Evening Euro Markets Bulletin

ADVFN III Evening Euro Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Tuesday, 29 April 2014 17:45:37 Monitor Quote Charts News CFD's Spreadbetting Free BB   Sponsored by: Accendo SAGA IPO - Record breaking floatation Download your SAGA IPO report now. Click Here Losses can exceed deposits. London Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts London close: FTSE ends day on a high after strong GDP growth - FTSE closes up 69.75 points at 6,769.91 - Q1 GDP rises 0.8 per cent - Tensions ease in Eastern Europe techMARK 2,791.25 +0.74% FTSE 100 6,769.91 +1.04% FTSE 250 15,896.64 +0.44% It was an upbeat finish for UK stocks today, with financial companies leading the way on the back of strong UK gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first quarter. The FTSE 100 closed up 69.75 points at 6,769.91. Also helping sentiment higher was an easing of the situation in Ukraine, which helped reassure investors that Russia will not cut off its gas supply. CMC Markets's Jasper Lawler said: "The FTSE 100 made a new seven week high today with the M&A rumour mills still churning as Russian and Ukrainian troops pull back from the east of Ukraine. "Separatists have gained control of more government buildings in Eastern Ukraine opening the way to further potential reaction from the Ukrainian military, but for now markets have focused elsewhere as both Ukrainian and Russian forces pulled back from the region." Meanwhile, at 0.8%, first quarter GDP came in below expectations of a 0.9% quarter-on-quarter rise, but was still well received by the market. Mark Carney, the Bank of England Govenor, said it was evidence that the "recovery is starting to broaden". However, Capital Economics observed that rise, which it expects to continue, "has come after two or three years of stagnation". "Indeed, GDP in the first quarter was still below its pre-crisis peak. On the face of it, this suggests that there is more spare capacity in the UK than in the US, where GDP is more than 6% above its 2007 high. Looking ahead, the economic recovery in the UK also faces bigger constraints, including higher debt levels and a bigger fiscal squeeze. "All of this is reflected in the relative outlook for inflation. We think price rises will slow to around 1% by the end of the year in the UK but rise above 2% in the US in the early part of next year." In other UK macro news, the economic sentiment index (ESI) rose to 119.5 in April, from a reading of 112.8 the month before, the European Commission said. The largest gains was seen in the sub-index for the retail trade sector, which jumped from 7.9 to 20.6, perhaps due to impact of the late Easter. Contraction in Eurozone private sector credit deepens Money supply in the Eurozone grew at a year-on-year pace of 5.6% during March, down from 6.2% in the previous period, according to data released by the European Central Bank (ECB). The most widely followed measures of money supply slowed down to an annual rate of growth of 1.1%, after rising by 1.3% in the month before. The consensus estimate had been for a rise of 1.4%. Elsewhere abroad, US stock markets have opened higher this afternoon on the back of better-than-expected corporate earnings, as investors took a positive stance ahead of a policy meeting at the Federal Reserve. The Federal Open Market Committee kicks off its two-day policy meeting today and is widely expected to announce that it will continue tapering its asset purchase programme by $10bn each meeting. This will bring the monthly stock of bond buying down from $55bn to $45bn. Financial stocks lifted by GDP data Financial stocks were notable risers in today's session, with Legal & General, Hargreaves Lansdown, Standard Life and Standard Chartered all putting in decent gains, boosted in part by UK GDP growth of 0.8%. Gas giant BG Group clawed back some of yesterday's heavy losses which came after it delivered a double blow to investors, announcing the departure of Chief Executive Chris Finlayson and warned its 2014 production levels would be at the lower end of expectations due to challenges in Egypt. In the red was Fresnillo, with mining stocks in general trading slightly lower as metals prices weakened. Analysts at HSBC downgraded their ratings for BHP Billiton, Antofagasta and Anglo American to 'neutral' today. Builders merchant Travis Perkins extended yesterday's losses, while G4S suffered from readacross from Serco, which dragged the second tier lower after issuing a fresh profit warning and indicating it may have to raise capital through a share placing just days before new Chief Executive Rupert Soames takes up his role. iPad mini worth £269 for new trading accounts! A minimum volume is required. Terms and conditions apply. Find out more, click here. FTSE 100 - Risers Legal & General Group (LGEN) 212.90p +3.20% Carnival (CCL) 2,370.00p +3.18% Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 1,187.00p +3.13% BG Group (BG.) 1,180.50p +3.01% BP (BP.) 502.60p +2.92% Standard Life (SL.) 386.00p +2.66% Imperial Tobacco Group (IMT) 2,605.00p +2.16% easyJet (EZJ) 1,663.00p +2.15% Ashtead Group (AHT) 867.50p +2.06% St James's Place (STJ) 779.00p +2.03% FTSE 100 - Fallers Fresnillo (FRES) 849.50p -1.74% Travis Perkins (TPK) 1,720.00p -1.38% Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 3,251.00p -1.10% G4S (GFS) 236.90p -0.84% Antofagasta (ANTO) 781.00p -0.83% Wolseley (WOS) 3,390.00p -0.76% AstraZeneca (AZN) 4,632.50p -0.73% Barratt Developments (BDEV) 351.30p -0.71% Shire Plc (SHP) 3,263.00p -0.70% Capita (CPI) 1,055.00p -0.66% FTSE 250 - Risers Telecity Group (TCY) 728.00p +14.83% Ocado Group (OCDO) 331.50p +4.51% Afren (AFR) 153.30p +4.29% Dechra Pharmaceuticals (DPH) 697.00p +4.19% Ophir Energy (OPHR) 251.20p +4.06% Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) 53.40p +3.69% Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) 199.50p +3.21% Aveva Group (AVV) 1,955.00p +3.17% Phoenix Group Holdings (DI) (PHNX) 693.00p +3.12% ITE Group (ITE) 231.90p +3.07% FTSE 250 - Fallers Serco Group (SRP) 343.80p -15.01% Inmarsat (ISAT) 735.50p -3.73% Fidessa Group (FDSA) 2,295.00p -3.53% Heritage Oil (HOIL) 255.60p -2.81% Telecom Plus (TEP) 1,517.00p -2.44% Renishaw (RSW) 1,852.00p -1.91% UK Commercial Property Trust (UKCM) 81.05p -1.88% Bodycote (BOY) 736.00p -1.80% Daejan Holdings (DJAN) 4,801.00p -1.80% AL Noor Hospitals Group (ANH) 1,011.00p -1.75% PROVEN Trading Strategy - Currently running at 70% success rate Earn a tax free income trading, from just 20 minutes a day – no experience needed.  Our powerful trading software will help you decide when to enter trades and how to maximise profits. Register for a FREE brochure and trading guide, Click Here.  Europe Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Europe close: Stocks gain despite weak data, report say Russia pulling back - Reports Russian and Ukrainian troops pulling back - NATO casts doubt on claims - No QE for now, Draghi reportedly says - Weak German CPI and Eurozone M3 numbers FTSE-100: 1.04% Dax-30: 1.46% Cac-40: 0.83% FTSE Mibtel 30: 2.15% Ibex 35: 1.36% Stoxx 600: 1.19% European equities across the Continent saw sharp gains despite the release of some rather weaker-than-expected economic data releases and remarks attributed to European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi to the effect that QE is not on the table at the moment. News that Russian and Ukrainian troops were pulling back from eastern Ukraine also lent a helping hand. However, other reports indicated that officials from NATO had cast doubt on the news of a Russian pull-back from Ukraine's borders, saying they had seen no sign of it. The President of the ECB told German lawmakers this morning that a programme of quantitative easing is not imminent and remains relatively unlikely, according to Bloomberg, who cited an official who was present at the discussions. However, the latest German regional consumer price (CPI) figures, out in the morning, came in lower than forecast across the board. Even so, as of Tuesday afternoon economists were maintaining their forecasts for the Eurozone CPI report due out on Wednesday (consensus: 0.8%). The rate of money supply growth in the Eurozone – as measured by the M3 aggregate - slowed down to an annual rate of growth of 1.1%, after rising by 1.3% in the month before. Furthermore, the data revealed worsening trends in the amount of credit extended to the private sector within the single currency area. For Barclays Research the above figures continue to argue in favour of targeted measures to encourage bank lending. "The continuation of weak lending volumes therefore could indicate that bank loan supply constraints are now binding and may increasingly weigh on the recovery," it said. Investors may have been gladdened by the possibility that the ECB may not yet be completely out of the picture. Italian stocks led on the upside following strong readings on consumer confidence in the country. Give its energy dependence on Russian it was also stand to gain the most from a cooling of tensions in Ukraine, along with Germany. Oil and bank stocks move higher From a sector standpoint, and within the DJ Stoxx 600, the largest gains were seen in the following industry groups: Oil & Gas (2.23%), Banks (2.03%) and Construction&Materials (1.94%). German financial giant Deutsche Bank revealed a 24% drop in first quarter profits. The lender said on Monday that it would issue a multi-currency bond of at least €1.5bn to help it strengthen its capital levels. French drug-maker Sanofi unveiled lower-than-expected first-quarter earnings. Spanish lender Santander announced an 8% rise in net profits for the first three months of the year to €1.3bn, slightly less than expected. It has also launched an offer to buy out the remaining 25% of its Brazilian unit which it does not already own. Nokia stock gained on news that it has named a new Chief Executive Officer. Crude changes course, rises The euro/dollar fell back in late trading, towards 1.3810, after earlier having moved as high as 1.3870. Front-month Brent crude futures advanced 1.08% to the $109.3/barrel mark on the ICE. Take advantage of a booming US state... Get $27,500 return in 2 years with a secure exit and no stress. An opportunity to invest securely into the increasing infrastructure of North Dakota Register your details here to receive the FREE brochure US Market Report US open: Stocks rise on earnings ahead of FOMC meeting - Merck, Sprint rise after earnings - FOMC in focus as two-day meeting begins - Consumer confidence falls, home prices rise Dow Jones: 0.38% Nasdaq: 0.26% S&P 500: 0.30% US stock markets opened higher on Tuesday on the back of better-than-expected corporate earnings, as investors took a positive stance ahead of a policy meeting at the Federal Reserve. Companies such as Merck & Co and Sprint were rising after the opening bell, while Allergan rose on bid rumours as M&A speculation continues across the global pharmaceutical sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Nasdaq and S&P 500 were up 0.3-0.4% in early trading, but had all pared gains slightly within the first hour. The Federal Open Market Committee kicks off its two-day policy meeting today and is widely expected to announce that it will continue tapering its asset purchase programme by $10bn each meeting. This will bring the monthly stock of bond buying down from $55bn to $45bn. Analysts at Rabobank said it to be a case of "steady as she goes" at the central bank "given the Fed's tapering inertia and the apparent confirmation by recent data that the extreme winter weather was indeed responsible for much of the weakness in earlier data". In economic news today, the Conference Board's US consumer confidence index declined to 82.3 in April, missing the 83.2 consensus forecast. Nevertheless, the prior month's figure was revised higher to 83.9, the index's highest reading since 2008. Meanwhile, the S&P/Case-Shiller composite home price index, which measures house values in 20 metropolitan areas, rose at an annual rate of 12.9% in February, down from 13.2% growth the previous month but broadly in line with analysts' estimates. Allergan rises on M&A speculation Shares in Allergan gained on reports that the Botox maker contacted companies such as Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson to gauge others' interest before responding to last week's $46bn offer from Valeant Pharmceuticals. Bloomberg sources said that Allergan was making inquiries to see if a sale to a larger rival is possible. Pharma peer Merck & Co rose strongly after saying that earnings rose 7% in the first quarter to 57 cents a share despite falling sales, beating the 52 cents estimate. Telecoms group Sprint also impressed after narrowing losses in the first quarter to just four cents per share, from 21 cents the year before. Revenues edged higher from $8.8bn to $8.88bn, in line with estimates. Fuel refiner Valero trounced analysts' forecasts for the first three months of the year, reporting earnings of $1.54 per share in comparison to estimates for $1.39. West Texas Intermediate futures were 1.53% higher at $102.14 a barrel on the NYMEX. The yield on a 10-year US Treasury was up two basis points at 2.72%. UKs booming asset class... Get 10% fixed returns for 10 years and see why the care home investment market is about to boom. Our unique opportunity in The Calder Valley is one not to be missed Register your details here to receive your FREE brochure Broker Tips Broker tips: BP, AstraZeneca, Serco, Telecity Investec kept a 'hold' stance on oil major BP, but said that the company's first-quarter trading update showed a 'solid start to the year'. "We do not expect any major changes to either our forecasts or consensus. BP is trading broadly in line with the sector which, given current Russian risk, looks about right," Investec said. Panmure Gordon has upgraded its recommendation for AstraZeneca from 'hold' to 'buy', saying that a potential takeover by US pharmaceutical peer Pfizer is likely. Panmure said that a bid of 5,300-5,400p a share "may tempt AstraZeneca shareholders", compared with the tentative 4,661p-a-share approach that was rejected. Cantor Fitzgerald has said that another profit warning from Serco is "highly concerning" and believes that the road to recovery is likely to be a long one for the outsourcing group. "We have expressed our concern in recent research notes over the reputational impact of Serco's government woes. Yesterday's statement seems to vindicate our view and suggests that Serco's problems are more deeply rooted than previously expected," said Cantor Analyst Caroline de La Soujeole. Numis Securities has maintained a 'buy' rating for Telecity after a strong first-quarter trading update from the Europe-focused data centre provider on Tuesday. The broker, which left its target of 880p unchanged, said that the stock's valuations "don't look at all expensive if we can see a return to good levels of growth and high certainty in forecasts".   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 patrick@advfn.co.uk     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

ADVFN Newsdesk - Cautious Trading Likely as FOMC Meeting Gets Underway

ADVFN  World Daily Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Tuesday, 29 April 2014 09:35:48    Monitor Quote Charts News Toplists Forex Boards   Sponsored by: VectorVest Beat the market – Guaranteed! Discover trading plans that beat the market year after year and tell you exactly when to buy, what to buy and when to sell. Click Here US Market Shanghai Hang Seng NIKKEI ASX The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a higher opening on Tuesday, with sentiment suggesting modest optimism. Earlier in the day, S&P/Case-Shiller's house price index was released, showing strong increase in house prices in February. Meanwhile, a 2-day FOMC meeting gets underway, which could introduce some caution among traders. Earnings news continues to be mixed. Traders may also react to the U.S. consumer confidence data due shortly after the markets open. European stocks are solidly higher, helped by positive corporate news and fairly robust economic data. U.S. stocks closed Monday's session mostly to the upside, as deal news offered some encouragement to traders. The major averages opened higher and hovered above the unchanged line until pulling back into negative territory by the early afternoon. After moving below the unchanged line till late afternoon trading, the averages recovered going into the close. The Dow Industrials ended up 87.28 points or 0.53 percent at 16,449 and the S&P 500 Index closed at 1,869, up 6.03 points or 0.32 percent. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite slipped back into the red in the final few minutes of trading before closing down 1.16 points or 0.03 percent at 4,074. Twenty-two of the thirty Dow components closed higher, with Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Travelers, AT&T (T), Johnson & Johnson and IBM leading the gains. On the other hand, Boeing , Goldman Sachs , Merck and Nike declined sharply. Pharmaceutical and tobacco stocks saw considerable strength on the day, while gold, Oil service, financial and airline stocks came under pressure. On the economic front, the National Association of Realtors reported that pending home sales jumped a better than expected 3.4 percent month-over-month in March. Pending home sales rose notably in the South and West and were up modestly in the Northeast, while pending sales were down in the Midwest. No platform or data fees with no trade minimums Trade free for 60 days + get up to $600 cash. Join TD Ameritrade US Economic Reports CADUSD Oil Gold Allbanc Please click on the images to view our interactive charts The FOMC meeting gets underway today, with the post-meeting policy statement scheduled to be released at 2 pm ET on Wednesday. The S&P/Case-Shiller house price index for February is scheduled to be released at 9 am ET. Economists expect the house price index to have increased by a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent month-over-month following a 0.8 percent increase in January. At 10 am ET, the Conference Board is due to release its consumer confidence index for April. The consensus estimate calls for an increase in the index to 83 from 82.3 in March. The consumer confidence index rose to 82.3 in March from 78.3 in February, reaching the highest level since January 2008. The expectations index rose by 7 points, while the present situation index edged down by 0.6 points. Retired Talk Show Host Reveals Shocking Secret "Almost anyone can collect income checks from the government," he says. "And it's all tax-free." Read More Stocks in Focus FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts Boston Scientific's first quarter results trailed estimates. The company raised its 2014 earnings guidance. Nokia reported a wider loss for its first quarter on an IFRS basis, while its sales declined year-over-year. The company announced the appointment of Rajeev Suri as its CEO, effective May 1st. The company also said it would reinstate its dividend payment and also announced a special dividend of 0.26 euros per share for 2014. Jacob's Engineering reported second quarter results that trailed estimates. The company also lowered its outlook for 2014 below the consensus estimate. Bristol-Myers Squibb reported first quarter earnings that beat estimates, while its revenues were below estimates. The company raised its full year earnings guidance. Crane reported first quarter earnings that met estimates, while its revenues were below expectations. The company reaffirmed its earnings outlook for the full year. STMicroelectronics reported a first quarter adjusted loss of 1 cent per share, narrower than the 3 cents per share loss estimated by analysts. The company's revenues were in line. The company also announced the promotion of Jean-Marc Chery to the role of COO. General Dynamics announced that the U.S. Navy awarded its General Dynamics Electric Boat unit a multi-year contract valued at $17.6 billion for the construction of 10 additional submarines. Salesforce.com announced a deal to buy privately held JasperSoft, a provider of embedded business intelligence and reporting software, for $185 million. The company expects the deal to be neutral to its non-GAAP earnings for 2014. CLARCOR said it has agreed to buy the filtration business of Stanadyne for about $325 million. The company expects the deal to close within the next two weeks. Ameriprise Financial said its board approved an additional $2.5 billion stock buyback program. The company also announced a 12 percent increase in its quarterly dividend to 58 cents per share. Separately, the company reported better than expected first quarter results. H&R Block said its total U.S. revenues through April 18th rose year-over-year despite a 3.6 percent decline in tax returns prepared. Hartford Financial reported better than expected first quarter core earnings. Big 5 Sports , C.H. Robinson, Cloud Peak Energy, Cray, Dreamworks Animation, eBay, Express Scripts, Genworth Financial, Marriott ,Owens-Illinois ,Renaissance Re ,RF Micro Devices ,Riverbed Technology ,Seagate Technology, Hanover Insurance, Twitter and U.S. Steel (X) are among the companies due to release their quarterly results after the close of trading. No platform or data fees with no trade minimums Trade free for 60 days + get up to $600 cash. Join TD Ameritrade European Market After a strong start, European stocks pared some of their gains but have moved back to the upside since then, as traders digest a slew of domestic earnings and economic data. In corporate news, Swedish engineering giant ABB reported a decline in its first quarter profits, which also trailed estimates by most analysts. Infineon reported better than expected second quarter results and also said it now expects full year revenues and margins at the top end of its forecast. Sanofi's first quarter earnings trailed expectations. BP reported first quarter profits that declined year-over-year but were ahead of estimates. The company also announced an increase in its dividend. Deutsche Bank reported better than expected first quarter profits. On the economic front, a report released by the GfK Group showed that German consumer confidence is expected to remain stable in May. The organization's forward looking consumer confidence index is expected to come in at 8.5 in May, unchanged from the April and March readings and in line with estimates. Meanwhile, French statistical agency INSEE reported that its consumer confidence index fell 3 points to 85 in April, while economists expected an unchanged reading. The receding confidence reflected a weak perception among households regarding their future financial situation. The U.K.'s first quarter GDP rose 0.8 percent quarter-over-quarter, according to a report released by the U.K. Office for National Statistics. The increase represents a modest acceleration from the 0.7 percent growth recorded for the fourth quarter of 2013, although it was slower than the 0.9 percent growth expected by economists. Asian Markets USDCAD USDEUR USDGBP USDJPY Please click on the images to view our interactive charts The major Asian markets closed on a mixed note, with the Japanese, Australian, and South Korean markets retreating, while the rest of the major markets advanced. Even as the positive close on Wall Street offered encouragement, nervousness was perceptible as geopolitical risks and economic uncertainties persist. With the yen remaining firm, Japan's Nikkei 225 Index opened lower and moved roughly sideways for the rest of the session. The index ended down 141.03 points or 0.98 percent at 14,288. Export stocks came under pressure, while construction, retail and telecom stocks bucked the downtrend. After seeing strength in early trading, Australia's All Ordinaries pulled back below the unchanged line in late morning trading. The average declined steadily before consolidating in late trading. The index fell 49.20 points or 0.89 percent before closing at 5,467. The market witnessed a broad based sell-off, with material, financial, consumer staple and energy stocks seeing notable weakness. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closed at 22,454, up 321.36 points or 1.45 percent, and China's Shanghai Composite Index ended 16.85 points or 0.84 percent higher at 2,020. The gun debate reveals game-changing technology And provides proof that we could be at the exact tipping point to deliver monster-sized gains. Read more... Currency and Commodities Markets Crude Oil futures are climbing $0.52 to $101.36 a barrel after rising $0.24 to $100.84 a barrel on Monday. Meanwhile, Gold futures are sliding $8.90 to $1,290.10 an ounce. On Monday, Gold dipped $1.80 to $1,299 an ounce. Among currencies, the U.S. dollar is trading at 102.71 yen compared to the 102.49 yen it fetched at the close of New York trading on Monday. Against the euro, the dollar is trading at $1.3817 compared to yesterday's $1.3851.     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 Tuesday, 29 April 2014 10:59:04 Monitor Quote Charts News CFD's Spreadbetting Free BB   Sponsored by: Accendo SAGA IPO - Record breaking floatation Download your SAGA IPO report now. Click Here Losses can exceed deposits. 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 Russia tensions ease, but Serco drops - FTSE 100 at highest since March 6th - Russia-West tensions ease slightly - UK GDP data expected to show stronger growth - Serco drops after profit warning techMARK 2,801.27 +1.10% FTSE 100 6,729.00 +0.43% FTSE 250 15,909.99 +0.53% UK stock markets opened strongly on Tuesday, tracking a late rebound on Wall Street the previous session, on the back of an easing of geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West. The US and EU yesterday unveiled new sanctions against certain Russian officials in President Vladimir Putin's 'inner circle' and corporations linked to them. Nevertheless, sentiment was lifted this morning after Moscow assured Washington that it will not invade Ukraine amid reports of Russian troops leaving the border and returning to their bases. The FTSE 100 was trading 0.4% higher at 6,729 in early trading; it has not closed above this level since March 6th. "However, the 'sell in May' cycle is almost upon us. And with some recent turbulent moves, US technology companies in particular, a sell-off is surely on the horizon. Add to this more tension in the Ukraine and we could see this sooner than we expect," said dealer Jonathan Sudaria from Capital Spreads. "That being said, expect more volatility today as both Bulls and Bears jostle for position ahead of a two-day Federal Open Market Committee meeting, culminating in a policy announcement on Wednesday." Investors were also looking ahead to today's estimate for first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the UK. The economy is expected to have grown by 0.9%, which would mark the highest rate in nearly four years. GDP in the fourth quarter of 2013 expanded by 0.7%. Serco plummets after warning FTSE-250 support services firm Serco dropped sharply this morning after issuing a fresh profit warning and indicating it may have to raise capital through a share placing just days before new Chief Executive Rupert Soames takes up his role. The embattled outsourcing firm, which operates prisons and welfare to work programmes for the UK government, issued a statement after the close yesterday that said trading has been more challenging than expected and it "may need to reassess the levee of risk implicit in the assumptions underlying our forecasts". Premier Inn and Costa owner Whitbread rose as it beat forecasts with strong annual growth across the board and hiked its dividend, adding that it has made a good start to the new year. Data centre group Telecity jumped after hailing a "good a start to 2014" and keeping its full-year guidance. UK housebuilder Redrow gained after saying it expects "further good progress" this year, helped by an improved economic outlook and measures by the government to stimulate the housing market. Wolfson Microelectronics soared after agreeing to a £291m cash takeover offer from Texas-based semiconductor group Cirrus Logic. Mining stocks were trading slightly lower this morning after analysts at HSBC downgraded their ratings for BHP Billiton, Antofagasta and Anglo American to 'neutral'. iPad mini worth £269 for new trading accounts! A minimum volume is required. Terms and conditions apply. Find out more, click here. FTSE 100 - Risers Shire Plc (SHP) 3,393.00p +3.26% Whitbread (WTB) 4,153.00p +2.27% Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 1,176.00p +2.17% St James's Place (STJ) 779.00p +2.03% Sage Group (SGE) 425.40p +1.70% TUI Travel (TT.) 428.50p +1.59% Carnival (CCL) 2,332.00p +1.52% Prudential (PRU) 1,348.50p +1.39% BG Group (BG.) 1,161.50p +1.35% HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 608.90p +1.33% FTSE 100 - Fallers Fresnillo (FRES) 841.50p -2.66% AstraZeneca (AZN) 4,604.50p -1.33% Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 4,663.00p -1.25% Barclays (BARC) 246.00p -1.20% BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,885.00p -0.92% Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,157.50p -0.88% Antofagasta (ANTO) 782.00p -0.70% Anglo American (AAL) 1,511.00p -0.53% Diageo (DGE) 1,813.50p -0.44% RSA Insurance Group (RSA) 96.50p -0.36% FTSE 250 - Risers Telecity Group (TCY) 710.00p +11.99% Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) 53.25p +3.40% Redrow (RDW) 287.00p +3.05% UBM (UBM) 672.50p +2.99% NMC Health (NMC) 465.30p +2.94% Rightmove (RMV) 2,455.00p +2.81% Diploma (DPLM) 681.00p +2.71% Ophir Energy (OPHR) 247.90p +2.69% Imagination Technologies Group (IMG) 198.40p +2.64% Essentra (ESNT) 838.50p +2.51% FTSE 250 - Fallers Serco Group (SRP) 330.70p -18.24% Foxtons Group (FOXT) 311.00p -2.87% UK Commercial Property Trust (UKCM) 80.85p -2.12% African Barrick Gold (ABG) 242.80p -2.10% Kazakhmys (KAZ) 233.80p -1.31% Lonmin (LMI) 281.90p -1.02% Kier Group (KIE) 1,679.00p -0.89% Alent (ALNT) 315.00p -0.85% F&C Commercial Property Trust Ltd. (FCPT) 120.05p -0.70% UK Event Calendar Tuesday, April 29th INTERIMS Infrastrata, Utilitywise INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Balance of Payments (GER) (07:00) Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00) Consumer Confidence (US) (15:00) Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00) M3 Money Supply (EU) (09:00) FINALS Espirito Santo Financial Group SA, Huntsworth, Incadea, JQW, LiDCO Group, Lifeline Scientific Inc. (Reg S), Petropavlovsk, TLA Worldwide , Walker Greenbank, Whitbread ANNUAL REPORT Afren, Petropavlovsk, Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S) IMSS FBD Holdings, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group, National Express Group, Redrow, SEGRO, St James's Place AGMS Bodycote, Capital Drilling Ltd. (DI), Essentra, FBD Holdings, Global Ports Investments GDR (REG S), Henderson Opportunities Trust, IBM Corp., Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group, JPMorgan US Smaller Co. Inv Tst, Murray International Trust, Murray International Trust 'B' Shares, Powerflute Oyj (DI), Servelec Group , Shire Plc, Thalassa Holdings Ltd. (DI), The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited, Wolfson Microelectronics TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS Carphone Warehouse Group, Stagecoach Group UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS GDP (Preliminary) (09:30) Index of Services (09:30) FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Anglo American, LSL Property Services Q1 Banco Santander S.A. (CDI), BP   PROVEN Trading Strategy - Currently running at 70% success rate Earn a tax free income trading, from just 20 minutes a day – no experience needed.  Our powerful trading software will help you decide when to enter trades and how to maximise profits. Register for a FREE brochure and trading guide, Click Here.  Europe Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Europe open: Draghi speaks, euro moves higher - No QE for now Draghi says - Euro at 1.3860 - Technology and bank stocks rise FTSE-100: 0.53% Dax-30: 0.87% Cac-40: 0.20% FTSE Mibtel 30: 1.07% Ibex 35: 0.63% Stoxx 600: 0.61% The main European equity benchmarks have begun the day moving moderately higher, as traders shift into a holding pattern ahead of the start, later today, of a two-day policy meeting of the US Federal Reserve. On the macroeconomic front in Europe, albeit with a longer-term horizon, the most pertinent bit of information may be the result of a confidence vote on the recently proposed economic reform measures in France. Economists will also be watching out for the latest harmonised German consumer price data for the month of April. That will come in the run-up to Wednesday's 'flash' estimate of the Eurozone-wide CPI. The European Union's statistical office, Eurostat, is expected reveal that CPI rose by between 0.8% and 0.9% year-on-year in the euro area, after inflation slowed to a 0.5% pace in March. The CPI report is expected to reflect higher prices for services, especially travel-related, around the Easter holidays (which were in March last year), Barclays Research explained. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi told German lawmakers this morning that quantitative easing programme is not imminent and remains relatively unlikely, Bloomberg reports. Hence, perhaps for that reason, this morning's ascent in the euro/dollar, to 1.3860. Technology and bank stocks higher From a sector standpoint, and within the DJ Stoxx 600, the largest gains were seen in the following industry groups: Technology (1.63%), Telecommunications (1.23%) and Banks (1.15%). German financial giant Deutsche Bank has revealed a 24% drop in first quarter profits. The lender said on Monday that it would issue a multi-currency bond of at least €1.5bn to help it strengthen its capital levels. French drug-maker Sanofi reported lower-than-expected first-quarter earnings. Spanish lender Santander announced an 8% rise in net profits for the first three months of the year to €1.3bn, slightly less than expected. It has also launched an offer to buy out the remaining 25% of its Brazilian unit which it does not already own. Nokia stock is gaining on news that it has named a new Chief Executive Officer. Euro edges higher The euro/dollar is now moving higher, towards 1.3860. Front-month Brent crude futures were advancing by 0.378% to the $108.53/barrel mark on the ICE. Take advantage of a booming US state... Get $27,500 return in 2 years with a secure exit and no stress. An opportunity to invest securely into the increasing infrastructure of North Dakota Register your details here to receive the FREE brochure US Market Report US close: Markets higher after late rebound despite Russia tensions - US and EU add more names to sanctions list - Russia vows response - BofA drops as Fed questions capital plans - Pharma M&A steps up - Pending home sales, Dallas Fed beat forecasts Dow Jones: 0.54% Nasdaq: -0.04% S&P 500: 0.30% Rising tensions between Russia and the West resulted in a volatile session for US markets on Monday, though a late rebound managed to push stocks broadly higher by the close. Pharmaceutical stocks were on the rise on continued M&A activity in the sector. Banking stocks, however, fell after the Federal Reserve asked Bank of America to re-submit its capital plans. Markets were also lacking direction ahead of the Federal Reserve policy meeting on Wednesday, US ISM manufacturing data on Thursday and the all-important non-farm payrolls figures on Friday. Despite erasing early gains after lunchtime, both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 clawed their way back into positive territory by the end of the session, rising 0.5% and 0.3%, respectively. The Nasdaq, however, finished more or less flat. In economic data, US pending home sales rose by 1% month-over-month in March, rebounding after a revised 0.5% decline in February. The consensus estimate had been for an increase of 1%. Meanwhile, the Dallas Fed manufacturing activity index jumped from 4.9 to 11.7 in April, well ahead of the 6.0 figure expected by analysts. Russia warns of retaliation from new sanctions The White House today announced a raft of new sanctions against members of Russian President Vladimir Putin's 'inner circle' and 17 Russian corporations linked to them. President Barack Obama said that he was holding broader measures against the Russian economy "in reserve". The EU also added a further 15 Russian officials to its sanctions list. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was reported as saying that the sanctions "will not remain unanswered and the response will be painful for Washington". He said that the new sanctions were like "pouring oil on the flames". BofA falls, pharma M&A picks up Shares of Bank of America were hammered by an announcement from the Fed that it has 30 days to re-submit its capital plans after it found that the bank's calculations of regulatory capital ratios. Until the plans are approved, the Fed said it will be forced to suspend any plans to distribute capital. Shares in Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase also finished lower. Pfizer gained strongly after confirming that it had approached AstraZeneca in January regarding a $100bn approach for the UK-listed pharmaceutical group. After being rejected, Pfizer said it is still "considering a possible transaction" and "confident a combination is capable of being consummated". Drug development group Furiex Pharmaceuticals surged after a takeover offer from Forest Laboratories for $1.1bn in cash. Pharma giant Merck&Co's was also in focus after Reckitt Benckiser confirmed that it is in discussions with the US firm regarding an offer for its consumer health business. Bayer is also said to be looking at buying the unit, which could sell for around $13.5bn. S&P 500 - Risers Roper Industries Inc. (ROP) $137.72 +6.51% Pepco Holdings Inc. (POM) $23.10 +5.72% Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY) $25.55 +4.80% Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $32.04 +4.20% Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD) $43.50 +4.04% Apple Inc. (AAPL) $594.09 +3.87% AbbVie Inc (ABBV) $50.87 +3.52% Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (DPS) $55.40 +3.40% Molson Coors Brewing Co. Class B (TAP) $60.15 +2.72% GameStop Corp. (GME) $40.34 +2.46% S&P 500 - Fallers National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NOV) $77.31 -7.38% Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $49.13 -6.95% Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM) $24.67 -6.73% Bank of America Corp. (BAC) $14.95 -6.27% Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) $476.28 -5.18% First Solar Inc. (FSLR) $65.90 -3.98% Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) $193.64 -3.90% Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (CLF) $17.31 -3.83% Vulcan Materials Co. (VMC) $61.89 -3.40% FLIR Systems Inc. (FLIR) $33.95 -3.14% Dow Jones I.A - Risers Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $32.04 +4.20% Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $40.87 +2.41% Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $82.94 +1.88% International Machines Corp. (IBM) $193.14 +1.85% AT&T Inc. (T) $35.08 +1.71% Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $101.34 +1.55% Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $89.64 +1.51% Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) $79.76 +1.45% Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $46.60 +1.44% Chevron Corp. (CVX) $125.73 +1.40% Dow Jones I.A - Fallers Nike Inc. (NKE) $71.67 -1.42% Boeing Co. (BA) $127.04 -1.26% Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $156.54 -1.07% Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $56.68 -0.98% Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $77.78 -0.58% McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $100.31 -0.42% Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $104.26 -0.41% JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $55.49 -0.38% Nasdaq 100 - Risers Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $140.05 +7.72% Apple Inc. (AAPL) $594.09 +3.87% Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $40.87 +2.41% Staples Inc. (SPLS) $12.57 +2.28% Broadcom Corp. (BRCM) $30.40 +2.15% Maxim Integrated Products Inc. (MXIM) $32.13 +1.84% Mondelez International Inc. (MDLZ) $35.94 +1.70% Fiserv Inc. (FISV) $56.79 +1.61% Vimpelcom Ltd Ads (VIP) $8.31 +1.47% Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $66.74 +1.46% Nasdaq 100 - Fallers Baidu Inc. (BIDU) $150.93 -7.35% Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $133.76 -4.26% Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) $193.64 -3.90% Dish Network Corp. (DISH) $56.23 -3.02% Mylan Inc. (MYL) $50.67 -2.74% Facebook Inc. (FB) $56.14 -2.72% Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $24.58 -2.69% Twenty-First Century Fox Inc Class A (FOXA) $31.78 -2.63% Avago Technologies Ltd. (AVGO) $60.78 -2.50% Netflix Inc. (NFLX) $314.21 -2.44% UKs booming asset class... Get 10% fixed returns for 10 years and see why the care home investment market is about to boom. Our unique opportunity in The Calder Valley is one not to be missed Register your details here to receive your FREE brochure Newspaper Round Up Tuesday newspaper round-up: Wolfson Microelectronics, Royal Mail, Sanctions Wolfson Microelectronics, the designer of audio chips for smartphones, tablet computers and video game consoles, is asking shareholders to back a takeover offer by US rival Cirrus Logic. The company recommends that investors accept the 291m pounds – 235p a share – offer, making for a premium of 75.4 per cent over yesterday's closing price, The Scotsman reports. Speaking before the Public Accounts Committee, Martin Wheatley, the Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), repeated on various occasions that he sees no evidence which would justify an investigation by the regulator into the flotation of Royal Mail. Wheatley explained that around the world most initial public offerings are priced in such a manner that they will rise on the first day. "Typically, they are priced to go," he said. His testimony follows the findings by the National Audit Office (NAO) that the government had lost £750m of taxpayers' money on a single day by hiving off the shares too cheaply, The Guardian writes. Another slate of Russian government officials and corporations has been targeted by a new round of sanctions from the US and Europe in an effort to press Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies to cease their activities in eastern Ukraine. The measures, however, fell quite short of what many in Congress and Kiev have been asking for and were one week late. Hence the rise seen in the Russian stock market, The Wall Street Journal Europe reports. The largest banks in the UK and building societies could face demands to raise more capital, as a result of the findings of the regulatory stress tests which are set to be published today. The lenders will have to prove that they can withstand house prices dropping by a third as well as a simultaneous spike in interest rates. Later this year the Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority will also test the ability of the country's eight largest lenders to survive another crisis, lest taxpayers be called upon again to pick up the tab, The Times writes. Liberal Democrat Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander on Tuesday branded politicians calling for Britain to exit the European Union "the worst kind of snake-oil salesmen offering a false cure for an imaginary illness", adding that their plans threaten to "kill the recovery". He was speaking after the City UK published research showing that a "Brexit" would hurt the economy. The report from Clifford Chance found that the UK's financial sector, which now employs two million people, would suffer as a consequence under every exit scenario, The Times reports. Mobile phone operator EE, the joint venture between Orange and Germany's Deutsche Telekom, is on target to reach six million customers by the end of this year thanks to strong demand for 4G data services. In the three months ended on March 31st, it rang up 889,000 new customers, with its total client base rising to 2.9m. It is clear that 4G is expanding more quickly than expected as more handsets are developed which are enabled to use it, according to The Daily Express.   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 patrick@advfn.co.uk     To unsubscribe from this news bulletin or edit your mailing list settings click here. 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