Daily News – 29 March 2018
Investment Market Update
Asia
Asian stocks traded mixed on Thursday, as several regional markets shrugged off weakness seen overnight on Wall Street.
US
US stocks were unable to shake off the jitters around the tech sector, closing lower on the day. The tech juggernaut appears to be starting to misfire quite badly, with some of the biggest decliners from that sector being Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google.
UK
UK stocks managed to close in positive territory as Wall Street was mixed and the pound strengthened. The UK blue-chip index finished over 44 points higher at 7,044, but big miners tempered gains.
Headlines
Technology shares, which helped power the rise of the US stock market last year, are pulling it lower now. The tech-rich Nasdaq index dropped on Wednesday, driven by declines in firms such as Amazon, Tesla and Broadcom.
MPs are to probe the scale of money laundering in the UK, including property bought with suspected Russian “dirty money”. It follows claims that £4.4bn of UK property may have been bought with suspicious wealth, with more than a fifth, or £880m, purchased by Russians.
Market data
| Price | 1d | YTD | 2017 | |
| UK (£) | ||||
| FTSE 100 | 7,044.74 | 0.60% | -8.40% | 7.60% |
| FTSE 250 | 19,356.59 | -0.20% | -6.60% | 14.70% |
| FTSE All Share | 3,885.16 | 0.50% | -8.00% | 9.00% |
| FTSE Small Cap | 5,579.93 | -0.30% | -5.60% | 14.90% |
| Europe (€) | ||||
| Euro Stoxx 600 | 369.26 | 0.50% | -5.10% | 7.70% |
| DAX 30 | 11,940.71 | -0.30% | -7.60% | 12.50% |
| CAC 40 | 5,130.44 | 0.30% | -3.40% | 9.30% |
| US (US$) | ||||
| S&P 500 | 2,605.00 | -0.30% | -2.60% | 19.40% |
| Dow Jones Ind | 23,848.42 | 0.00% | -3.50% | 25.10% |
| NASDAQ | 6,949.23 | -0.90% | 0.70% | 28.20% |
| Asia | ||||
| Hang Seng | 30,084.48 | 0.20% | 0.60% | 38.50% |
| Nikkei 225 | 21,125.05 | 0.40% | -7.20% | 19.10% |
| Australia 200 | 5,759.40 | -0.50% | -5.00% | 7.00% |
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific | 171.798 | -1.70% | -1.20% | 28.70% |
| World (US$) | ||||
| MSCI World (Developed) | 2,047.75 | -0.40% | -2.60% | 20.10% |
| MSCI AC World (Dev & Em) | 501.272 | -0.60% | -2.30% | 21.60% |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 1,162.67 | -1.90% | 0.40% | 34.20% |
| MSCI AC World Value | 215.309 | -0.30% | -3.90% | 15.20% |
| MSCI AC World Growth | 274.803 | -0.80% | -0.70% | 28.30% |
| Fixed Income | ||||
| FTSE Gilts All Stocks | 3,594.46 | 0.40% | 0.20% | 3.00% |
| FTSE Index Linked All Stocks | 643.47 | 0.70% | -0.70% | 2.30% |
| ML Sterling Corporate Bonds | 394.875 | 0.30% | -1.50% | 5.70% |
| ML Global High Yield Bonds | 376.661 | -0.10% | -0.20% | 9.70% |
| Commodities (US$) | ||||
| Brent Crude Oil | 69.53 | -0.80% | 5.20% | 14.50% |
| Gold | 1,328.18 | -1.30% | 1.70% | 11.80% |
| UK Sectors | ||||
| Basic Materials | 5,836.71 | -2.10% | -7.60% | 25.00% |
| Consumer Goods and Services | 19,374.74 | 2.60% | -13.40% | 13.60% |
| Financials | 5,072.79 | -0.30% | -6.30% | 13.30% |
| Health Care | 9,418.89 | 3.90% | -1.00% | -3.70% |
| Industrials | 3,885.16 | 0.50% | -8.00% | 9.00% |
| Oil & Gas | 8,191.61 | -1.10% | -9.60% | 6.00% |
| Technology | 1,677.11 | 0.00% | -27.10% | 23.50% |
| Telecommunications | 2,797.39 | 0.50% | -17.30% | 0.10% |
| Utilities | 6,831.34 | 4.60% | -6.90% | -14.80% |
| Currencies | ||||
| $ per £ | 1.4169 | 0.40% | 4.90% | 9.50% |
| € per £ | 1.1414 | -0.10% | 1.40% | -4.00% |
| ¥ per £ | 149.82401 | -0.20% | -1.60% | 5.30% |
| Indicators | ||||
| VIX Index (Volatility) | 22.87 | 1.60% | 107.20% | -21.40% |
| Baltic Dry Index | 1,080.00 | -3.30% | -20.90% | 42.14% |