Morning Euro Markets Bulletin

ADVFN  Morning Euro Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Monday, 09 May 2016 10:19:41 Monitor Quote Charts News CFD's Compare Brokers Free BB   IPO Select - The next biotech company set to take the LSE by storm Download your Complimentary Investment Report NOW London Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts London open: Stocks rise as oil prices rally London stocks rose on Monday as oil prices rallied after data showed China's crude imports rose last month. China's crude imports jumped 7.6% in April compared to a year ago, marking the third consecutive month that crude imports exceeded 40 million tonnes. At 0851 BST Brent crude increased 0.76% to $45.72 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate climbed 1.2% to $45.22 per barrel. The report offset weak China trade data over the weekend, which revealed a drop in exports and imports. Exports fell 1.8% in April compared with the same month last year while imports declined 10.9%, according to official data. Elsewhere, German factory orders rose 1.7% year-on-year in March, beating estimates for a 0.1% and following a 0.7% increase a month earlier. In the UK, house prices fell 0.8% in April compared to a month ago, more than the 0.3% drop expected by analysts and after a 2.6% jump in March, Halifax said. The decline follows the introduction of extra stamp duty for second home owners and buy-to-let investors on 1 April and comes amid uncertainty leading up to the European Union referendum. In company news, mining stocks were under pressure following the disappointing Chinese trade data. Anglo American, Rio Tinto, Glencore and Antofagasta were among the biggest fallers. Greggs gained after reporting a 5.7% rise in like-for-like sales in the first 18 weeks of 2016, despite the tepid conditions on British high streets. Security firm G4S advanced after saying it has made a positive start to the year despite a challenging backdrop, with no new impairments. Why spread bet with GKFX? Take advantage of industry leading spreads from 0.4 pips in your GKFX spread betting account with the confidence of the MT4 platform. Losses may exceed deposits.   Learn more about spread betting with GKFX. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,146.20 0.33% FTSE 250 (MCX) 16,729.22 0.48% techMARK (TASX) 3,058.81 0.88% FTSE 100 - Risers Inmarsat (ISAT) 834.50p 2.71% easyJet (EZJ) 1,452.00p 2.54% Dixons Carphone (DC.) 418.70p 1.77% TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 1,017.00p 1.70% AstraZeneca (AZN) 3,860.50p 1.63% Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 1,265.00p 1.52% Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) 9,020.00p 1.52% Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,153.00p 1.50% Sage Group (SGE) 589.50p 1.46% ARM Holdings (ARM) 944.50p 1.45% FTSE 100 - Fallers Anglo American (AAL) 615.10p -5.28% Glencore (GLEN) 139.25p -4.36% Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,040.50p -4.36% Antofagasta (ANTO) 424.00p -3.96% Fresnillo (FRES) 1,069.00p -3.08% BHP Billiton (BLT) 822.50p -2.63% Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 6,065.00p -1.62% Centrica (CNA) 208.50p -0.67% InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 2,680.00p -0.52% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 643.50p -0.46% FTSE 250 - Risers G4S (GFS) 193.70p 5.10% Greggs (GRG) 1,107.00p 3.65% Beazley (BEZ) 348.60p 3.08% Tullow Oil (TLW) 251.20p 2.45% Spire Healthcare Group (SPI) 331.20p 2.25% Greencore Group (GNC) 368.00p 2.25% Rotork (ROR) 190.40p 2.15% CLS Holdings (CLI) 1,540.00p 2.05% Paysafe Group (PAYS) 380.10p 1.77% Rightmove (RMV) 4,041.00p 1.69% FTSE 250 - Fallers Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 157.30p -6.20% Interserve (IRV) 311.80p -5.31% Evraz (EVR) 124.60p -4.67% Vedanta Resources (VED) 371.10p -4.16% Allied Minds (ALM) 339.80p -4.07% Centamin (DI) (CEY) 118.00p -2.88% Acacia Mining (ACA) 320.00p -2.62% Ibstock (IBST) 184.60p -2.48% Ophir Energy (OPHR) 66.70p -2.20% UK Event Calendar Monday 09 May INTERIMS ITE Group, Premier Veterinary Group QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE IBM Corp. INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Factory Orders (GER) (07:00) FINALS Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd. GDR (Reg S) AGMS 888 Holdings, Altin AG (Reg S), Fairpoint Group, Integrated Diagnostics Holdings, Rightster Group, Woodford Patient Capital Trust TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS Dignity, Greggs UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Halifax House Price Index (08:30) FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE BlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, British Smaller Companies VCT 2, CareTech Holding, Fresnillo Exciting 225% Returns in a New Commercial Buy To Let Purchase Florence Hall offers an exceptional opportunity with 5 assured exit strategies provides ultimate flexibility. Download your free brochure today Europe Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Europe open: Stocks edge higher as oil advances European stocks edged higher in early trade following losses last week, as oil prices pushed higher. At 0855 BST, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index was up 0.2%, Germany's DAX was 0.3% higher and France's CAC 40 was 0.1% firmer. At the same time, oil prices were in the black as wildfires continued to rage in the Canadian province of Alberta. Strong Chinese crude import data also helped to underpin the tone for oil after data showed imports rose 7.6% in April on the year. Investors were also mulling news at the weekend that Saudi Arabia's veteran oil minister Ali al-Naimi will be replaced by Saudi Aramco chief executive Khalid al-Falih. West Texas Intermediate was up 1.8% to $45.45 a barrel and Brent crude was 1.2% higher at $45.90. "Despite relatively poor Chinese trade data, European equities have started the week higher amid expectation that Friday's weak US employment numbers will force the Federal Reserve to delay any prospective rate rises," said Rebecca O'Keeffe, head of investment at stockbroker Interactive Investor. "This reaction is a return to the 'bad news is good news' perspective that dominated market sentiment previously, but the key question is whether lower rates for longer is a catalyst for driving equities higher, or simply an excuse for markets to try and justify current levels. Without sustained global growth and profitability, the danger is that markets will continue to drift lower, as seen over the past two weeks." Data out of China over the weekend showed imports and exports fell more than expected in April. Exports dropped 1.8% on the year versus expectations for a flat reading, while imports tumbled 10.9% from the previous year, which was a much steeper fall than the 4% expected. Corporate news was thin on the ground. Chemicals distributor Brenntag slumped after posting a 27% decline in first-quarter net profit that missed analysts' estimates. In London, security firm G4S rallied after saying it has made a positive start to the year despite a challenging backdrop, with no new impairments. Back in March, shares in the company tumbled after it posted a fall in full-year profit and revenue on the back of restructuring costs and write-downs on onerous contracts relating to asylum seekers. Also on Monday, investors will eye a Eurogroup meeting of finance ministers later in the day, where Greece's progress on reforms will be a top of discussion. "The thorniest issue appears to be the contingency measures worth 2% of GDP requested by the IMF," said UniCredit. 7 Secret Trading Strategies This FREE guide will help you take advantage of the market, no matter what the conditions! Download Your Copy Now  US Market Report US close: S&P 500 ends lower for second week in a row Wall Street edged higher on Friday as the non-farm payrolls report came in worse than expected, leading several top brokers to push back their calls for the next Fed rate hike to September. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tacked on 0.45% or 79,92 points to 17,740.63, while the S&P 500 nudged higher by 0.32% or 6.51 points to 2,057.14 and the Nasdaq added another 19.06 points or 0.40% to 4,7360.16. Nonetheless, the S&P 500 was dragged lower for a second consecutive week. US non-farm payrolls increased 160,000 last month, compared to forecasts of 200,000 and estimates for the previos two months were revised lower by a combined 19,000, the Labor Department revealed. America's unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.0%, as anticipated by analysts. Average hourly earnings rose 2.5% year-on-year in April, beating forecasts for a 2.4% increase and following a 2.3% gain in March. On the month, however, hourly earnings growth remained at 0.3%, in line with estimates. On the corporate front, shares in wearable camera maker GoPro slid after the company announced late on Thursday that it has fallen further into losses and downgraded its sales guidance for the year. Miners shine bright On the upside, Herbalife advanced after posting better-than-expected first-quarter results on Thursday. Cigna Corp declined despite raising its outlook for the year and reporting first quarter earnings that beat forecasts. Endo Intl. cratered after the drugmaker slashed its outlook for full-year revenues. Madison Square Garden edged lower as it widened its loss in the first quarter to $60m from $11.5m a year earlier. By industrial groups, the best performers were Non-ferrous metals (4.43%), Toys (3.78%) and Gold miners (3.24%). Fed might still rates twice despite April jobs reports, Fed's Dudley says Market commentary following the jobs was somewhat mixed but the figures were nevertheless enough to prompt various top analysts to erase a June rate hike from their spreadsheets, moving it back to September. "On net, the softening in April payroll growth, led by the service-providing sector, will likely raise concerns over the sustainability of US growth. "We now only expect one rate hike in 2016, in September, down from two hikes previously, as we believe it will take longer for policymakers to accumulate sufficient evidence that economic and labor market activity is rebounding after a soft start to the year," Michael Gapen, Rob Martin and Jesse Hurwitz at Barclays said in a research report sent to clients. "If the economy improves along the lines of our baseline forecast, there is a risk of a second rate hike this year in December" they added. Bank of America-Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs also now see the next rate hike arriving in September. In the afternoon the president of the Federal Reserve bank of New York, William Dudley, would tell the New York Times the US central bank might still raise rates twice in 2016, despite the April jobs numbers. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose three basis points to 1.78% as expectations for Fed tightening were pushed back, alongside a two basis point gain on two-year debt yields to 0.73%. In currencies, the spot US dollar index edged higher by 0.12% to 93.89. Commodities were broadly higher, despite that small gain in the greenback. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures for delivery in June 2016 were up 0.77% to $44.66 per barrel by the close of trading on the NYMEX. S&P 500 - Risers Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) $37.87 +8.48% Teradata Corp. (TDC) $28.14 +7.12% PerkinElmer Inc. (PKI) $54.23 +6.84% Transocean Ltd. (RIG) $10.72 +6.45% Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (CTSH) $60.55 +5.14% Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (DO) $24.80 +4.77% NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) $15.52 +4.44% Freeport-McMoRan Inc (FCX) $11.79 +4.43% Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (JEC) $48.65 +4.42% News Corp Class A (NWSA) $12.70 +4.35% S&P 500 - Fallers Endo International Plc (ENDP) $16.17 -39.19% Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) $4.59 -19.61% Mallinckrodt Plc Ordinary Shares (MNK) $56.40 -7.27% Fluor Corp. (FLR) $51.79 -5.29% Motorola Solutions Inc (MSI) $70.54 -5.00% Perrigo Company plc (PRGO) $92.39 -4.82% Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (WLTW) $121.56 -4.78% Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $19.07 -4.70% Williams Companies Inc. (WMB) $19.70 -4.23% Mylan Inc. (MYL) $39.65 -4.23% Dow Jones I.A - Risers Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) $68.25 +1.55% Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $26.53 +1.22% Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $82.13 +1.02% McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $130.58 +1.01% E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DD) $64.26 +0.93% American Express Co. (AXP) $64.51 +0.92% Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $50.39 +0.90% Boeing Co. (BA) $133.26 +0.89% United Technologies Corp. (UTX) $101.12 +0.83% Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $73.36 +0.78% Dow Jones I.A - Fallers Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $53.60 -0.91% Apple Inc. (AAPL) $92.72 -0.56% Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $158.85 -0.43% Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $110.45 -0.27% Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $132.04 -0.20% Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $112.74 -0.12% Nasdaq 100 - Risers Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) $37.87 +8.48% Dish Network Corp. (DISH) $46.70 +5.92% Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (CTSH) $60.55 +5.14% Fiserv Inc. (FISV) $102.64 +3.42% Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) $63.94 +2.73% Amazon.Com Inc. (AMZN) $673.95 +2.25% Discovery Communications Inc. Class A (DISCA) $28.28 +1.95% Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX) $85.54 +1.83% Discovery Communications Inc. Class C (DISCK) $27.67 +1.65% Netflix Inc. (NFLX) $90.84 +1.64% Nasdaq 100 - Fallers Endo International Plc (ENDP) $16.17 -39.19% Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $19.07 -4.70% Mylan Inc. (MYL) $39.65 -4.23% Cerner Corp. (CERN) $53.63 -3.30% Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $79.43 -2.49% Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $37.27 -2.26% Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $369.95 -2.06% Celgene Corp. (CELG) $100.25 -1.44% Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) $84.68 -1.37% Get your FREE copy of Shares magazine Are you getting a market-beating performance from your money? The experts at Shares can help. Try a free issue today. Newspaper Round Up Monday newspaper round-up: Oil prices, UK auto, Royal Mail, Saudi Oil prices climbed more than 2% on Monday morning in Asia as traders weighed the impact of wildfires continuing to rage in Canada's top oil-producing province and a change at the top in Saudi Arabia's energy ministry. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose as much as 2.5 per cent to $46.68 a barrel while West Texas Intermediate, the US marker, gained as much as 2.9 per cent to $45.94. - Financial Times Discoveries of new oil reserves have dropped to their lowest level for more than 60 years, pointing to potential supply shortages in the next decade. Oil explorers found 2.8bn barrels of crude and related liquids last year, according to IHS, a consultancy. This is the lowest annual volume recorded since 1954, reflecting a slowdown in exploration activity as hard-pressed oil companies seek to conserve cash. - Financial Times Hopes of an economic resurgence in China have been dealt a blow by weak trade data that raise fresh concerns about the state of the global economy. Official figures released yesterday showed that both imports and exports in China fell by more than expected, painting a picture of weak demand at home and abroad. - The Times One of the British motor industry's most senior executives has warned that volume carmaking will disappear from the country if the steelmaking crisis is not resolved. Nick Reilly, the former president of General Motors Europe and the man who saved Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port and Luton plants from closure during the financial crisis, says that the effect across industry of Tata Steel's decision to quit Britain is being badly underestimated by ministers and officials. - The Times The prospect of train companies fighting a price war on the main line between London and Edinburgh has drawn closer after a report commissioned by the rail regulator said there was "irrefutable" proof that competition would bring significant economic benefits. Within days of deciding whether two companies will be allowed on the east coast main line to take on existing services operated by Virgin Trains [and Stagecoach], the Office of Rail and Road has been told that passengers would benefit from lower fares. - The Times Saudi Arabia's new energy minister has signalled that his appointment will make no difference to the kingdom's aggressive policy of trying to drive rival producers out of business with cheap oil. Khalid al-Falih, chairman of Saudi Aramco, the state oil giant, was unveiled as Ali al-Naimi's successor at the weekend, making him the oil world's key power broker. - The Times Saudi Arabia is planning a three-way foreign listing in London, Hong Kong, and New York for the record-smashing privatisation of its $2.5 trillion oil giant Aramco, anchored on a triad of interlocking ties with three foreign energy companies. The Saudi authorities hope to entice ExxonMobil, China's Sinopec, and potentially BP, into taking strategic stakes, offering them long-term access to upstream operations in return for cutting-edge technology or refinery deals, according to sources close to Saudi thinking. - Daily Telegraph A German parcels expert is being lined up as the next chief executive of Royal Mail. An unpublicised internal restructuring of the group at the behest of Peter Long, the new chairman, has handed Rico Back, hitherto the head of the group's European business, unprecedented authority across all its parcel operations: UK domestic, continental and worldwide delivery. - The TImes About £10m will be paid in compensation to more than 250 building workers who were "blacklisted" by some of Britain's biggest construction firms under a settlement to be announced on Monday. The total payout from the out-of-court deal secured from Sir Robert McAlpine, Balfour Beatty and six other building companies by the Unite union on behalf of almost 800 unfairly targeted workers could be as high as £75m. - The Guardian Lloyds Banking Group could be the next major company to face a shareholder rebellion after governance groups said the boss's pay could be deemed "excessive." Chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio received £8.8m in pay, bonuses and long-term incentives in 2015, down from £11.5m in 2014, but above his peers at HSBC and Royal Bank of Scotland. - Daily Telegraph Leaving the European Union would hit house prices significantly and make mortgages more expensive, George Osborne has claimed, as the referendum campaign steps up a gear. The chancellor is due to publish Treasury research about the short-term costs of Brexit in the coming days, and has revealed that one key finding will be that property prices could fall if voters decide to leave the EU on 23 June. - The Guardian More than $12tn (£8tn) has been siphoned out of Russia, China and other emerging economies into the secretive world of offshore finance, new research has revealed, as David Cameron prepares to host world leaders for an anti-corruption summit. A detailed 18-month research project has uncovered a sharp increase in the capital flowing offshore from developing countries, in particular Russia and China. - The Guardian EasyJet is expected to take a hit from this year's spate of terrorist attacks after a fall in bookings led to "very tough" conditions for airlines. Analyst Wyn Ellis, of Numis, believes the bombings in Brussels, as well as renewed violence in Egypt, will have cost easyJet around £45m in the first half of its financial year. - Daily Telegraph Facebook has won a Chinese trademark case against a company that registered the brand name "face book", in a sign that Beijing attitudes are softening towards the world's largest social networking site, which is blocked to China's 700m internet users. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's founder, has been at the forefront of a charm offensive apparently aimed at prying open the Chinese market. - Financial Times Britain's mortgage lenders are tearing up longstanding restrictions on older borrowers as Nationwide became the second lender in a week to extend the age limit by which a home loan must be repaid. Nationwide is boosting the maximum age of "mortgage maturity" from 75 to 85 - the highest limit of any mainstream lender - as part of moves to "bring more flexibility and choice to older borrowers". - Financial Times Domestic flights in Britain will all but disappear over the next decade because of falling demand, a senior airline boss has warned. Laurie Berryman, UK vice-president of Emirates, said that existing routes would continue to be squeezed because of a lack of space at Heathrow, combined with the rise of long-haul flights directly from regional airports. - The Times The worlds biggest market is ready for your success. Learn more about trading here   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 advertise in the Euro Markets Bulletin please contact advertise@advfn.com     To unsubscribe from this news bulletin or edit your mailing list settings click here. 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Morning Euro Markets Bulletin

ADVFN  Morning Euro Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Wednesday, 04 May 2016 09:28:08 Monitor Quote Charts News CFD's Compare Brokers Free BB   IPO Select - The next biotech company set to take the LSE by storm Download your Complimentary Investment Report NOW London Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts London open: Stocks fall amid slate of company news UK stocks slid on Wednesday as investors waded through a plethora of corporate announcements. Sainsbury's shares fell after the supermarket reported a 13.8% drop in full year underlying pre-tax profit to £587m as sales declined and the group grappled with the industry price war and ensuring food price deflation. Royal Dutch Shell slumped as it posted a drop in first-quarter earnings on Wednesday in the oil giant's first results since the takeover of BG Group. Next rallied despite warning that sales and profits could be lower than previously forecast due to a potential slowdown in consumer spending. "We believe it is unlikely (but possible) that sales will deteriorate further, and we have seen a significant improvement over the last few days as temperatures have risen," the company said. Ryanair flew higher after saying traffic rose 10% in April to a record 9.9m customers from 9m in the same month last year. BAE Systems gained as reported a good start to the new financial year, with directors confident the good momentum is in line with full year targets. BHP Billiton edged lower on news that federal prosecutors in Brazil have launched a $43bn lawsuit against the company's part-owned Samarco Mineração mining unit to claim compensation for the dam disaster last November. In economic data, the Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index on UK construction will be released at 0930 BST, with analysts expecting a slowdown in sector growth for April. It comes a day after the UK manufacturing PMI showed growth eased in April. Eurozone retail sales are due at 1000 BST, followed by the US ADP jobs report at 1315 BST, the Markit US services PMI at 1445 BST, ISM's non-manufacturing composite at 1500 BST, and factory orders and durable goods orders at 1500 BST. US weekly crude inventories data from the Department of Energy will be also released at 1530 BST. Oil prices were sitting higher in morning trade with Brent crude up 0.31% to $45.11 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate up 0.61% to $43.92 per barrel. Why spread bet with GKFX? Take advantage of industry leading spreads from 0.4 pips in your GKFX spread betting account with the confidence of the MT4 platform. Losses may exceed deposits.   Learn more about spread betting with GKFX. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,176.06 -0.15% FTSE 250 (MCX) 16,727.13 -0.02% techMARK (TASX) 3,063.48 -0.13% FTSE 100 - Risers Next (NXT) 5,085.00p 2.15% Standard Chartered (STAN) 527.80p 1.44% TUI AG Reg Shs (DI) (TUI) 995.50p 1.32% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 649.50p 1.17% Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 2,985.00p 1.15% Admiral Group (ADM) 1,924.00p 1.10% BAE Systems (BA.) 481.20p 1.05% Aviva (AV.) 436.50p 0.99% International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 514.50p 0.88% Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 371.10p 0.76% FTSE 100 - Fallers BHP Billiton (BLT) 830.10p -5.16% Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 6,315.00p -4.39% Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 184.90p -3.14% Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 277.50p -2.87% Anglo American (AAL) 647.00p -2.81% Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) 9,000.00p -1.85% Tesco (TSCO) 166.15p -1.83% Antofagasta (ANTO) 440.40p -1.63% Fresnillo (FRES) 1,057.00p -1.31% Imperial Brands (IMB) 3,696.50p -1.16% FTSE 250 - Risers Electra Private Equity (ELTA) 3,785.00p 5.14% Just Eat (JE.) 414.80p 3.11% Sophos Group (SOPH) 205.90p 2.80% NCC Group (NCC) 271.40p 2.69% Indivior (INDV) 150.30p 2.04% AO World (AO.) 182.90p 1.61% Bovis Homes Group (BVS) 882.00p 1.55% Beazley (BEZ) 329.70p 1.45% JRP Group (JRP) 138.00p 1.32% William Hill (WMH) 318.40p 1.24% FTSE 250 - Fallers International Personal Finance (IPF) 226.30p -13.26% Ophir Energy (OPHR) 68.15p -3.88% Vedanta Resources (VED) 381.10p -3.76% Acacia Mining (ACA) 330.00p -3.03% Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 157.30p -2.90% Centamin (DI) (CEY) 117.10p -2.50% Polymetal International (POLY) 697.50p -2.17% Debenhams (DEB) 76.45p -1.99% Allied Minds (ALM) 364.00p -1.78% UK Event Calendar Wednesday 04 May INTERIMS Imperial Brands , Imperial Brands INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Balance of Trade (US) (13:30) Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30) Factory Orders (US) (15:00) ISM Non-Manufacturing (US) (15:00) MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00) PMI Composite (EU) (09:00) PMI Composite (GER) (08:55) PMI Composite (US) (14:45) PMI Services (EU) (09:00) PMI Services (GER) (08:55) PMI Services (US) (14:45) Retail Sales (EU) (10:00) FINALS 1Spatial, Avon Rubber, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd. GDR (Reg S), Venture Life Group IMSS Direct Line Insurance Group DRILLING REPORT Glencore AGMS Amerisur Resources, Audioboom Group, Aviva, BAE Systems, Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. (Singapore), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Sing.Reg), International Personal Finance, Intu Properties, Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Ocado Group, Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Spirent Communications, St James's Place, Standard Chartered, The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited, Virgin Money Holdings (UK) TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS Carillion, Direct Line Insurance Group, Glencore , International Personal Finance, Intu Properties, Next, Paddy Power Betfair, Virgin Money Holdings (UK) UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS PMI Services (09:30) FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Asian Total Return Investment Company, First Quantum Minerals Ltd. Q1 Hellenic Telecom Industries SA ADS, Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B' Why is the Wine Investment Market Booming in 2016?   Get the ground-breaking report on Fine Wine investing from Investment expert and journalist Philip Staveley former Head of Global Emerging Markets for Deutsche Bank and Merrill Lynch Download the 2016 Free Report   Europe Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Europe open: Stocks waver as investors sift through earnings deluge European stocks wavered in early trade as investors sifted through an avalanche of corporate news. At 0900 BST, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index was up 0.1%, Germany's DAX was 0.3% higher and France's CAC 40 was up 0.3%. At the same time, oil prices were a little higher, with West Texas Intermediate up 0.5% to $43.87 as barrel and Brent crude 0.2% higher at $45.08. Markus Huber, a trader at City of London Markets, said stocks were showing only tentative signs of staging a potential rebound after Tuesday's sharp selloff. "Overall sentiment is negative, also not necessarily helping matters have been comments by a couple of Fed members yesterday who reiterated that a rate hike isn't necessarily completely off the table for June," he said. Huber said the main focus of the day will be the US ADP employment report and US labour cost and productivity data. On the corporate front, Royal Dutch Shell edged lower after saying first-quarter earnings on a current cost of supplies basis and stripping out one-off items fell 58% from the previous year to $1.55bn as weak oil prices continued to take their toll. Air France-KLM flew lower despite reporting a narrower loss for the first quarter, as it warned on the outlook. Deutsche Telekom was in the red despite releasing better-than-expected first-quarter earnings. Supermarket chain Sainsbury's was under the cosh as its full-year results were hit by falling food prices and the industry price war. BHP Billiton slumped on news that federal prosecutors in Brazil have launched a $43bn lawsuit against its part-owned Samarco Mineração mining unit to claim compensation for the dam disaster last November. Brewer Anheuser Busch InBev fell as its first-quarter sales missed estimates, while Apple supplier Dialog Semiconductor tumbled after saying underlying operating profit fell 58% on the year in the first quarter. On the upside, Societe Generale rallied as its first-quarter profit beat analysts' expectations and the bank announced additional cost cuts, while Ryanair nudged up after posting a 10% rise in April passenger numbers. Siemens was also higher after second-quarter profit surpassed forecasts, while London-listed fashion retailer Next pushed up despite cutting its sales and profit guidance and warning of a slowdown. 7 Secret Trading Strategies This FREE guide will help you take advantage of the market, no matter what the conditions! Download Your Copy Now  US Market Report US close: China concerns and choppy dollar hit stocks US stocks fell on Tuesday after Chinese manufacturing data teamed up with a highly volatile dollar. By the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.78% to 17,750.91, the S&P 500 was 0.87% lower at 2,063.37 and the Nasdaq composite had fallen 1.13% to 4,763.22. China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index dropped to 50.1 in April from 50.2 in March, the National Bureau of Statistics revealed, missing economists' estimates of 50.4. However it was above the 50 level that separates an expansion from a contraction. The Caixin PMI on China manufacturing contracted further to 49.4 in April from 49.7 in March, according to Markit, below forecasts of 49.9. "With the Caixin reading focusing on SME's, it is clear that while large firms are feeling the benefits of government spending and increasingly expansionary policies at the PBoC, the smaller firms remain exposed to slowing growth and trade," said Joshua Mahony, market analyst at IG. At the same time, the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to cut interest rates to a record low of 1.75% also weighed on sentiment, along with the European Commission's downgrade of its projection for eurozone consumer price inflation in 2016 from 0.5% to 0.2%. Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets, said the RBA's move "will surely only go to fuel fears of another round of 'currency wars' as nations fight for that competitive edge via currency weakness". Meanwhile, oil prices retreated amid concerns about oversupply. West Texas Intermediate was down 2.46% to $43.68 a barrel while Brent crude was 1.72% weaker at $45.04. After starting the European session with new multi-month lows, the greenback surged during its native session to record its best-one day performance since August. EUR/USD shattered the 1.16 mark for the first time in around eight months after Federal Reserve's Dennis Lockhart suggested June's would be a 'live meeting', after rate hike expectations for June had fallen to 12%. But the volatility continued later, as the dollar swung back to 1.1501. Among corporate stocks, Pfizer rallied after reporting first quarter revenue that beat analysts' estimates, bolstered by sales of its new treatments for cancer and its Hospira acquisition. Estee Lauder slumped after announcing plans to cut its workforce by 900 to 1,200 positions globally as it reported a drop in first quarter profit. Halliburton was under the cosh as it reported a wider quarterly loss, reflecting a fall in revenue at its North American business due to lower energy prices and charges from its failed tie-up with Baker Hughes Inc. After eight consecutive days of falls, a first since 1998, Apple's stock rallied after CEO Tim Cook made a strong impression in his intense grilling on the 'Mad Money' show on CNBC, insisting the recent results really represented an "incredible quarter by absolute standards". There were no major US data releases scheduled on Tuesday. S&P 500 - Risers FMC Corp. (FMC) $47.32 +8.48% Mallinckrodt Plc Ordinary Shares (MNK) $64.84 +6.80% Fidelity National Information Services Inc. (FIS) $71.29 +6.12% Vulcan Materials Co. (VMC) $113.73 +4.28% Endo International Plc (ENDP) $28.13 +3.50% Owens-Illinois Inc. (OI) $19.20 +3.17% Williams Companies Inc. (WMB) $19.39 +3.08% Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $33.70 +2.74% Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALXN) $144.37 +2.73% CVS Health Corp (CVS) $103.92 +2.43% S&P 500 - Fallers Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK) $5.80 -11.99% Freeport-McMoRan Inc (FCX) $12.01 -11.37% Pitney Bowes Inc. (PBI) $18.93 -9.56% Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN) $11.92 -6.88% United States Steel Corp. (X) $18.95 -6.65% NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) $14.03 -5.84% Expeditors International Of Washington Inc. (EXPD) $47.39 -5.71% Marathon Oil Corp. (MRO) $12.79 -5.61% Alcoa Inc. (AA) $10.35 -5.57% Harris Corp. (HRS) $76.43 -5.48% Dow Jones I.A - Risers Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $33.70 +2.74% Apple Inc. (AAPL) $95.18 +1.64% Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $132.46 +0.27% Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $81.10 +0.16% McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $128.40 +0.16% Dow Jones I.A - Fallers United Technologies Corp. (UTX) $102.13 -2.15% JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $62.56 -1.93% Chevron Corp. (CVX) $101.32 -1.93% Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $76.36 -1.90% E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DD) $64.83 -1.88% Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $26.86 -1.86% Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $163.14 -1.83% Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $49.78 -1.64% Visa Inc. (V) $77.19 -1.62% American Express Co. (AXP) $64.85 -1.26% Nasdaq 100 - Risers Endo International Plc (ENDP) $28.13 +3.50% Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALXN) $144.37 +2.73% Mylan Inc. (MYL) $43.69 +2.29% Apple Inc. (AAPL) $95.18 +1.64% O'Reilly Automotive Inc. (ORLY) $268.20 +1.48% TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $65.83 +1.45% Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $81.46 +1.12% Liberty Media Corporation - Series C (LMCK) $18.44 +0.71% Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. - Ordinary Shares (NCLH) $50.14 +0.62% American Airlines Group (AAL) $34.58 +0.44% Nasdaq 100 - Fallers Sba Communications Corp. (SBAC) $99.03 -5.86% Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $19.44 -5.08% Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) $232.32 -3.92% Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $39.36 -3.65% JD.com, Inc. (JD) $24.40 -3.52% Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $371.32 -3.43% Discovery Communications Inc. Class C (DISCK) $26.58 -3.35% Discovery Communications Inc. Class A (DISCA) $27.00 -3.33% Dish Network Corp. (DISH) $47.39 -3.13% Get your FREE copy of Shares magazine Are you getting a market-beating performance from your money? The experts at Shares can help. Try a free issue today. Newspaper Round Up Wednesday newspaper round-up: Barclays, challenger banks, China data The Government has taken the rare move of fast-tracking a full investigation into BHS's former directors as Sir Philip Green yesterday agreed to appear before MPs in return for saving his wife's blushes. Business Secretary Sajid Javid has taken the unusual step of accelerating an inquiry by the Insolvency Service into the retailer's collapse, rather than wait three months for administrators to conclude their own investigation. Challenger banks face a bumpier ride and some are likely to be squeezed by rising competition, a report has warned. Despite notching up a more impressive record on growth, costs and conduct issues than their bigger rivals, challengers are about to have a tougher time, particularly the larger members of the pack, according to KPMG. - The Times Barclays has become the first high street bank since the financial crisis to launch a 100 per cent mortgage in the latest sign of a return to riskier lending. The bank is allowing some buyers to take out a mortgage to 100 per cent of the value of the property, without needing a deposit, whereas most banks require at least a 5-10 per cent lump sum. - Financial Times A Chinese government crackdown on the sale of data from its sprawling statistics agencies has prompted a marked deterioration in the numbers that investors rely on to understand the world's second-largest economy. In recent months, executives searching for figures on China's petroleum exports or wind power output have noticed growing gaps in the numbers, with some data released later than expected or missing entirely. That has made it harder to assess the state of the broader economy and the many industries in which the country has become the dominant producer or buyer of raw materials. - Financial Times Water shortages will deliver a "severe hit" to the economies of the Middle East, central Asia, and Africa by the middle of the century, taking double digits off their GDP, the World Bank warned. By 2050, growing demand for cities and for agriculture would put water in short supply in regions where it is now plentiful - and worsen shortages across a vast swath of Africa and Asia, spurring conflict and migration, the bank said. - Guardian Riyadh has unveiled reforms to its stock market designed to boost foreign investment and pave the way for the flotation of Saudi Aramco, the giant state-controlled oil producer. The reforms to Saudi Arabia's $400 billion bourse, the Tadawul, include permitting short-sellers, a first for a Gulf state, and relaxing tight restrictions on foreign ownership of Saudi companies. - The Times Privatising Channel 4 would have an "overwhelmingly negative" impact on the creative industries and bring in a maximum of £500m to the Exchequer, a report for the broadcaster has argued. It rejected claims made by the Culture Secretary John Whittingdale that Channel 4's self-funded but taxpayer-owned model is under threat from the shift of young viewers to internet streaming, saying that "the rate of change is less than suggested by the hype". - Telegraph Doubts about the controversial EU-US trade pact are mounting after the French president threatened to block the deal. François Hollande said on Tuesday he would reject the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) "at this stage" because France was opposed to unregulated free trade. - The Guardian The European Investment Bank spent almost €20 billion supporting credit provision for small and medium-sized companies last year, but British entrepreneurs didn't see a penny of it. The UK was the only country in the European Union not to receive any funds, a report by the bank shows, while Germany, Spain, Italy and France received a combined €14.4 billion. - The Times The chief executive of O2 has compared the UK telecoms market to that of Venezuela, in an attack on regulators over their opposition to the mobile operator's merger with rival Three. Ronan Dunne launched a broadside at Ofcom over its management of the mobile industry after it lobbied against the £10.25bn takeover of O2 by Hutchison, the owner of Three. - Telegraph Some of the largest food producers in the US have successfully petitioned Congress to propose a change to the Freedom of Information Act that would shield their communications with boards overseen by the US Department of Agriculture from the scrutiny of the public. The move follows a series of stories that showed the government-backed egg promoter, the American Egg Board, had attempted to stifle competition from Silicon Valley food startup Hampton Creek, in direct conflict with its mandate. - Guardian The UN has urged governments to stem the flow of funds to tax havens after companies funnelled $221bn (£152bn) into countries with low tax rates last year. The Netherlands and Luxembourg were among the top destinations for funds from corporations seeking to avoid tax, along with the US, Britain, Switzerland and Ireland, according to the UN. - Guardian Alphabet's search for an automotive partner to develop self-driving vehicles finally bore fruit on Tuesday when Google's parent company said it would work with Fiat Chrysler to trial its systems in a new minivan. The deal marks the culmination of months of work by the technology company, which has acknowledged that it needs more automotive industry expertise to work out how to integrate its autonomous systems with a vehicle. - Financial Times The worlds biggest market is ready for your success. Learn more about trading here   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 advertise in the Euro Markets Bulletin please contact advertise@advfn.com     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 Tuesday, 03 May 2016 09:56:17 Monitor Quote Charts News CFD's Compare Brokers Free BB   IPO Select - The next biotech company set to take the LSE by storm Download your Complimentary Investment Report NOW London Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts London open: Stocks fall after disappointing Chinese manufacturing data London stocks fell on Tuesday after Chinese manufacturing data came in weaker than anticipated, fuelling concerns about the world's second largest economy. China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index dropped to 50.1 in April from 50.2 in March, missing economists' estimates of 50.4, the National Bureau of Statistics revealed. However it was above the 50 level that separates an expansion from a contraction. The Caixin PMI on China manufacturing contracted further to 49.4 in April from 49.7 in March, according to Markit, below forecasts of 49.9. "The decline further into contraction territory in the Caixin manufacturing PMI came as a surprise this morning, especially considering the improvements we've seen in the rest of the data over the last month," said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda. "Given the differences in the official manufacturing reading, which just remained in growth territory for a second month, the numbers would suggest that perhaps the larger state owned firms are benefiting from recent stimulus efforts more so than the small to medium sized private firms. "The benefits could flow through to them in the coming months but I think today's data is a reminder of the challenging times ahead for the world's second largest economy." Meanwhile, the Royal Bank of Australia cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 1.75% to address a sharp decline in inflation in March. Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets, said while the move by the RBA was predicted by many analysts, the slide back into deflation is not too surprising given the recent declines in commodity prices in the first quarter. "It also ignores the fact that these same prices have rebounded, which means that this may well have been a temporary phenomenon," he said. "This, it would appear seems to have escaped the notice of the RBA as they become the latest in a long line of central bankers to adopt the reflex reaction function of cutting rates due to lower prices, ignoring the possibility that in some cases these can be a good thing." Turning to Tuesday's agenda, UK manufacturing PMI is due at 0930 BST while the European Commission provides its latest economist forecasts at 1000 BST. Meanwhile, oil prices rose with Brent crude up 0.56% to $46.08 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate up 0.57% to $45.04 per barrel. In company news, mining stocks were under pressure after disappointing Chinese manufacturing. Anglo American, Rio Tinto and Glencore were among the biggest fallers. HSBC's shares dipped after reporting a 14% fall in first quarter profits compared to last year. RSA Insurance got a boost as Barclays upgraded the stock to 'overweight' from 'equalweight' and lifted the price target to 545p from 457p. Morrisons gained as it said it has expanded its 'Price Crunch' programme as it seeks to win back customers from discounters. AstraZeneca declined as it said it has completed the divestment of the global rights to angina treatment Imdur, outside the US, to China Medical System Holdings Ltd and its associated company, Tibet Rhodiola Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Why spread bet with GKFX? Take advantage of industry leading spreads from 0.4 pips in your GKFX spread betting account with the confidence of the MT4 platform. Losses may exceed deposits.   Learn more about spread betting with GKFX. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,207.45 -0.55% FTSE 250 (MCX) 16,821.24 0.12% techMARK (TASX) 3,060.81 0.05% FTSE 100 - Risers RSA Insurance Group (RSA) 475.10p 3.49% Admiral Group (ADM) 1,914.00p 3.07% Worldpay Group (WI) (WPG) 270.60p 1.39% Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,169.00p 1.12% Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 365.70p 1.05% Informa (INF) 660.50p 0.92% Rexam (REX) 630.50p 0.88% Aviva (AV.) 436.10p 0.86% Carnival (CCL) 3,426.00p 0.85% Vodafone Group (VOD) 220.80p 0.73% FTSE 100 - Fallers Anglo American (AAL) 720.60p -5.61% Standard Chartered (STAN) 532.50p -3.55% Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,221.50p -3.43% Glencore (GLEN) 157.80p -3.13% Pearson (PSON) 780.50p -3.04% International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 510.50p -2.76% BHP Billiton (BLT) 907.70p -2.72% Antofagasta (ANTO) 472.90p -2.13% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 656.50p -1.94% AstraZeneca (AZN) 3,856.00p -1.83% FTSE 250 - Risers Just Eat (JE.) 413.00p 7.69% Centamin (DI) (CEY) 128.70p 6.45% Restaurant Group (RTN) 284.70p 3.49% Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) 76.00p 3.26% Regus (RGU) 299.80p 2.53% Polymetal International (POLY) 724.50p 2.19% Interserve (IRV) 436.40p 2.13% Homeserve (HSV) 422.80p 2.08% Softcat (SCT) 325.00p 1.88% Melrose Industries (MRO) 380.20p 1.85% FTSE 250 - Fallers Aberdeen Asset Management (ADN) 276.80p -7.33% Indivior (INDV) 151.80p -5.60% Tullow Oil (TLW) 268.40p -4.04% Amec Foster Wheeler (AMFW) 476.80p -3.46% Ophir Energy (OPHR) 73.00p -3.12% Sophos Group (SOPH) 199.70p -2.73% Ocado Group (OCDO) 288.30p -2.47% Evraz (EVR) 138.70p -2.32% Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 827.00p -2.13% UK Event Calendar Tuesday 03 May INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE NWF Group, Smith (DS) QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE Mercantile Investment Trust (The) INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00) EGMS Atlantis Japan Growth Fund Ltd. AGMS Henderson High Income Trust, Holders Technology, Randgold Resources Ltd., Stadium Group, Starcom, Stratex International TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS Just Eat UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS PMI Construction (09:30) FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Aberdeen UK Tracker Trust, Essentra, Foreign and Colonial Inv Trust, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group, Nichols Q1 Indivior Download the 2016 Buy-To-Let Property Guide Why is the Wine Investment Market Booming in 2016? Get the ground-breaking report on Fine Wine investing from Investment expert and journalist Philip Staveley former Head of Global Emerging Markets for Deutsche Bank and Merrill Lynch Download the 2016 Free Report Europe Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Europe open: Stocks in the red as Commerzbank, UBS slide European stocks fell in early trade as investors sifted through some disappointing corporate releases. At 0855 BST, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index was down 0.8%, Germany's DAX was 1.3% weaker and France's CAC was 0.8% lower. "European equities are trading lower this morning as mixed to disappointing corporate earnings news out of Europe this morning and somewhat weaker economic data out of China are spoiling the overall appetite for stocks," said Markus Huber, a trader at City of London Markets. "Having been spoiled of late by consistently better-than-expected economic readings out of China today's weaker manufacturing data might be pointing towards that the rebound in economic activity could be less pronounced than previously hoped. Furthermore despite QE, low oil prices and a weak euro, corporate earnings within the Eurozone seem to struggle as overall slowing global growth is taking a heavy toll." The China Caixin manufacturing PMI fell to 49.4 in April from 49.7 in March, missing economists' expectations for a reading of 49.9. A reading below 50 indicates contraction. Basic resources - demand for which is heavily dependent on China - took a hit, with the Stoxx 600 sub-index for the sector down 2.7%. In corporate news, Commerzbank slid after it said profit in the first quarter halved, with net income down to €163m from €388m the year before. UBS was under pressure as the Swiss bank's first-quarter pre-tax profit slumped due to weakness in the wealth management business. Aberdeen Asset Management dropped after reporting a big decline in first-half profit as it took a hit from emerging-market weakness. BMW skidded after its first-quarter earnings before interest and tax missed expectations, while Lufthansa flew lower after announcing it will slow the pace of its growth plans this year, as it reported a net loss for the first quarter. On the upside, BNP Paribas rallied as it posted an increase in first-quarter net profit, while HSBC nudged higher after its first-quarter profit came in ahead of analysts' forecasts. 7 Secret Trading Strategies This FREE guide will help you take advantage of the market, no matter what the conditions! Download Your Copy Now  US Market Report US close: Stocks end lower as traders weigh earnings and data US stocks closed in the red on Friday as investors weighed corporate earnings and economic data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.32%, the S&P 500 shed 0.51% and the Nasdaq lost 0.62%. Among corporate results, Chevron Corp.'s shares fell after reporting an adjusted profit in the first quarter that missed analysts' estimates. Exxon Mobile gained after the oil producer reported a higher-than-expected first-quarter profit. Amazon rallied after the online retailer's first-quarter profit surged past analysts' expectations. Profit came in at $513m as sales rose 28% to $29.1bn. In other company news, Apple slumped after billionaire investor Carl Icahn said he has sold his entire stake in the technology firm, citing the risk of China's slowdown hurting the stock. On the macro-economic data front, US personal spending rose by a seasonally-adjusted 0.1% versus expectations for a 0.2% increase, according to the Commerce Department. February's figure was revised up to a 0.2% gain from 0.1% previously. Person income rose 0.4% in March after nudging up a downwardly-revised 0.1% the month before. Economists had been expecting a 0.3% increase. The Chicago manufacturing purchasing managers' index fell to 50.4 in April from 53.6 in March, falling short of estimates for a reading of 53.6 but above the 50 level that separates an expansion from a contraction. Consumer sentiment weakened in April, according to the final reading from the University of Michigan. The consumer sentiment index printed at 89.0 in April, down from the flash estimate of 89.7 and 91.0 in March. It was also weaker than the 95.9 reading in April of last year. The current economic conditions index came in higher than the estimate of 105.5 at 106.7, compared to 105.6 in March and 107.0 in April 2015. Meanwhile, oil prices remained volatile as oilfield services firm Baker Hughes reported its weekly oil rig count fell by 11 to 332. It compares to 697 oil rigs the same time last year. West Texas Intermediate rose 0.08% to $46.07 per barrel and Brent was flat at $48.14 per barrel. The dollar fell 0.03% against the pound, dropped 0.86% versus the euro and declined 1.49% versus the yen. S&P 500 - Risers Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $144.22 +12.81% Freeport-McMoRan Inc (FCX) $14.00 +10.58% Amazon.Com Inc. (AMZN) $659.59 +9.57% National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NOV) $36.04 +8.88% Range Resources Corp. (RRC) $44.11 +8.25% Expedia Inc. (EXPE) $115.77 +8.21% Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM) $34.97 +6.00% Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN) $13.43 +5.09% Newell Brands Inc (NWL) $45.54 +4.88% Flowserve Corp. (FLS) $48.81 +4.14% S&P 500 - Fallers Stericycle Inc. (SRCL) $95.56 -21.50% Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $21.77 -19.07% Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $40.87 -11.28% Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) $88.21 -9.06% Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $10.75 -7.49% Skyworks Solutions Inc. (SWKS) $66.82 -6.91% Phillips 66 Common Stock (PSX) $82.11 -6.47% Tesoro Corp. (TSO) $79.69 -6.46% Legg Mason Inc. (LM) $32.11 -4.72% United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) $45.81 -4.68% Dow Jones I.A - Risers Home Depot Inc. (HD) $133.89 +0.87% Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $109.90 +0.71% Nike Inc. (NKE) $58.94 +0.68% Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $80.12 +0.45% Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) $88.40 +0.42% Coca-Cola Co. (KO) $44.80 +0.38% 3M Co. (MMM) $167.38 +0.23% United Technologies Corp. (UTX) $104.37 +0.13% Dow Jones I.A - Fallers Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) $66.87 -2.96% Intel Corp. (INTC) $30.28 -2.67% Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $27.49 -1.68% Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $54.84 -1.61% Apple Inc. (AAPL) $93.74 -1.15% McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $126.49 -1.12% International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) $145.94 -0.77% E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DD) $65.91 -0.75% Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $103.26 -0.74% JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $63.20 -0.63% Nasdaq 100 - Risers Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $144.22 +12.81% Amazon.Com Inc. (AMZN) $659.59 +9.57% Baidu Inc. (BIDU) $194.30 +4.45% Priceline Group Inc (PCLN) $1,343.66 +1.98% Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) $34.47 +1.68% TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $64.59 +1.56% Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $212.24 +1.19% Sirius XM Holdings Inc (SIRI) $3.95 +0.77% Facebook Inc. (FB) $117.58 +0.73% Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (ULTA) $208.28 +0.62% Nasdaq 100 - Fallers Stericycle Inc. (SRCL) $95.56 -21.50% Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $21.77 -19.07% Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $40.87 -11.28% Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) $88.21 -9.06% Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $10.75 -7.49% Skyworks Solutions Inc. (SWKS) $66.82 -6.91% Endo International Plc (ENDP) $27.00 -4.49% Celgene Corp. (CELG) $103.41 -4.28% Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $376.71 -3.73% American Airlines Group (AAL) $34.69 -3.56% Get your FREE copy of Shares magazine Are you getting a market-beating performance from your money? The experts at Shares can help. Try a free issue today. Newspaper Round Up Tuesday newspaper round-up: Data leaks, UK confidence, Barclays, BT US investors may be profiting from leaked economic data releases that allow them to front-run market-moving news, according to a research paper published by the European Central Bank. Macroeconomic news announcements can move markets, as traders watch for indications about how the economy is performing. The data are released to everyone at the same time to ensure fairness but ECB researchers said they had found evidence of "informed trading" ahead of US data releases. - Financial Times Worries about the EU referendum in June, rising labour costs and China's slowdown have knocked UK business confidence to a four-year low, according to a report that will fan fears the economy is losing momentum. A poll of 1,000 chartered accountants by their professional body, the ICAEW, echoed other recent surveys pointing to fragile consumer and business confidence as the referendum approaches. The poll also noted a slowdown in domestic sales and nervousness about hiring new staff. - Guardian More evidence of the uncertainty caused by the EU referendum has emerged as figures suggest that optimism in the jobs market stalled last month and employers froze advertised salaries because of the threat of Brexit. The average salary offered on Adzuna, a jobs search website, was £33,815 in March, flat against the previous month, according to data released today. - The Times Halliburton and Baker Hughes are preparing to call off their $28bn (£19.2bn) merger, which has met stiff antitrust resistance from regulators in the US and Europe, a person familiar with the situation said. The companies, the second- and third-largest oil-service firms, could announce as soon as Monday morning that they have terminated the combination, according to Bloomberg. - Telegraph BT Group is in talks to open up its infrastructure to a rival in a landmark test of Ofcom's plan to introduce more competition for its much criticised Openreach network monopoly. Openreach is in discussions with City Fibre, the alternative broadband network builder, about a large-scale fibre-optic roll-out over BT's ducts and poles in Southend, according to industry sources. It is understood that BT is currently surveying its infrastructure in the Essex town to get the project under way. - Telegraph Mario Draghi has hit back at German criticism of the European Central Bank's interest rate policy, saying low borrowing costs were symptomatic of a glut in global savings for which Germany was partly to blame. The ECB president's argument on Monday is a new line of defence against strong objections from German politicians, bankers and the media over the ECB's decision to lower its benchmark main refinancing rate to zero. - Financial Times If you are aged 50-plus and have children, then the UK's strongest "Challenger Bank" is probably headquartered in your living room. If on the other hand you are under 40 and trying to buy your first home, your bank managers may well include your parents, or even grandparents, according to Legal & General's research on the "Bank of Mum and Dad", published on Tuesday, that catalogues the £5bn annually supplied by parents for house purchases. - Telegraph A senior executive at Barclays has alleged money laundering and mis-selling failures at the bank's French operations, casting a shadow over the British group's plan to sell its business in France to a private equity group. A letter dated April 5 from Philippe Hébert, chief risk officer of Barclays France, to Tony Blanco, chief executive of Barclays France, alleged serious shortfalls in the bank's standards of controls, compliance and conduct. - Financial Times One of the hedge funds that helped to rescue the Co-op Bank has placed a bet on a further decline at the holiday company Thomas Cook. Silver Point Capital has built a trade worth more than £10m that would profit if the tour operator's shares fall. - Telegraph Eurotunnel made preparations yesterday for the departure of its longstanding chief executive with the appointment of a new deputy. François Gauthey, 53, has been promoted from chief operating officer in charge of corporate services to deputy chief executive and is in pole position to take over when Jacques Gounon retires. - The Times The City is poised for a brace of listings that could add more than £2 billion to the value of companies traded on the stock market and boost investment banks hit by a worldwide fees drought. The Range, a discount furniture retailer, and NewDay, one of the country's largest providers of store cards, have begun talks with investors about flotations that could value the companies at more than £1 billion each. - The Times London's historic stations could be sold off to plug a funding gap at the renationalised Network Rail. The possible sale of the property in and around stations such as Waterloo and Paddington is under investigation by Network Rail Property (NRP). - The Times Britain's most senior civil servant, Sir Jeremy Heywood, is reviewing HS2 as fears grow that the high-speed railway cannot be built within its £55bn budget in its current form. Heywood, the cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, has been quietly investigating HS2 in an effort to cut costly elements, with his report due to be handed to ministers by the summer. - Guardian Italian banking shares have come under pressure after the planned listing of regional lender Popolare di Vicenza flopped and the latest government measures aimed at tackling the sector's bad loans fell short of expectations. The stock market in Milan said it could not allow Popolare di Vicenza to list after investors bought just 7.7% of its €1.5 bn share issue. - Guardian Avid cyclists can indulge their passion around the clock and from the comfort of their sofas with a new Sky TV channel. Through word of mouth alone, the UK version of the Bike Channel, of Italy, attracts more than 40,000 daily viewers and will launch officially at the Soho Hotel in London tomorrow, with Mario Cipollini, a cycling legend, in attendance. - The Times A Portuguese cash-and-carry tycoon agitating to parachute two non-executive directors into Stock Spirits has been backed by a shareholder advisory group. ShareSoc, which represents retail investors, has become the first proxy adviser to weigh into a boardroom battle between Luís Amaral and the board of the Polish vodka maker. - The Times An executive at Reckitt Benckiser was slapped during an emotional news conference as he apologised on Monday for deadly lung injuries linked to the use of humidifier sterilisers marketed by the firm. Ata Safdar, head of Reckitt Benckiser Korea and Japan, bowed several times in apology before an audience that included victims and their families, among them a 13-year-old boy who now uses an oxygen tank to breathe. - Guardian The MP leading an analysis into the collapse of BHS has lashed out at its former owner Sir Philip Green over the sale of the business to people who "crash[ed] it into a cliff". The retail billionaire, his wife Tina and Anthony Grabiner, chairman of Green's retail empire Arcadia for more than a decade, are being asked to appear before two parliamentary committees to give evidence about the high street chain's demise. - Guardian Amid diminishing job security, cut-throat competition, heavier workloads and regulatory turmoil, City workers are facing more pressure than ever. Nightingale Hospital, the only private mental health hospital in London, launched its City unit last Thursday, where it aims to provide help for high-performing financial workers who are struggling to cope with the stigma surrounding mental health. - The Times Canada has spent centuries mopping up surplus British talent - from dispossessed farmers in the 19th century to disillusioned video games makers a few years ago. Now it is mounting - or perhaps mountie-ing - an assault on London's fintech industry, the companies that use cutting-edge technology to make financial services groups more efficient. Last week, in London, Charles Sousa, the minister of finance for Ontario, met British companies that are looking to expand into North America, to extol the virtues of the Toronto to Waterloo corridor - a 100-mile stretch on the northwestern bank of Lake Ontario just across the border from Niagara Falls. - The Times Surging investment in artificial intelligence is giving the US an early advantage in the race to dominate a new era of robotics, according to investors and experts in an industry that is set to become one of the most strategically important. Recent advances in AI, particularly in a technique known as deep learning, have shifted robotics from its core industrial market into areas such as self-driving cars, fuelling debate over the benefits and threats posed by the rise of the robots. - FT A British company has won a contract to help to build a fleet of as many as 20 floating nuclear power stations in China. Lloyd's Register is involved in the scheme to build floating reactors that could be deployed around the world to provide electricity at remote coastal sites or in countries facing power shortages. - The Times If you had to say which country has the world's biggest offshore wind farm, Europe's biggest floating solar park and electricity from the dregs of Fruit Pastilles, you might not guess it was the UK. But over the past five years, with the help of more than £10bn in subsidies, Britain has quietly become a star in the world of green power. - FT A former RAF fighter pilot has dived into the glamorous but turbulent world of private jets after spending five years developing an app for the sector. Jonny Nicol, founder of London-based Stratajet, believes that by selling seats on the 40 per cent of planes that fly empty, and using more of Europe's 2,100 airfields whose landing fees range from €20 to €22,000, more business travellers will be able to afford the luxury of door-to-door flights. - The Times The worlds biggest market is ready for your success. 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