Daily News – 26 April 2018
Investment Market Update
Asia
Asian stocks were mixed, as solid earnings from the technology sector and an unsolicited takeover for one of the region’s healthcare heavyweights boost sentiment.
US
US stocks finished mostly higher, with strong earnings from Boeing offsetting worries about higher interest rates.
UK
UK stocks fell, with the blue-chip market’s six-day winning streak coming to an end after elevated US bond yields triggered a selloff on Wall Street and pressured equity markets world-wide.
Headlines
More than 40 companies have signed up to a pact to cut plastic pollution over the next seven years. The firms, which include Coca-Cola and Asda, have promised to honour a number of pledges such as eliminating single-use packaging through better design.
The number of cars made in the UK during March fell by 13.3% from a year earlier as both domestic and overseas demand for vehicles declined.
Market data
| Price | 1d | YTD | 2017 | |
| UK (£) | ||||
| FTSE 100 | 7,379.32 | -0.6% | -4.0% | 7.6% |
| FTSE 250 | 20,019.08 | -0.9% | -3.4% | 14.7% |
| FTSE All Share | 4,059.93 | -0.7% | -3.8% | 9.0% |
| FTSE Small Cap | 5,795.49 | -0.6% | -2.0% | 14.9% |
| Europe (€) | ||||
| Euro Stoxx 600 | 380.17 | -0.8% | -2.3% | 7.7% |
| DAX 30 | 12,422.30 | -1.0% | -3.8% | 12.5% |
| CAC 40 | 5,413.30 | -0.6% | 1.9% | 9.3% |
| US (US$) | ||||
| S&P 500 | 2,639.40 | 0.2% | -1.3% | 19.4% |
| Dow Jones Ind | 24,083.83 | 0.2% | -2.6% | 25.1% |
| NASDAQ | 7,003.74 | -0.1% | 1.5% | 28.2% |
| Asia | ||||
| Hang Seng | 30,061.39 | -0.9% | 0.5% | 38.5% |
| Nikkei 225 | 22,334.64 | 0.5% | -1.9% | 19.1% |
| Australia 200 | 5,912.00 | -0.2% | -2.5% | 7.0% |
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific | 171.87 | -0.7% | -1.1% | 28.7% |
| World (US$) | ||||
| MSCI World (Developed) | 2,076.74 | -0.2% | -1.3% | 20.1% |
| MSCI AC World (Dev & Em) | 506.32 | -0.3% | -1.3% | 21.6% |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 1,140.27 | -1.2% | -1.6% | 34.2% |
| MSCI AC World Value | 218.59 | -0.3% | -2.4% | 15.2% |
| MSCI AC World Growth | 276.22 | -0.4% | -0.2% | 28.3% |
| Fixed Income | ||||
| FTSE Gilts All Stocks | 3,521.77 | 0.2% | -1.9% | 3.0% |
| FTSE Index Linked All Stocks | 619.27 | 0.6% | -4.4% | 2.3% |
| ML Sterling Corporate Bonds | 391.99 | 0.0% | -2.2% | 5.7% |
| ML Global High Yield Bonds | 376.66 | -0.3% | -0.2% | 9.7% |
| Commodities (US$) | ||||
| Brent Crude Oil | 74.00 | 0.2% | 12.5% | 14.5% |
| Gold | 1,322.34 | -0.7% | 1.2% | 11.8% |
| UK Sectors | ||||
| Basic Materials | 6,245.21 | -1.8% | -1.1% | 25.0% |
| Consumer Goods and Services | 19,221.61 | 1.2% | -14.0% | 13.6% |
| Financials | 5,258.99 | -0.8% | -2.9% | 13.3% |
| Health Care | 9,686.68 | -1.8% | 1.8% | -3.7% |
| Industrials | 4,059.93 | -0.7% | -3.8% | 9.0% |
| Oil & Gas | 9,231.10 | -1.1% | 1.9% | 6.0% |
| Technology | 1,799.50 | -1.4% | -21.8% | 23.5% |
| Telecommunications | 2,992.25 | -1.3% | -11.6% | 0.1% |
| Utilities | 6,946.55 | 0.6% | -5.3% | -14.8% |
| Currencies | ||||
| $ per £ | 1.40 | 0.3% | 3.4% | 9.5% |
| € per £ | 1.14 | -0.2% | 1.4% | -4.0% |
| ¥ per £ | 151.97 | -0.2% | -0.2% | 5.3% |
| Indicators | ||||
| VIX Index (Volatility) | 17.84 | -1.0% | 61.6% | -21.4% |
| Baltic Dry Index | 1,376.00 | 3.5% | 0.7% | 42.1% |