Daily News – 5 April 2018
Investment Market Update
Asia
Asian stocks rose, following US peers higher as fears of trade tensions between the US and China eased. China and Hong Kong closed for a holiday.
US
US stocks climbed, sparked by trade tensions as investors speculated the Trump administration won’t enact the most protectionist proposals and risk derailing economic growth.
UK
UK stocks were mixed, with a small rise on the FTSE 100 led by gains in the Tobacco, Beverage and Mobile Telecommunications sectors.
Headlines
Facebook believes the data of up to 87 million people was improperly shared with the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica – many more than previously disclosed. The overall figure had been previously quoted as being 50 million by the whistleblower Christopher Wylie.
Car registrations dropped in March, according to figures from industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Preliminary data shows the UK new car market shrank by 15.6% last month, compared with March 2017. Demand for diesel vehicles fell by 37%, but petrol car demand rose by 1%.
Market data
| Price | 1d | YTD | 2017 | |
| UK (£) | ||||
| FTSE 100 | 7,034.01 | 0.1% | -8.5% | 7.6% |
| FTSE 250 | 19,264.22 | -0.7% | -7.1% | 14.7% |
| FTSE All Share | 3,876.63 | -0.1% | -8.2% | 9.0% |
| FTSE Small Cap | 5,551.56 | -1.0% | -6.1% | 14.9% |
| Europe (€) | ||||
| Euro Stoxx 600 | 367.33 | -0.5% | -5.6% | 7.7% |
| DAX 30 | 11,957.90 | -0.4% | -7.4% | 12.5% |
| CAC 40 | 5,141.80 | -0.2% | -3.2% | 9.3% |
| US (US$) | ||||
| S&P 500 | 2,644.69 | 1.2% | -1.1% | 19.4% |
| Dow Jones Ind | 24,264.30 | 1.0% | -1.8% | 25.1% |
| NASDAQ | 7,042.11 | 1.5% | 2.0% | 28.2% |
| Asia | ||||
| Hang Seng | 29,518.69 | 0.0% | -1.3% | 38.5% |
| Nikkei 225 | 21,668.26 | 1.6% | -4.8% | 19.1% |
| Australia 200 | 5,791.30 | 0.5% | -4.5% | 7.0% |
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific | 170.88 | -0.7% | -1.7% | 28.7% |
| World (US$) | ||||
| MSCI World (Developed) | 2,061.31 | 0.6% | -2.0% | 20.1% |
| MSCI AC World (Dev & Em) | 503.82 | 0.4% | -1.8% | 21.6% |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 1,155.64 | -1.2% | -0.2% | 34.2% |
| MSCI AC World Value | 216.24 | 0.4% | -3.5% | 15.2% |
| MSCI AC World Growth | 276.39 | 0.4% | -0.1% | 28.3% |
| Fixed Income | ||||
| FTSE Gilts All Stocks | 3,580.27 | -0.3% | -0.2% | 3.0% |
| FTSE Index Linked All Stocks | 640.53 | -0.6% | -1.1% | 2.3% |
| ML Sterling Corporate Bonds | 394.20 | -0.1% | -1.6% | 5.7% |
| ML Global High Yield Bonds | 376.67 | 0.1% | -0.2% | 9.7% |
| Commodities (US$) | ||||
| Brent Crude Oil | 68.02 | -0.1% | 3.4% | 14.5% |
| Gold | 1,336.41 | 0.2% | 2.3% | 11.8% |
| UK Sectors | ||||
| Basic Materials | 5,778.05 | -2.5% | -8.5% | 25.0% |
| Consumer Goods and Services | 19,693.47 | 1.2% | -11.9% | 13.6% |
| Financials | 5,035.47 | -0.3% | -7.0% | 13.3% |
| Health Care | 9,373.19 | 0.2% | -1.5% | -3.7% |
| Industrials | 3,876.63 | -0.1% | -8.2% | 9.0% |
| Oil & Gas | 8,270.33 | 0.6% | -8.7% | 6.0% |
| Technology | 1,682.51 | -1.0% | -26.9% | 23.5% |
| Telecommunications | 2,826.09 | 1.2% | -16.5% | 0.1% |
| Utilities | 6,770.05 | 0.7% | -7.7% | -14.8% |
| Currencies | ||||
| $ per £ | 1.41 | -0.2% | 4.0% | 9.5% |
| € per £ | 1.15 | 0.0% | 1.8% | -4.0% |
| ¥ per £ | 149.62 | -0.3% | -1.7% | 5.3% |
| Indicators | ||||
| VIX Index (Volatility) | 20.06 | -4.9% | 81.7% | -21.4% |
| Baltic Dry Index | 977.00 | -3.8% | -28.5% | 42.1% |