ADVFN Newsdesk - Traders Continue To Worry About Possible Greek Default

ADVFN  World Daily Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Friday, 29 May 2015 10:40:25    Monitor Quote Charts News Toplists Forex Boards   Sponsored by: VectorVest How to Analyze Any Stock in 30 Seconds (or Less) BUY, SELL or HOLD? Knowing which stocks to buy can be tough. But armed with the right tools, you can easily separate the winners from the losers. Watch this short video to see how fast and easy it can be to analyze your stocks and manage your portfolio! Watch This Video  US Market NYSE AMEX Dow Jones Nasdaq Please click on the images to view our interactive charts The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a lower opening on Friday, with worries about the situation in Greece continuing to weigh on Wall Street. While Greek officials have expressed optimism about reaching an agreement with the country's international creditors, European officials have been far more pessimistic. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde told a German newspaper it is "very unlikely" a comprehensive solution will be reached in the coming days. Lagarde also acknowledged that a Greek exit from the eurozone is a "possibility" but said it would "probably not be an end to the euro." After showing a notable move to the downside in early trading on Thursday, stocks regained some ground over the course of the session but still closed modestly lower. With the drop on the day, the tech-heavy Nasdaq pulled back off yesterday's record closing high. The major averages ended the day in negative territory but well off their lows for the session. The Dow slipped 36.87 points or 0.2 percent to 18,126.12, the Nasdaq edged down 8.62 points or 0.2 percent to 5,097.98 and the S&P 500 dipped 2.69 points or 0.1 percent to 2,120.79. Many of the major sectors ended the session well off their worst levels of the day, although significant weakness remained visible among natural gas stocks. The NYSE Arca Natural Gas Index fell by 1.4 percent to its lowest closing level in nearly two months. Railroad stocks also ended the day notably lower, resulting in a 1.3 percent loss by the Dow Jones Railroads Index. With the decrease, the index finished the session at a seven-month closing low. Steel, airline, and trucking stocks also saw some weakness, although selling pressure waned from earlier in the session. Sell These 7 Stocks Insiders are Dumping Warning signs are everywhere. Insider selling is at all-time highs, and the last time sentiment was this negative was in 2007, just before the stock market crashed. The 7 stocks on my list have particularly troubling red flags and stand to get hit the hardest.  If you own any of these 7 dangerous stocks, you must sell now! Click here to see the full list - free access until midnight. US Economic Reports CADUSD Oil Gold Allbanc Please click on the images to view our interactive charts Economic activity in the U.S. contracted for the first time in a year in the first quarter of 2015, according to revised data released by the Commerce Department on Friday. The report said gross domestic product fell by 0.7 percent in the first quarter compared to the previously reported 0.2 percent uptick. The drop came on the heels of a 2.2 percent increase in the fourth quarter. The revised decrease in GDP in the first quarter was still slightly smaller than the 0.8 percent drop expected by economists. At 9:45 am ET, MNI Indicators is scheduled to release its report on Chicago-area business activity in the month of May. Economists expect the Chicago business barometer to edge up to 5.31. The Chicago business barometer climbed to 52.3 in April from 46.3 in March, with a reading above 50 indicating an increase in regional business activity. The University of Michigan is also scheduled to release its revised report on consumer sentiment in May at 10 am ET.  The consumer sentiment index for May is expected to be upwardly revised to 90.3 from the mid-month reading of 88.6, although it would still come in well below 95.9 in April. Say "Goodbye" to 3D Printing Early investors in 3D printing stocks saw profits of 1,200% and higher. Now they've shifted their focus to a new technology -- one that could change everything for medicine, transportation, the energy markets, and more. We've found 3 stocks you can invest in to ride this trillion-dollar mega-trend... And one little-known way to play it that could change your net worth forever. Download the Free Report Here European Markets The European markets are retreating on Friday, remaining on course for a weekly loss, as mixed messages about Greece's debt talks have added fuel to investor anxiety.  IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde warned Thursday that Greece's exit from the Eurozone is a possibility but said it would “probably” not be an end to the euro. Around Europe, the German DAX is losing half a percent and France's CAC 40 index is declining 0.6 percent, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 is moving up 0.3 percent.  Shares of Macromac Plc are tumbling in London after the Malaysia-based developer of mobile content and web-based marketing solutions reported a sharp decline in fiscal 2014 profit, despite higher revenues. Meanwhile, Syngenta AG is advancing in Frankfurt amid reports that the agrochemical maker has rejected an unsolicited $45 billion takeover offer from Monsanto Co. In economic news, France's household consumption grew less-than-expected in April after a slump in March, amid weaker spending on durables, figures from the statistical office INSEE showed. German retail sales increased at a faster-than-expected pace in April after declining in the previous two months, while the eurocoin indicator, which measures the current economic situation in the euro area, rose for the sixth consecutive month in May. The 21st Century's Industrial Revolution is Underway! Discover the shocking technology that's powering the next industrial revolution — and the 3 stocks that stand to benefit the most. Two of them have doubled since we first began covering this sector... and the other has more than TRIPLED. In this free report, we'll reveal all 3 stocks as well as one little-known way to play this trend that could change your net worth forever. Click Here to Download it Now. Asian markets USDCAD USDEUR USDGBP USDJPY Please click on the images to view our interactive charts Asian stocks closed on a mixed note on Friday as Chinese stocks swung widely in volatile trading after the previous session's sharp sell-off.  While Australian shares rallied on the back of a strong performance by banks and miners, the major markets elsewhere across the region showed lackluster movements ahead of a batch of U.S. economic data. Chinese stocks fell in choppy trading, extending Thursday's sell-off. The benchmark Shanghai Composite index briefly slid more than 4 percent before turning higher and then once again slipping into negative territory to end the session down 8.52 points 0.18 percent at 4,611.74.  The benchmark index plunged 6.5 percent on Thursday as worries about a liquidity squeeze and stake sales of two state-owned banks by a Chinese sovereign-wealth fund rattled investors.  Hong Kong's Hang Seng index closed down 30.12 points or 0.11 percent at 27,424.19 after tumbling more than 2 percent the day before. Meanwhile, Japanese stocks extended their gains for the 11th straight day, with a renewed decline in the yen underpinning sentiment. The Nikkei 225 Index swung between gains and losses before closing 11.69 points or 0.06 percent higher at 20,563.15, another new 15-year closing high. The safe-haven yen lingered near 12-year lows even as Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said the yen's slide in recent days had been "rough" and he would monitor moves in the foreign exchange markets carefully. Among the top gainers, Pacific Metals, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, Mitsubishi Materials, Kubota Corp and Toshiba Corp rose 2-5 percent.  Australian stocks also rose on broad-based strength, as a weaker Aussie dollar, higher commodity prices and rate cut hopes helped investors shrug off weak cues from Wall Street. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 64.07 points or 1.12 percent to close at 5,777.16.  The big four banks closed up between 1.3 percent and 2.6 percent as weaker-than-expected business investment data revived expectations of another cut in interest rates. On the economic front, a slew of mixed reports stoked concerns about the state of the world's third-largest economy.  The Japanese jobless rate dropped to an 18-year low, housing starts increased for the second straight month and industrial output rose 1.0 percent in April from the previous month, marking the first increase in output in three months, while household spending unexpectedly slumped and consumer inflation was muted at 0.4 percent. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of Australia said Australia's private sector credit growth eased to 0.3 percent in April from the previous month, the slowest growth since October 2013, after a 0.5 percent rise in March. Be The Boss of Your Own Money.  Be Type E*.  Sign Up with E*TRADE Now. Currency and Commodities Markets Crude oil futures are climbing $0.45 to $58.13 a barrel after rising $0.17 to $57.68 a barrel on Thursday. Meanwhile, an ounce of gold is currently-trading at $1,190, up $1.20 from the previous session’s close of $1,188.80. On Thursday, gold rose $2.30.  On the currency front, the U.S. dollar is trading at 123.98 yen compared to the 123.95 yen it fetched at the close of New York trading on Thursday. Against the euro, the dollar is valued at $1.0976 compared to yesterday’s $1.0949. New Study Shows How to Turn $5,000 Into $6.5 Million Recently, a small not-for-profit "think tank" based in Kansas City, Missouri quietly published a new study... The study monitored the investment activity of 539 millionaires... They've been growing their money 3x - 4x faster than the stock market for more than 17 years... And in this new report, we'll show how you can do the same: Click here to Download it Now     To unsubscribe from this news bulletin or edit your mailing list settings click here. Registered Office/Accounts Dept: Suite 27, Essex Technology Centre, The Gable, Fyfield Road, Ongar, CM5 0GA. Customer Support +44 (0) 207 0700 961. Company registered in England and Wales: Number 2374988 VAT No. GB 549 2130 49

Weekly Forex Currency Review

ADVFN III Weekly FOREX Currency REVIEW   Global Forex News from ADVFN Supplied by advfn.com   New Forex Platform Coming Soon From ADVFN ADVFN has been working behind the scenes on a new forex platform. It features a cutting edge user interface, probabilistic analysis and a new way of looking at forex trades. If you would like to help us develop the product further please click here Weekly Market analysis 08.30 AM GMT Overall strategy:  The Greek situation will continue to be monitored very closely with high market volatility likely to be a key feature as Athens faces a crucial series of debt payments in June and default threat if no agreement can be reached within the next few days. Federal Reserve policies will also continue to be watched very closely in the short-term with the dollar gaining support if there is more sustained evidence of an improved outlook which would push the Fed closer to an initial increase in interest rates.  Key events for the forthcoming week Date Time (GMT) Data release/event Tuesday June 2nd  04.30 Reserve Bank of Australia policy decision Wednesday June 3rd  11.45 ECB policy decision Thursday June 4th  11.00 Bank of England policy decision Friday June 5th  12.30 US employment report Market analysis Dollar:  Although there is still a state of flux surrounding US economic trends, the latest releases have been slightly more optimistic with expectations of stronger consumer spending over the next few months. The Federal Reserve is still looking to increase rates this year which will underpin the dollar, although there is also likely to be a commitment to increasing rates very slowly which could spark aggressive corrections at times. The dollar should continue to gain strong support from global monetary-policy trends and there is still the potential for a further closing of dollar-funded carry trades which could trigger sharp gains.  The dollar pushed sharply higher late last week and maintained a firmer tone this week as it probed one-month highs against the Euro before correcting slightly weaker. Headline US inflation data was in line with expectations at 0.1% to give a slight 0.2% annual decline. Core data, however, was stronger than expected with a 0.3% monthly increase under the influence of higher medical and housing costs. This pushed the underlying annual increase to 1.8% advance, increasing speculation that underlying pricing pressures were starting to increase. The dollar secured a further lift later in the New York session following Fed Chair Yellen’s speech. The broad message was that the Fed is still on track to raise interest rates later this year. She repeated comments that first-quarter weakness was likely to be transitory while recent wage-growth developments had been more encouraging. There were still caveats in that she wanted to see further labour-market improvement before sanctioning a hike. Headline US durable goods orders was in line with expectations at -0.5% for May with underlying data also close to expectations at 0.5%. There was, however, a significant upward revision to April data and a positive reading for non-defence capital spending which suggests that capital spending levels could be improving. Consumer confidence was close to expectations at 95.4 for May from a revised 94.3 while the new home sales figure was stronger than expected at 517,000 from 484,000 previously. A notable feature was also a sharp rise in house prices within the data which would bolster the case for higher interest rates. Markets continued to monitor Fed officials with vice-chair Fischer not deviated significantly from recent comments, but he did indicate that global feedback would be considered by the Fed and suggesting a very slow pace of rate increases. Richmond Fed President Lacker reiterated that June was a good time to start considering increases. San Francisco Fed President Williams remained optimistic surrounding a stronger economy over the remainder of 2015 and was looking for interest rates to be increased with the potential for a move at any of the forthcoming meetings. US jobless claims data was slightly worse than expected with an increase to 282,000 in the latest week from 275,000 previously, although continuing claims held close to 15-year lows. The pending home sales data was stronger than expected with a 3.4% gain for March from a revised 1.2% gain, maintaining optimism over housing trends. Trade UK100 0.5* Spread with ADS-Securities London And EURUSD from 0.00 ECN spreads, plus free financing* on Equities and Indices. Leading Execution, no dealing desk, direct market prices and one click trading Apply online for fast account opening. Your Capital is at Risk *until May 31st Apply for an account today Euro Greek developments will continue to dominate for now with a strong probability of some form of default and potential capital controls if no deal with creditors can be reached within the next week. Any deal would provide initial Euro support, although gains could fade quickly while default would risk a sharp markdown for the currency. The ECB will maintain its aggressive bond-buying programme, in part to lessen contagion risks and the overall monetary stance will tend to weaken the Euro. There will be the potential for significant short covering at times, but overall net losses are realistic over the next few months. The Euro was on the defensive for much of the week before rallying from lows below 1.0850 against the dollar as it found support on the crosses. There were fresh concerns surrounding Greece’s ability to meet June’s IMF payments and an inability to reach an agreement. Underlying pressure was increased by the ECB decision not to increase the ELA ceiling, increasing pressure on Greek banks and speculation that the crunch period was approaching rapidly. The Euro pushed sharply higher following reports that Greek and creditor negotiators were now drafting a staff-level deal. There was still a high degree of caution from Eurogroup officials with comments that it would be very difficult to reach a deal by June 5th while German Finance Minister Schauble was notably cautious. There were no substantive developments surrounding Greece late in the week with a continuing stream of contradictory rhetoric from key officials. Creditors in general were keen to play-down the extent of progress made over the past few days. There were an interview in the German press that IMF head Lagarde had stated that a Greek Euro-zone exit was a possibility as uncertainty continued to build. Yen:   The Bank of Japan will maintain its quantitative easing programme even if it resists any near-term intensification of the buying and confidence in the fundamentals will remain weak. There will be further expectation of capital flows out of Japan on yield grounds with structural portfolio switching also having an important impact with sustained buying of overseas assets. The Bank of Japan and government will be uneasy over rapid yen depreciation with further verbal intervention likely. Overall, further medium-term yen depreciation is realistic despite interim gains when risk appetite deteriorates. The dollar moved sharply higher during the week with a push to 12-year highs near 124.50 against the Japanese currency. The latest weekly data continued to show a high level of flows into overseas bond markets, reinforcing expectations of longer-term flows out of the Japanese currency both on yield and structural considerations. As the G7 meetings started, there was no evidence of any strong criticism of Japan’s economic policies from other members and this will bolster expectations that further overall yen losses could be tolerated. Bank of Japan Governor Kuroda stated that FX rates should be determined by fundamentals and there will still be reservations over very rapid yen losses. Initially, there was a mild warning from Cabinet Secretary Suga that excessive currency volatility was not desirable. As yen losses accelerated, Japanese Finance Minister Aso stated that yen depreciation over the past few days had been rough while Bank of Japan and other officials were monitoring the yen moves closely. This was a clear escalation of verbal intervention which pushed the dollar back below 124.0 even though there are strong suspicions that Japan is looking to slow yen losses rather than reverse them. The US Treasury reiterated that currency policy should not be used to gain advantage over one another which will also create Japanese reservations over pushing the yen weaker. Japanese household spending was weaker than expected with a further annual contraction while core inflation was at 0.3%, maintaining longer-term concerns. The Penny Share That's The Cream Of The Crop Don't buy another share until you’ve read this... We've discovered a UK stock with explosive price potential.  This tiny company is an emerging player in "natural crop enhancement" having secured 9 worldwide patents. It's a global market literally worth BILLIONS. Take a look at this opportunity now. Click Here. Sterling There has been further evidence of robust retail spending and growing confidence in the housing sector which will support the overall economy. There will be less confidence over other sectors, especially if exports remain subdued. The Bank of England would prefer to move interest rates higher, but it will be difficult to justify any tightening unless there is much more convincing evidence of higher underlying inflationary pressures. Sterling will be vulnerable on underlying balance of payments concerns given the wide current account deficit and unease over weaker investment due to EU referendum concerns. Sterling moved lower for the week as a whole with a dip to below 1.5300 against the dollar while there was a correction from 10-week highs near 0.7050 against the Euro. In the Queen’s speech to announce the government’s legislative programme, there was a pledge to hold a EU referendum by the end of 2017. Given market concerns that uncertainty will damage inward investment and weaken the overall balance of payments position, there was disappointment that the vote would not be brought forward to 2016 with a longer period of uncertainty. In contrast to expectations of an upward revision to first-quarter GDP, the second estimate was unchanged at 0.3% to give a 2.4% annual expansion. The services-sector data was weaker than expected while investment growth was subdued. The housing data remained stronger, however, with BBA mortgage approvals rising to the highest level since September. The data overall was disappointing, especially with higher imports increasing market unease over the current account deficit. Consumer confidence also dipped lower according to the latest data. Swiss franc: There will be further concerns surrounding the Greek situation in the short-term. Any default on June’s IMF loan repayments or an increased threat of Euro-zone exit could trigger strong capital inflows and upward pressure on the Swiss currency. There will be further pressure on the National Bank to resist renewed currency depreciation given underlying economic vulnerability with the possibility that there will be a move to even more negative interest rates. The Euro stayed on the defensive during the week with lows near 1.0300 against the Swiss currency, but the dollar was able to test monthly highs above 0.9500. The franc gained support from persistent concerns surrounding the Greek situation amid fears over defensive inflows if Greece defaults on debt payments. Domestically, there was a decline in the UBS consumption index to 1.25 for May from a revised 1.34 which will maintain unease surrounding the domestic spending outlook. Although the trade surplus remained in comfortable surplus for April, there was a nominal slide in exports of 5% for the month which will maintain competitiveness concerns. GDP growth fell 0.2% for the first quarter. Join over 1000 Top Finance professionals in the forex industry's most important event. Forex Magnates London Summit 2014, Nov 18-19, Reserve your seat today! Click Here Australian dollar The Australian dollar was on the defensive for much of the week with lows below 0.7650 against the US dollar due in part to a generally robust US currency. There were further concerns surrounding the Chinese outlook which undermined demand for the Australian currency. The domestic economic data releases offered no support with a drop in construction work for the quarter and there was also a much weaker report for capital spending as other sectors failed to offset a sharp downturn in the mining sector. The Australian currency will remain vulnerable on domestic concerns after weak investment data while fears over the Chinese outlook will also be a negative factor. Canadian dollar: The Canadian dollar remained under pressure during the week with lows beyond 1.2500 against the US currency for the first time since the middle of April. The move was primarily due to a stronger US currency. The Bank of Canada left interest rates on held at 0.75% and the statement was broadly neutral which produced choppy trading, but no clear direction. Canadian dollar volatility will remain an important feature on energy-price shifts. Doubts surrounding the domestic outlook should lead to a slightly weaker bias. Indian rupee: The rupee maintained a generally weaker tone during the week with lows beyond the 64.0 level against the US currency and close to two-week lows. There was some dollar demand related to month-end pressures while the US currency maintained a generally stronger tone which curbed the rupee. Markets were cautious ahead of the latest GDP data with uncertainty over the impact of government reform measures. Regional trends and US monetary policy trends will continue to dominate. Net trends will tend to weaken the rupee even if confidence in the local economy holds firm. FCA regulated advice in FX, Gold and Silver Beta 2 is proud to offer personalised FCA regulated advice, completely tailored to your requirements. Attempting to yield returns in any climate, this is exclusive to ADVFN users! Click here to learn more! Hong Kong dollar The Hong Kong dollar dipped sharply during the week to just beyond 7,7580 against the US currency before a recovery back to the 7,7530 area. There was higher volatility for the Hang Seng index and very high volatility in Chinese equity markets which had some impact on the Hong Kong currency. The HKMA will be prepared to intervene if necessary to maintain stability for the local unit. Trends in the local equity market will continue to have a significant impact and lead to further volatility in the local currency with the HKMA again a stabilising influence. Chinese yuan: The yuan again held firm and around 6.20 area against the US currency despite a weaker trend over the second half of the week. There was further speculation that the yuan could be introduced into the IMF SDR basket which would create strong international demand for the Chinese currency. The IMF also stated that the Chinese currency was no longer under-valued which will increase speculation over an increased international role over the medium term. There were further concerns surrounding the Chinese economy given a further downturn in the housing sector while there were uncertainties surrounding monetary policy. A weaker Japanese currency will also increase concerns over export competitiveness. Yuan stability will be seen as essential to boost international credibility and domestic confidence, but domestic economic deterioration will tend to weaken the yuan.     New ADVFN Service - FREE Reports Get your free report on Isa's, Investment Trusts, Funds, Sipps Travel and Cars - FREE and Easy service CLICK HERE     To unsubscribe from this news bulletin or edit your mailing list settings click here. Registered Office/Accounts Dept: Suite 27, Essex Technology Centre, The Gable, Fyfield Road, Ongar, CM5 0GA. Customer Support +44 (0) 207 0700 961. Company registered in England and Wales: Number 2374988 VAT No. GB 549 2130 49

Morning Euro Markets Bulletin

ADVFN  Morning Euro Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Friday, 29 May 2015 10:22:16 Monitor Quote Charts News CFD's Spreadbetting Free BB   Sponsored by: Galvan The Penny Share That's The Cream of The Crop Don't buy another share until you've read this... We've discovered a UK stock with explosive potenital Click here for your FREE report. London Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts London open: FTSE down on Greece angst and end-of-month effect London's equity indices were in the red on Friday as concerns about Greek debt negotiation combined with end-of-month selling. The FTSE 100 was down 0.51% to 7,005.4 points at a quarter past nine on Friday morning, in line with falls across Europe. A Greek official said late on Thursday that the government intends to reach a deal on cash-for-reforms by Sunday, but comments from Eurozone officials have suggested that a deal is still a way off, while IMF chief Christine Lagarde said Greece could leave the euro if a deal isn't reached. End of month trading, which has seen outflows on the last day of trading over the last six months, was also cited by traders as having an effect. The concept has been dubbed 'Costanza trading' by futures trader Nicola Duke, named after the hapless George Costanza character in sitcom Seinfeld. Chris Beauchamp at IG added: "End of month movements have been to the downside so far this year, and I think given the uncertainty that attends the next six months re Greece and US rates most people seem keen to get what they can by the end of the month." With the focus still firmly on Greece, better-than-expected data out of Germany failed to provide a boost to markets. Figures from the Federal Statistics Office showed that retail sales rose by 1.7% on the month in April, beating analysts' expectations for a 0.8% increase. On a year-on-year basis, sales were up 1%. "Better than expected retail sales in April owed much to stronger food sales," said Dominic Bryant, European economist at BNP Paribas. "However, regardless of the source, the positive start to Q2 means that while spending is slowing as the impact of the boost to income from last year's sharp fall in the oil price continues to fade, spending is not collapsing in the way the March drop in retail sales might have implied." The day ahead sees the revised reading of US first quarter GDP the only notable release at 13:30 with expectations for a contraction on the year. This is expected to be revised lower to -0.8% from the initial reading of 0.2%. Smaller data prints include the Chicago PMI at 14:45 looking for a local improvement in May, University of Michigan Confidence also looking up. The Baker Hughes Rig Count rounds off the afternoon at 18:00. Individual stock movements Topping the FTSE 100 was Associated British Foods after Goldman Sachs upgraded its shares to 'buy' from 'sell' and raised the price target to 3120p from 2755p, saying that the stock's 17% underperformance year-to-date offers an attractive entry point. US data centre company Equinix has agreed to acquire British peer TeleCity Group in bid that would create the largest data centre player in Europe, though Telecity's shares were down slightly on the confirmation. Telecity has agreed to terminate another merger it had agreed with Interxion on 9 March. The price agreed represents a value of approximately 1,145p per Telecity share and a total value of approximately £2.35bn. Synergy Health was down 1.9% as it confirmed that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had informed that it intends to seek to block the proposed merger. The two companies have now announce that they will contest the FTC's attempt to block their proposed combination. Integrated support services company Carillion was up slightly after acquiring Canadian camping group Outland for £63m. Carillion chief executive Richard Howson said: "Acquiring Outland is another important strategic step in the development of our support services business in Canada." Free guide to Charting from ADS-Securities London Learn how to use the charts and improve your trading with our FREE guide, covering types of charts, trend lines, ranges, support and resistance and technical analysis. Apply for an account and get FREE upgrade to MT4Plus and 0.5 spreads until 31st May on UK100. Apply today Your Capital is at Risk. Market Movers techMARK 3,320.11 -0.28% FTSE 100 7,017.29 -0.34% FTSE 250 18,198.93 -0.21% FTSE 100 - Risers Associated British Foods (ABF) 3,036.00p +2.92% Weir Group (WEIR) 2,030.00p +2.73% Fresnillo (FRES) 750.50p +1.35% GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,475.50p +1.06% Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 4,727.00p +0.96% Aviva (AV.) 530.50p +0.47% Sainsbury (ninja) (SBRY) 258.40p +0.47% Vodafone Group (VOD) 254.85p +0.45% Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 1,959.50p +0.28% Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 1,990.00p +0.25% FTSE 100 - Fallers Sage Group (SGE) 567.50p -1.73% Barratt Developments (BDEV) 591.00p -1.58% SABMiller (SAB) 3,525.00p -1.37% Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 182.40p -1.30% Ashtead Group (AHT) 1,146.00p -1.29% Old Mutual (OML) 223.60p -1.28% British American Tobacco (BATS) 3,644.50p -1.27% International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 562.00p -1.23% Land Securities Group (LAND) 1,317.00p -1.05% Diageo (DGE) 1,822.50p -1.03% FTSE 250 - Risers Ophir Energy (OPHR) 133.60p +5.03% Infinis Energy (INFI) 186.40p +3.33% Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 909.00p +2.25% Wood Group (John) (WG.) 746.00p +1.91% Countrywide (CWD) 599.50p +1.70% AO World (AO.) 176.00p +1.44% FirstGroup (FGP) 115.10p +1.32% Centamin (DI) (CEY) 69.40p +1.31% Spire Healthcare Group (SPI) 354.60p +1.14% Indivior (INDV) 232.30p +1.09% FTSE 250 - Fallers Ocado Group (OCDO) 368.00p -2.70% Evraz (EVR) 169.40p -2.42% IP Group (IPO) 211.70p -2.40% Investec (INVP) 599.00p -2.12% Synergy Health (SYR) 1,859.00p -1.90% Fidessa Group (FDSA) 2,238.00p -1.80% Renishaw (RSW) 2,471.00p -1.40% Bwin.party Digital Entertainment (BPTY) 105.50p -1.40% Crest Nicholson Holdings (CRST) 533.00p -1.30% UK Event Calendar Friday 29 May INTERIMS Premier Veterinary Group INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE BlackRock Greater Europe Inv Trust, Greencoat UK Wind, Royal Bank of Scotland 11% Cum. Prf, Royal Bank of Scotland 5.5% Cum. Prf. QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE City of London Inv Trust, Picton Property Income Ltd, TwentyFour Select Monthly Income Fund Limited INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Balance of Payments (GER) (07:00) Chicago PMI (US) (14:45) GDP (Preliminary) (US) (13:30) M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00) U. of Michigan Confidence (Final) (US) (14:55) GMS Golden Saint Resources Ltd (DI) FINALS HarbourVest Global Private Equity Limited A Shs, Indian Hotels Company Ltd. GDR (Reg S), OptiBiotix Health ANNUAL REPORT Biotech Growth Trust (The), HarbourVest Global Private Equity Limited A Shs SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Admiral Group, Foxtons Group , ITV AGMS Azonto Petroleum Ltd (DI), Flying Brands Ltd Units, Immupharma, Leyshon Resources Ltd., OJSC Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works GDR (Reg S), Open Joint Stock Company Inter Rao Ues GDR RegS, Richland Resources Ltd, Shanta Gold Ltd., Source Csop Markets Csop Source FTSE China A50 Ucits ETF, Tekcapital, Threadneedle UK Select Trust Limited, Total SA TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS Biofrontera AG (DI) UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Consumer Confidence (09:30) GFK Consumer Confidence (00:05) FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Acacia Mining, Admiral Group, Advanced Medical Solutions Group, Aer Lingus Group, Cello Group, Centamin (DI), Centaur Media, Cobham, Dunedin Income Growth Inv Trust, EP Global Opportunities Trust, F&C Private Equity Trust, Ferrexpo, Foxtons Group , Good Energy Group, Henderson Group, Henry Boot, Highland Gold Mining Ltd., Hydrogen Group, Inmarsat, ITV, McColl's Retail Group , Morgan Advanced Materials , Morgan Sindall Group, Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) , NAHL Group, Old Mutual, Partnership Assurance Group , Polymetal International, Polyus Gold International Ltd, Randgold Resources Ltd., Reckitt Benckiser Group, Regus, Senior, SIG, SimiGon Ltd. (DI), Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Weir Group Q1 Frontline Ld, PJSC Centre For Cargo Container Traffic Transcontainer GDR (Reg S) Trade online for just £3.95* until 31 July Better price, Better tools,  Better platform,  Better trading - TD Direct Investing. Find out more You may not get back all the money you invest. *Terms apply Europe Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Europe open: Stocks fall as uncertainty over Greece continues to weigh on sentiment European stocks were in the red on Friday, with investors nervous amid conflicting headlines on Greece. By 0900 BST, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index and France's CAC 40 were down 0.5%, while Germany's DAX was off 0.8%. A spokesman for Greece said on Thursday that the government intends to reach a deal on cash-for-reforms by Sunday, but comments from Eurozone officials have suggested that a deal is still a way off, while International Monetary Fund director Christine Lagarde said on that Greece could leave the euro if a deal isn't reached. "As we close out the week equities look set for a volatile session as speculation over the fate of Greece swings between camps," said Mike McCudden, head of derivates at Interactive Investor. "Investors should remain cautious as a failure to secure a deal will no doubt cause widespread panic selling across the market. With European markets having risen at a phenomenal rate this year we could be in for some dramatic moves lower if a resolution is not found," he added. With the focus still firmly on Greece, better-than-expected data out of Germany failed to provide a boost to markets. Figures from the Federal Statistics Office showed that retail sales rose by 1.7% on the month in April, beating analysts' expectations for a 0.8% increase. On a year-on-year basis, sales were up 1%. "Better than expected retail sales in April owed much to stronger food sales," said Dominic Bryant, European economist at BNP Paribas. "However, regardless of the source, the positive start to Q2 means that while spending is slowing as the impact of the boost to income from last year's sharp fall in the oil price continues to fade, spending is not collapsing in the way the March drop in retail sales might have implied." On the corporate front, shares in Syngenta rose 1.8% following reports that it was building up defences for a possible higher bid from Monsanto. Vivendi was also on front foot, nudging up 0.3%, after the company said it would book a €4.2bn pre-tax gain from the sale of Brazilian company GVT. Is Now The Time To Buy Gold, Silver & Palladium? Receive Our Free Precious Metals Investor Guide Trio Click Here US Market Report US close: Stocks decline amid growing concerns over first rate hike US stocks on Thursday amid growing concerns over the timing of the first Federal Reserve rate hike. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 36.87 points to 18,126.12, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq lost three and 10 points respectively. John Williams, president of the San Francisco Fed, told the Monetary Authority of Singapore the central bank was likely raise interest rates later in 2015, reiterating what Fed chairwoman Janet Yellen said on Friday. "The US market is somewhat sheltered from the fallout in the Eurozone, but while corporate reporting remains thin and the Fed remains tight-lipped, traders are turning to Europe for direction," said IG's market analyst David Madden. Speculations over the timing of the first rate hike continued to boost the dollar, which surged to a 12-year high against the yen on Thursday. The greenback gained 0.25% against the pound but lost 0.42% against the euro, while gold futures climbed 0.19% to $1,188.30. Housing data impresses According to the Department of Labour, initial weekly US unemployment claims rose by 7,000 to reach 282,000 over the seven days ended on 23 May, compared with forecasts calling for a reading of 270,000. "This week's uptick in initial and continuing claims comes off of historically low levels and labor market separations remain healthy," Barclays' analysts said in a note. Meanwhile, US pending home sales reached their highest level in nine years in April after increasing for the fourth consecutive month. Figures released by the National Association of Realtors showed the index reached a seasonally adjusted 112.4 in April, a 14% increase year-on-year and a 3.4% rise month-on-month, way ahead of expectations calling for a 1% increase. Mixed earnings on Wall Street In company news, retailer Costco Wholesale shed 0.69% after reporting earlier on Thursday that its third quarter profit rose, on the back of low gas prices and strong store sales. Chip maker Broadcom fell 1.78% agreeing to a $37bn cash and stock takeover bid from sector peer Avago Technologies, which edged 0.61% higher. Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch jumped 13.7% despite reporting a wider-than-expected loss during the first quarter. Oil prices reversed earlier losses to edge forward, with West Texas Intermediate climbing 0.64% to $57.88 a barrel, while Brent gained 1.11% to $62.76 a barrel. S&P 500 - Risers Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $99.23 +5.15% GameStop Corp. (GME) $40.84 +3.47% Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) $53.00 +2.99% Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) $630.09 +2.87% Ralph Lauren Corp (RL) $131.86 +2.81% VF Corp. (VFC) $71.10 +2.42% Molson Coors Brewing Co. Class B (TAP) $74.55 +2.17% Windstream Holdings Inc (WIN) $8.28 +2.10% Actavis plc (ACT) $313.02 +2.03% Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) $76.39 +1.99% S&P 500 - Fallers Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) $14.05 -4.81% Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN) $25.68 -3.68% CONSOL Energy Inc. (CNX) $28.49 -3.55% Range Resources Corp. (RRC) $55.47 -3.16% Joy Global Inc. (JOY) $39.66 -3.13% QEP Resources Inc (QEP) $18.64 -2.46% Rowan Companies plc (RDC) $21.83 -2.46% Cimarex Energy Co (XEC) $114.32 -2.27% EQT Corp. (EQT) $85.63 -2.25% Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (COG) $33.86 -2.22% Dow Jones I.A - Risers E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DD) $71.46 +0.96% Intel Corp. (INTC) $34.02 +0.92% Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $34.45 +0.44% Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $59.70 +0.40% General Electric Co. (GE) $27.63 +0.40% Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $119.65 +0.17% Chevron Corp. (CVX) $103.28 +0.16% Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $110.54 +0.15% Visa Inc. (V) $69.59 +0.14% Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $29.35 +0.14% Dow Jones I.A - Fallers McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $96.49 -2.20% Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $86.02 -2.16% Nike Inc. (NKE) $102.28 -0.54% Boeing Co. (BA) $142.32 -0.48% Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) $74.86 -0.44% JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $66.20 -0.41% Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $47.45 -0.34% Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $208.57 -0.23% Apple Inc. (AAPL) $131.78 -0.20% International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) $171.72 -0.16% Nasdaq 100 - Risers Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $99.23 +5.15% eBay Inc. (EBAY) $60.56 +1.99% Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $56.37 +1.85% Staples Inc. (SPLS) $16.49 +1.66% Garmin Ltd. (GRMN) $46.21 +1.65% Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) $251.45 +1.62% Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (CHKP) $85.19 +1.61% Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) $22.14 +1.37% Vodafone Group Plc ADS (VOD) $39.18 +1.37% Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (KRFT) $85.14 +0.96% Nasdaq 100 - Fallers Sirius XM Holdings Inc (SIRI) $3.80 -2.56% Vimpelcom Ltd Ads (VIP) $6.14 -2.38% TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $76.80 -2.17% Expeditors International Of Washington Inc. (EXPD) $45.98 -2.13% Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $157.34 -1.93% Altera Corp. (ALTR) $46.97 -1.86% Autodesk Inc. (ADSK) $54.55 -1.69% Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) $485.79 -1.59% Broadcom Corp. (BRCM) $56.25 -1.58% Wealth creation through asset backed investments... Take an alternative approach to investing with our latest high fixed return investment opportunity No annual fees, flexible investment periods and income paid quarterly Click here to find out more! Newspaper Round Up Friday newspaper round-up: Greece, Russia, BG Group IMF chief Christine Lagarde admitted she could not "preclude" a Greek exit, after four months of tortuous bail-out talks that have failed to get both sides closer to a deal to release aid to the country. - Daily Telegraph Newly built military training camps close to the Ukrainian border have become launch-pads for Russia to wage covert war against its neighbour, according to an authoritative report that uses satellite imagery and hundreds of photographs posted by soldiers on the internet. - The Times Regulators in Australia, Brazil and the EU are set to examine Shell's £55bn bid for BG Group but China's unpredictable commerce ministry will prove the toughest as it focuses on its LNG supply. - Financial Times Peter Cruddas, the spread-betting tycoon and former Conservative party co-treasurer, inched closer to a £1bn flotation of his business CMC Markets after reporting a surge in profits and customer numbers. Mr Cruddas is expected to sell a substantial chunk of his 90% stake in the business, while keeping majority control. There are no plans to raise fresh capital in the float, which is still at least six months away. Goldman Sachs, which owns the other 10 per cent, is expected to hang on to its shares. - The Times ITV has backed away from a deal to buy the US production firm behind Marco Polo and the BBC's War and Peace adaptation. The British TV giant has been splurging on acquisitions that take it further into the production market, allowing it to make programmes and sell their rights around the world. Earlier this year it entered talks to buy the TV division of The Weinstein Company, the giant US film studio behind The King's Speech. The reported price tag for the arm, which makes Netflix series Marco Polo, was £630m if the company had performed well after having been integrated into ITV.- The Daily Mail   New ADVFN Service - FREE Reports Get your free report on Isa's, Investment Trusts, Funds, Sipps Travel and Cars - FREE and Easy service CLICK HERE     To unsubscribe from this news bulletin or edit your mailing list settings click here. Registered Office/Accounts Dept: Suite 27, Essex Technology Centre, The Gable, Fyfield Road, Ongar, CM5 0GA. Customer Support +44 (0) 207 0700 961. Company registered in England and Wales: Number 2374988 VAT No. GB 549 2130 49