Daily News – 27 March 2018
Investment Market Update
Asia
Asian stocks were up as they followed Wall Street’s lead and rose sharply on Tuesday, as hopes grew that a trade war between the US and China could be averted.
US
US stocks were up on Monday as they staged a powerful rebound, surging on signs that recent trade tensions were easing as the Dow Jones Industrial Average notched its third biggest point gain ever.
UK
UK stocks were down on Monday as the pound strengthened sending big cap shares lower, although resource stocks gave some support.
Headlines
The US Federal Trade Commission will investigate Facebook over how private data on millions of users was given to Cambridge Analytica. The social network has been criticised for letting the analysis firm scoop up data on 50 million users. The information is believed to have been used to help Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign for US president.
Debt on UK credit cards is growing at the fastest rate since before the financial crisis, figures show. The more regular use of these cards for smaller, contactless purchases explains in part the greater debt being built up over short periods. However, figures from UK Finance show that the annual growth rate in outstanding credit card debt of 8.3% in February was the highest for 12 years.
Market data
| Price | 1d | YTD | 2017 | |
| UK (£) | ||||
| FTSE 100 | 6,888.69 | -0.5% | -10.4% | 7.6% |
| FTSE 250 | 19,187.09 | -0.7% | -7.4% | 14.7% |
| FTSE All Share | 3,810.81 | -0.5% | -9.7% | 9.0% |
| FTSE Small Cap | 5,575.74 | -0.3% | -5.7% | 14.9% |
| Europe (€) | ||||
| Euro Stoxx 600 | 363.18 | -0.7% | -6.7% | 7.7% |
| DAX 30 | 11,787.26 | -0.8% | -8.8% | 12.5% |
| CAC 40 | 5,066.28 | -0.6% | -4.6% | 9.3% |
| US (US$) | ||||
| S&P 500 | 2,658.55 | 2.7% | -0.6% | 19.4% |
| Dow Jones Ind | 24,202.60 | 2.8% | -2.1% | 25.1% |
| NASDAQ | 7,220.54 | 3.3% | 4.6% | 28.2% |
| Asia | ||||
| Hang Seng | 30,807.53 | 0.8% | 3.0% | 38.5% |
| Nikkei 225 | 21,267.75 | 2.4% | -6.6% | 19.1% |
| Australia 200 | 5,832.30 | 0.7% | -3.8% | 7.0% |
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific | 172.83 | 0.5% | -0.6% | 28.7% |
| World (US$) | ||||
| MSCI World (Developed) | 2,069.13 | 1.6% | -1.6% | 20.1% |
| MSCI AC World (Dev & Em) | 506.90 | 1.5% | -1.2% | 21.6% |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 1,182.28 | 0.9% | 2.1% | 34.2% |
| MSCI AC World Value | 216.26 | 1.3% | -3.5% | 15.2% |
| MSCI AC World Growth | 279.68 | 1.7% | 1.0% | 28.3% |
| Fixed Income | ||||
| FTSE Gilts All Stocks | 3,576.68 | 0.1% | -0.3% | 3.0% |
| FTSE Index Linked All Stocks | 640.03 | 0.0% | -1.2% | 2.3% |
| ML Sterling Corporate Bonds | 393.09 | 0.0% | -1.9% | 5.7% |
| ML Global High Yield Bonds | 377.10 | 0.2% | -0.1% | 9.7% |
| Commodities (US$) | ||||
| Brent Crude Oil | 70.12 | -0.5% | 6.1% | 14.5% |
| Gold | 1,355.39 | 0.6% | 3.8% | 11.8% |
| UK Sectors | ||||
| Basic Materials | 5,854.63 | -0.9% | -7.3% | 25.0% |
| Consumer Goods and Services | 18,718.45 | -0.7% | -16.3% | 13.6% |
| Financials | 5,036.92 | -0.4% | -7.0% | 13.3% |
| Health Care | 8,784.88 | -1.0% | -7.7% | -3.7% |
| Industrials | 3,810.81 | -0.5% | -9.7% | 9.0% |
| Oil & Gas | 8,122.24 | 0.7% | -10.4% | 6.0% |
| Technology | 1,652.16 | -1.1% | -28.2% | 23.5% |
| Telecommunications | 2,741.09 | -1.2% | -19.0% | 0.1% |
| Utilities | 6,412.08 | -0.2% | -12.6% | -14.8% |
| Currencies | ||||
| $ per £ | 1.41 | -0.6% | 4.6% | 9.5% |
| € per £ | 1.14 | 0.1% | 1.6% | -4.0% |
| ¥ per £ | 148.02 | -1.0% | -2.8% | 5.3% |
| Indicators | ||||
| VIX Index (Volatility) | 21.03 | -15.4% | 90.5% | -21.4% |
| Baltic Dry Index | 1,126.00 | 0.4% | -17.6% | 42.1% |