Daily News – 3 May 2018
Investment Market Update
Asia
Asian stocks fell for a third day after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady and indicated it would let inflation rise to its target, without signaling any intention of departing from a gradual tightening. Japan markets were shut for a two-day holiday.
US
US stocks retreated with 10 of 11 industry groups falling as investors weighed the Federal Reserve’s signal that it’s in not in a hurry to raise rates even as inflation hits its target.
UK
UK stocks rose, as a rebound in metal prices sent mining stocks to the top of the FTSE 100 index. The sector was benefiting from stronger metal prices sparked by stronger data out of China and some relief over the state of global trade relations.
Headlines
The closure of Cambridge Analytica will not stop a probe into the firm’s handling of millions of people’s data, investigators have said. The firm has been accused of acquiring data from up to 87 million Facebook profiles for use in political campaigns.
The European Union economy slowed in the first quarter of the year, official Eurostat figures have showed. Economic growth in the eurozone slowed to 0.4% for the period from January to March 2018, compared with 0.7% in the previous quarter.
Market data
| Price | 1d | YTD | 2017 | |
| UK (£) | ||||
| FTSE 100 | 7,543.20 | 0.3% | -1.9% | 7.6% |
| FTSE 250 | 20,506.27 | 0.8% | -1.1% | 14.7% |
| FTSE All Share | 4,150.85 | 0.4% | -1.7% | 9.0% |
| FTSE Small Cap | 5,899.20 | 0.2% | -0.2% | 14.9% |
| Europe (€) | ||||
| Euro Stoxx 600 | 387.44 | 0.6% | -0.4% | 7.7% |
| DAX 30 | 12,802.25 | 1.5% | -0.9% | 12.5% |
| CAC 40 | 5,529.22 | 0.2% | 4.1% | 9.3% |
| US (US$) | ||||
| S&P 500 | 2,635.67 | -0.7% | -1.4% | 19.4% |
| Dow Jones Ind | 23,924.98 | -0.7% | -3.2% | 25.1% |
| NASDAQ | 7,100.90 | -0.4% | 2.9% | 28.2% |
| Asia | ||||
| Hang Seng | 30,343.31 | -1.2% | 1.4% | 38.5% |
| Nikkei 225 | 22,472.78 | 0.0% | -1.3% | 19.1% |
| Australia 200 | 6,096.00 | 0.8% | 0.5% | 7.0% |
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific | 173.14 | -0.4% | -0.4% | 28.7% |
| World (US$) | ||||
| MSCI World (Developed) | 2,076.69 | -0.3% | -1.3% | 20.1% |
| MSCI AC World (Dev & Em) | 506.90 | -0.4% | -1.2% | 21.6% |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 1,151.44 | -1.0% | -0.6% | 34.2% |
| MSCI AC World Value | 216.93 | -0.6% | -3.2% | 15.2% |
| MSCI AC World Growth | 278.86 | -0.2% | 0.7% | 28.3% |
| Fixed Income | ||||
| FTSE Gilts All Stocks | 3,545.73 | -0.6% | -1.2% | 3.0% |
| FTSE Index Linked All Stocks | 628.17 | -0.9% | -3.0% | 2.3% |
| ML Sterling Corporate Bonds | 394.13 | -0.4% | -1.7% | 5.7% |
| ML Global High Yield Bonds | 375.56 | 0.0% | -0.5% | 9.7% |
| Commodities (US$) | ||||
| Brent Crude Oil | 73.36 | 0.3% | 12.0% | 14.5% |
| Gold | 1,305.36 | -0.1% | -0.1% | 11.8% |
| UK Sectors | ||||
| Basic Materials | 6,302.33 | 2.7% | -0.2% | 25.0% |
| Consumer Goods and Services | 19,762.03 | -0.2% | -11.6% | 13.6% |
| Financials | 5,336.57 | 0.2% | -1.4% | 13.3% |
| Health Care | 10,012.47 | -0.2% | 5.2% | -3.7% |
| Industrials | 4,150.85 | 0.4% | -1.7% | 9.0% |
| Oil & Gas | 9,389.41 | 0.3% | 3.6% | 6.0% |
| Technology | 1,823.74 | 0.2% | -20.8% | 23.5% |
| Telecommunications | 3,045.74 | 0.6% | -10.0% | 0.1% |
| Utilities | 7,302.02 | 0.4% | -0.4% | -14.8% |
| Currencies | ||||
| $ per £ | 1.36 | 0.2% | 0.8% | 9.5% |
| € per £ | 1.13 | -0.2% | 0.7% | -4.0% |
| ¥ per £ | 149.35 | -0.1% | -1.9% | 5.3% |
| Indicators | ||||
| VIX Index (Volatility) | 15.97 | 3.1% | 44.7% | -21.4% |
| Baltic Dry Index | 1,346.00 | 1.4% | -1.5% | 42.1% |