America's central bank stood pat on policy on Wednesday, saying that there had been no additional progress towards its 2. 0% inflation goal.
Jefferies reiterated its 'buy' rating and 510. 0p target price on Volution on Wednesday as it said the company's ability to drive margins higher, through both revenue mix and efficiency, is more than offsetting the challenging market backdrop to deliver ongoing earning upgrades.
Weakness in the oil patch and among select cyclicals dragged on the FTSE 350 in the middle of the week.
The number of job openings in the U. S. declined only slightly in March, but the number of so-called quits continued to retreat.
London markets closed lower on Wednesday, as investors digested the latest UK manufacturing data and anticipated an impending policy announcement from the US Federal Reserve.
Vistry Group revealed on Wednesday that chief executive Greg Fitzgerald had acquired 23,172 ordinary shares in the FTSE 250-listed housebuilding firm.
Investors' attention on Thursday will be on a raft of factory sector purchasing managers' surveys due out in the euro area.
Factory sector activity in the U. S. declined unexpectedly last month, even as price pressures picked up, the results of a closely-followed survey revealed.
London’s FTSE 100 was down 0. 3% at 8,117. 38 in afternoon trade on Wednesday.
Technology and information business Altitude Group said on Wednesday that it has experienced "another strong year of trading" as it delivered "a transformative entrance" into the Collegiate market.
US construction spending fell by 0. 2% month-on-month in March, according to the Census Bureau, following a revised flat reading in February and missing market expectations for a 0. 3% increase.
Wall Street trading got off to a mixed start on Wednesday as market participants awaited the outcome of the Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting and digested more mega-cap earnings.
Johnson & Johnson has proposed a $6. 5bn deal to settle thousands of lawsuits claiming its talc products cause cancer, it was confirmed on Wednesday.
Barclays has reportedly kicked off a fresh round of redundancies, cutting "a few hundred roles" at its investment bank as it looks to tackle underperformers and reinvest in new talent.
Equipment rental firm HSS Hire said it expects results for the current year to be in line with market forecasts despite an uncertain macro environment, after it reported a sharp drop in annual profits for 2023 and the resignation of its chief financial officer.
Shareholders in Flutter Entertainment voted on Wednesday in favour of moving the Paddy Power owner’s primary listing to New York from London.
Shares in pharmacy giant CVS Health were falling on Wednesday, after its first-quarter results fell short of expectations, with both revenue and adjusted earnings missing the mark.
Private sector employment in the US rose more than expected April, according to figures released on Wednesday by the ADP.
Pfizer raised its full-year earnings forecast on Wednesday, on the back of solid demand for its non-Covid products.