Market Report
Countryside Properties posts profit rise, hikes dividend
Countryside Properties posted a rise in half-year profit on Thursday as completions and revenue rose and the home builder said it was on track to deliver volume and margin expectations for the full year.
Micro Focus maintains interim guidance as it carries out return of value
Micro Focus International updated the market on the six months ended 30 April on Thursday, saying that it expected to report interim results in line with the management guidance it gave in its preliminary results on February, on a constant currency basis.
Lloyds Bank to pay quarterly dividends, Countryside sees half-year profits rise
London open The FTSE 100 is expected to open four points lower on Thursday, having closed up 0. 76% at 7,296. 95 on Wednesday.
London pre-open: Stocks seen lower as Trump targets Huawei
London stocks were set to drop at the open on Thursday as investors digest news that US President Trump has declared a national emergency to protect US computer networks from "foreign adversaries" - a move widely seen as targeting China’s Huawei.
Thursday newspaper round-up: Huawei, HS2, NSF, John Lewis
Huawei has criticised as “unreasonable” Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to ban technology from “foreign adversaries” that is deemed to pose a risk to national security. In a statement reported by the state-run Global Times, Huawei said: “If the US restricts Huawei, it will not make the US safer, nor will it make the US stronger. It will only force the US to use inferior and expensive alternative equipment, lagging behind other countries .
US close: Markets finish higher as industrial data misses forecasts
Markets in the US reversed their opening fortunes to finish in the green on Wednesday, a day after the Dow’s strongest performance in a month, as trade concerns continued to mount.