THE MOST READ
Week ahead: Federal Reserve, US non-farm payrolls in the spotlight
Investors will have to navigate a week full of potential risks events over the next seven days, not the least the U.S. central bank's policy meeting on Wednesday and the April U.S. non-farm payrolls report two days later.
Europe close: Alphabet and Microsoft earnings help lift gloom
European shares were higher on Friday as strong earnings from tech giants Google and Microsoft lifted the gloom hanging over markets.
US close: Nasdaq jumps 2% as tech stocks surge
US stocks bounced back strongly on Friday with the Nasdaq surging more than 2% with the Magnificent Seven tech giants providing a huge boost following strong results from Microsoft and Alphabet.
London close: Stocks buoyed by banking, mining positivity
London's equity markets closed positively on Friday, buoyed by gains in the banking sector following better-than-expected results from NatWest.
Broker tips: NatWest, Pensionbee, Greggs
Shore Capital reiterated its 'buy' rating on bank NatWest after a forecast-beating first quarter but said it sees the least amount of upside potential in the stock compared with the wider banking sector.
London midday: NatWest tops risers as Footsie hits fourth record high of the week
Decent gains in the banking sector were providing a lift to UK equity markets on Friday following better-than-expected results from NatWest, sending the FTSE 100 to yet another all-time high.
Anglo American rejects £31bn BHP offer as 'unattractive' for investors
Anglo American on Friday rejected an "opportunistic" £31bn bid from rival miner BHP, saying it significantly undervalued the company.
Agronomics investee Solar Foods raises EUR 8m
Cellular agriculture investor Agronomics announced on Friday that its portfolio company Solar Foods had raised an additional €8m through Finnish investment organiser Springvest.
Weekly review
The FTSE 100 ended the week up 243.98 points, or 3.09%, closing at 8,139.83 on Friday.
Darktrace agrees to be bought by Thoma Bravo in $5bn deal
Darktrace announced on Friday that the newly-formed Thoma Bravo entity, Luke Bidco, had agreed to acquire it in an all-cash deal.
US open: Stocks higher following March PCE reading
Wall Street stocks were in the green early on Friday as market participants digested key inflation data.
FTSE 100 movers: NatWest, Anglo up; Convatec falls on Peel Hunt downgrade
FTSE 100 (UKX) 8,132.15 0.66%
Thousands of UK firms fighting for survival - Begbies Traynor
More than half a million UK business are fighting for survival, according to an industry research published on Friday, weighed down by the weak economy.
Redde Northgate to change name to Zigup
Redde Northgate is seeking approval to change its name to Zigup, the mobility specialist confirmed on Friday.
Tekcapital's Innovative Eyewear enters deal with New Look Vision
Intellectual property investor Tekcapital announced on Friday that its investee Innovative Eyewear, the developer of ChatGPT-enabled smart eyewear under various brands, was launching its ‘Lucyd’ smart frames in 10 selected New Look Vision Group stores across Quebec and at New Look’s online store.
Berenberg hikes target price on Greggs
Analysts at Berenberg raised their target price on bakery chain Greggs from 3,550.0p to 3,990.0p on Friday as it noted that customer appeal had broadened as its market share was expanding.
Aukett Swanke flags delays to some contracts
Smart buildings, architectural and design services specialist Aukett Swanke said in an update on Friday that, as outlined in its recent financial statements, it maintained a robust pipeline of interest, although a number of projects had been pushed back.
Sainsbury's kicks off £200m share buyback programme
Sainsbury’s kicked off its share buyback programme on Friday, having announced it on 7 February, aiming to repurchase up to £200m of shares by the end of the current financial year.
London open: Banking and mining stocks lift FTSE 100 to new heights
London's FTSE 100 raced ahead of the 8,100 level on Friday morning, helped by strong results from NatWest and decent gains in the mining sector provided a lift.
Senior sales rise as aerospace strength offsets Flexonics weakness
Aerospace and defence components manufacturer Senior said on Friday that trading over the first quarter has been in line with expectations with strong growth in commercial aerospace, as it held on to guidance for the full year.
ITM Power inks strategic partnership with Hygen
ITM Power announced a strategic partnership with Hygen on Friday, designating it as the preferred supplier of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers for hydrogen projects in the UK and across Europe.
FTSE 250 movers: Darktrace surges on Thoma Bravo bid; WH Smith down again
FTSE 250 (MCX) 19,788.28 0.95%
GCP Infra offloads Blackcraig Wind Farm assets for £31m
GCP Infrastructure Investments announced the successful disposed of its interest in loan notes secured against the Blackcraig Wind Farm in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland on Friday.
US PCE rises to 2.7% in March, ahead of estimates
The US personal consumption expenditure rate rose to 2.7% in March, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, up from 2.5% in February and higher than the 2.6% expected by economists, suggesting that inflationary headwinds were still building.
Gym Group enlists Savills to help with site selection
Low-cost gym operator the Gym Group announced on Friday that it has enlisted the expertise of Savills to assist in its site selection process, as it embarked on a strategic expansion plan.