Daily News – 2 March 2018
Investment Market Update
Asia
Asian shares dropped on Friday, adding to global stock market losses after President Donald Trump vowed to impose stiff steel and aluminum tariffs, sparking fears of a trade war.
US
US stocks were down after Donald Trump said the US would begin imposing heavy tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium, pushing the market lower.
UK
UK stocks closed lower Thursday, after advertising giant WPP reported its worst results since the financial crisis and a gauge of British factory activity fell to its weakest in eight months.
Headlines
National Grid’s first “gas deficit warning” for eight years has been withdrawn. The power operator issued the warning on Thursday, saying it might not have enough gas to meet demand due to the current cold snap gripping the UK. The warning was a call to the market to boost supplies. National Grid said it did not anticipate having to issue a fresh warning on Friday, but would do if supplies dropped off again.
The main trading partners of the US have reacted angrily after President Donald Trump announced plans to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. Canada and the EU said they would bring forward their own countermeasures to the steep new tariffs. Mexico, China and Brazil have also said they are weighing up retaliatory steps.
Market data
| Price | 1d | YTD | 2017 | |
| UK (£) | ||||
| FTSE 100 | 7,175.64 | -0.8% | -6.7% | 7.6% |
| FTSE 250 | 19,551.70 | -0.7% | -5.7% | 14.7% |
| FTSE All Share | 3,953.28 | -0.7% | -6.4% | 9.0% |
| FTSE Small Cap | 5,738.40 | 0.6% | -2.9% | 14.9% |
| Europe (€) | ||||
| Euro Stoxx 600 | 374.86 | -1.3% | -3.7% | 7.7% |
| DAX 30 | 12,190.94 | -2.0% | -5.6% | 12.5% |
| CAC 40 | 5,262.56 | -1.1% | -0.9% | 9.3% |
| US (US$) | ||||
| S&P 500 | 2,677.67 | -1.3% | 0.2% | 19.4% |
| Dow Jones Ind | 24,608.98 | -1.7% | -0.4% | 25.1% |
| NASDAQ | 7,180.56 | -1.3% | 4.0% | 28.2% |
| Asia | ||||
| Hang Seng | 30,577.73 | -1.5% | 2.2% | 38.5% |
| Nikkei 225 | 21,181.64 | -2.5% | -7.0% | 19.1% |
| Australia 200 | 5,928.90 | -0.7% | -2.2% | 7.0% |
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific | 175.76 | -0.9% | 1.1% | 28.7% |
| World (US$) | ||||
| MSCI World (Developed) | 2,089.98 | -1.3% | -0.6% | 20.1% |
| MSCI AC World (Dev & Em) | 511.90 | -1.2% | -0.2% | 21.6% |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 1,192.25 | -0.2% | 2.9% | 34.2% |
| MSCI AC World Value | 219.87 | -1.1% | -1.9% | 15.2% |
| MSCI AC World Growth | 280.64 | -1.3% | 1.4% | 28.3% |
| Fixed Income | ||||
| FTSE Gilts All Stocks | 3,537.55 | 0.3% | -1.4% | 3.0% |
| FTSE Index Linked All Stocks | 634.23 | 0.3% | -2.1% | 2.3% |
| ML Sterling Corporate Bonds | 394.29 | 0.2% | -1.6% | 5.7% |
| ML Global High Yield Bonds | 377.02 | -0.2% | -0.1% | 9.7% |
| Commodities (US$) | ||||
| Brent Crude Oil | 63.83 | -1.4% | -3.4% | 14.5% |
| Gold | 1,309.81 | -0.7% | 0.3% | 11.8% |
| UK Sectors | ||||
| Basic Materials | 6,114.08 | -2.4% | -3.2% | 25.0% |
| Consumer Goods and Services | 19,556.58 | -0.8% | -12.5% | 13.6% |
| Financials | 5,232.33 | -0.5% | -3.4% | 13.3% |
| Health Care | 8,911.97 | 0.4% | -6.3% | -3.7% |
| Industrials | 3,953.28 | -0.7% | -6.4% | 9.0% |
| Oil & Gas | 8,301.27 | -0.4% | -8.4% | 6.0% |
| Technology | 2,049.58 | -0.5% | -11.0% | 23.5% |
| Telecommunications | 2,945.55 | -0.4% | -12.9% | 0.1% |
| Utilities | 6,433.16 | 0.2% | -12.3% | -14.8% |
| Currencies | ||||
| $ per £ | 1.38 | 0.4% | 2.0% | 9.5% |
| € per £ | 1.13 | 0.4% | 0.3% | -4.0% |
| ¥ per £ | 147.14 | 0.3% | -3.3% | 5.3% |
| Indicators | ||||
| VIX Index (Volatility) | 22.47 | 13.2% | 103.5% | -21.4% |
| Baltic Dry Index | 1,196.00 | 0.3% | -12.4% | 42.1% |