
FTSE 250 housebuilder Countryside Properties announced that the chief executive of its partnership division, Richard Cherry, is to retire after 35 years.