Daily News – 12 March 2018
Investment Market Update
Asia
Asian stocks gained as trade-war concerns took a backseat to economic optimism following a US jobs.
US
US stocks rose while Treasuries fell as the latest labor report showed the American economy continued to strengthen without the prior month’s rapid wage gains that stoked inflation fears. The dollar weakened against most peers.
UK
UK stocks increased, with the FTSE 100 rising by 0.3% to 7224.51 on Friday.
Headlines
Turnaround specialist Melrose has increased its offer for engineering giant GKN from £7.4bn to £8.1bn. Melrose is now offering 467p per share, and has also raised the amount GKN shareholders will own from 57% to 60%. It says all recent attempts to engage in “constructive discussions” with GKN have been blocked.
More than 660,000 customers switched their electricity supplier in February – the highest number yet – according to industry figures. Energy UK said the figure represented a 60% rise on February 2017, and that over a million customers had switched so far this year. It said one reason may have been the cold weather during the month.
Market data
| Price | 1d | YTD | 2017 | |
| UK (£) | ||||
| FTSE 100 | 7,224.51 | 0.3% | -6.0% | 7.6% |
| FTSE 250 | 20,085.07 | 0.6% | -3.1% | 14.7% |
| FTSE All Share | 3,993.45 | 0.3% | -5.4% | 9.0% |
| FTSE Small Cap | 5,775.67 | 0.3% | -2.3% | 14.9% |
| Europe (€) | ||||
| Euro Stoxx 600 | 378.24 | 0.4% | -2.8% | 7.7% |
| DAX 30 | 12,346.68 | -0.1% | -4.4% | 12.5% |
| CAC 40 | 5,274.40 | 0.4% | -0.7% | 9.3% |
| US (US$) | ||||
| S&P 500 | 2,786.57 | 1.7% | 4.2% | 19.4% |
| Dow Jones Ind | 25,335.74 | 1.8% | 2.5% | 25.1% |
| NASDAQ | 7,560.81 | 1.8% | 9.5% | 28.2% |
| Asia | ||||
| Hang Seng | 31,560.83 | 1.8% | 5.5% | 38.5% |
| Nikkei 225 | 21,824.03 | 1.7% | -4.1% | 19.1% |
| Australia 200 | 5,996.12 | 0.6% | -1.1% | 7.0% |
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific | 175.61 | 0.3% | 1.0% | 28.7% |
| World (US$) | ||||
| MSCI World (Developed) | 2,149.32 | 1.1% | 2.2% | 20.1% |
| MSCI AC World (Dev & Em) | 525.45 | 1.1% | 2.4% | 21.6% |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 1,207.23 | 1.0% | 4.2% | 34.2% |
| MSCI AC World Value | 224.07 | 0.9% | 0.0% | 15.2% |
| MSCI AC World Growth | 290.03 | 1.3% | 4.8% | 28.3% |
| Fixed Income | ||||
| FTSE Gilts All Stocks | 3,520.70 | -0.3% | -1.9% | 3.0% |
| FTSE Index Linked All Stocks | 624.98 | -0.7% | -3.5% | 2.3% |
| ML Sterling Corporate Bonds | 392.92 | -0.2% | -2.0% | 5.7% |
| ML Global High Yield Bonds | 378.16 | 0.1% | 0.2% | 9.7% |
| Commodities (US$) | ||||
| Brent Crude Oil | 65.49 | 3.0% | -0.9% | 14.5% |
| Gold | 1,322.09 | 0.0% | 1.2% | 11.8% |
| UK Sectors | ||||
| Basic Materials | 6,119.21 | 1.5% | -3.1% | 25.0% |
| Consumer Goods and Services | 19,837.86 | 0.5% | -11.3% | 13.6% |
| Financials | 5,249.08 | 0.3% | -3.1% | 13.3% |
| Health Care | 9,050.32 | -0.5% | -4.9% | -3.7% |
| Industrials | 3,993.45 | 0.3% | -5.4% | 9.0% |
| Oil & Gas | 8,271.93 | 0.1% | -8.7% | 6.0% |
| Technology | 2,120.56 | 0.8% | -7.9% | 23.5% |
| Telecommunications | 2,985.47 | -0.5% | -11.8% | 0.1% |
| Utilities | 6,701.21 | 0.0% | -8.6% | -14.8% |
| Currencies | ||||
| $ per £ | 1.38 | -0.3% | 2.2% | 9.5% |
| € per £ | 1.12 | -0.3% | -0.4% | -4.0% |
| ¥ per £ | 146.63 | -0.9% | -3.7% | 5.3% |
| Indicators | ||||
| VIX Index (Volatility) | 14.64 | -11.5% | 32.6% | -21.4% |
| Baltic Dry Index | 1,201.00 | 0.3% | -12.1% | 42.1% |