Daily News – 30 April 2018
Investment Market Update
Asia
Asian stocks rose, as investors focused on a mix of ebbing geopolitical tensions, robust earnings and economic data.
US
US stocks are little changed, as investors expressed muted enthusiasm following strong corporate results, even from some of the market’s biggest and most influential companies.
UK
UK stocks rose to its highest finish since 31 January. It’s mainly due to the slide in the pound, which pushes up the value of exporters.
Headlines
Sainsbury’s has confirmed plans to merge with Asda, currently owned by US supermarket giant Walmart. The supermarkets said that grocery prices would fall in both stores as a result of the merger.
US telecoms giant T-Mobile has agreed to buy its rival Sprint in a $26bn (£18.9bn) deal. The merger of America’s third and fourth largest mobile carriers is designed to create a more competitive firm with about 130 million customers.
Market data
| Price | 1d | YTD | 2017 | |
| UK (£) | ||||
| FTSE 100 | 7,502.21 | 1.10% | -2.40% | 7.60% |
| FTSE 250 | 20,271.63 | 0.70% | -2.20% | 14.70% |
| FTSE All Share | 4,123.92 | 1.00% | -2.30% | 9.00% |
| FTSE Small Cap | 5,855.21 | 0.30% | -1.00% | 14.90% |
| Europe (€) | ||||
| Euro Stoxx 600 | 384.64 | 0.20% | -1.20% | 7.70% |
| DAX 30 | 12,580.87 | 0.60% | -2.60% | 12.50% |
| CAC 40 | 5,483.19 | 0.50% | 3.20% | 9.30% |
| US (US$) | ||||
| S&P 500 | 2,669.91 | 0.10% | -0.10% | 19.40% |
| Dow Jones Ind | 24,311.19 | 0.00% | -1.70% | 25.10% |
| NASDAQ | 7,119.80 | 0.00% | 3.10% | 28.20% |
| Asia | ||||
| Hang Seng | 30,748.21 | 1.50% | 2.80% | 38.50% |
| Nikkei 225 | 22,467.87 | 0.00% | -1.30% | 19.10% |
| Australia 200 | 5,985.70 | 0.50% | -1.30% | 7.00% |
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific | 173.268 | 0.80% | -0.30% | 28.70% |
| World (US$) | ||||
| MSCI World (Developed) | 2,096.05 | 0.20% | -0.40% | 20.10% |
| MSCI AC World (Dev & Em) | 511.314 | 0.30% | -0.30% | 21.60% |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 1,156.30 | 1.00% | -0.20% | 34.20% |
| MSCI AC World Value | 219.928 | 0.30% | -1.80% | 15.20% |
| MSCI AC World Growth | 279.937 | 0.30% | 1.10% | 28.30% |
| Fixed Income | ||||
| FTSE Gilts All Stocks | 3,550.53 | 0.40% | -1.10% | 3.00% |
| FTSE Index Linked All Stocks | 625.01 | 0.40% | -3.50% | 2.30% |
| ML Sterling Corporate Bonds | 394.259 | 0.40% | -1.60% | 5.70% |
| ML Global High Yield Bonds | 376.813 | 0.00% | -0.20% | 9.70% |
| Commodities (US$) | ||||
| Brent Crude Oil | 74.64 | -0.10% | 13.50% | 14.50% |
| Gold | 1,321.80 | 0.30% | 1.20% | 11.80% |
| UK Sectors | ||||
| Basic Materials | 6,270.64 | 0.60% | -0.70% | 25.00% |
| Consumer Goods and Services | 19,894.11 | 1.90% | -11.00% | 13.60% |
| Financials | 5,295.42 | 0.70% | -2.20% | 13.30% |
| Health Care | 9,936.19 | 1.70% | 4.40% | -3.70% |
| Industrials | 4,123.92 | 1.00% | -2.30% | 9.00% |
| Oil & Gas | 9,318.68 | 0.80% | 2.90% | 6.00% |
| Technology | 1,825.44 | 0.90% | -20.70% | 23.50% |
| Telecommunications | 3,039.05 | -0.10% | -10.20% | 0.10% |
| Utilities | 7,240.63 | 1.70% | -1.30% | -14.80% |
| Currencies | ||||
| $ per £ | 1.393 | 1.10% | 3.10% | 9.50% |
| € per £ | 1.1488 | 1.10% | 2.00% | -4.00% |
| ¥ per £ | 152.125 | 1.20% | -0.10% | 5.30% |
| Indicators | ||||
| VIX Index (Volatility) | 15.41 | -5.10% | 39.60% | -21.40% |
| Baltic Dry Index | 1,361.00 | -1.00% | -0.40% | 42.14% |