- FTSE 100 index closes down 62 points
- Wall Street indices in positive territory
- Tech in focus as Tesla and Microsoft report later
5.15pm: FTSE 100 closes in red
FTSE 100 index finished in the red mid-week as renewed China/US tensions hit sentiment.
The UK's index of premier shares closed down over 62 points, or 1%, at 6,207.
Midcap FTSE 250 also lagged, dropping around 36 points to 17,465.
"Rising tensions between the US and China has dampened the mood in the markets. The US government ordered the closure of Chinas consulate in Houston, and the Beijing administration has vowed to retaliate," noted David Madden, analyst at CMC Markets.
Share dealers dropped stocks on the day after coming from a relatively strong position after the €750 billion rescue deal from the EU and hopes for a vaccine for the pandemic, he also suggested.
Gold and silver prices though were on fire, with the latter hitting its highest level since October 2013 and gold reaching a price last seen in September 2011.
This augured well for Mexican silver miner Fresnillo (LON:FRES), whose shares surged 9.59% to 1,171.50p to make it among Footsie's top risers.
In its quarterly results, the firm maintained silver production guidance for the full year in a range of 51- 56mln ounces, while gold production is now expected to be around 785,000-815,000 ouces, down from 815,000-900,000 ounces.
US and Canada 4pm/11 EST
Wall Street got off to a mixed start on Wednesday despite coronavirus and China-related jitters. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 73 points at 26,913. The S&P 500 gained around four points at 3,261. The Nasdaq index was down around one points at 10,679. Meanwhile, in Canada, the S&P/TSX Composite index shed around 28 points at 16,134.
Proactive North America headlines:
HighGold Mining (CVE:HIGH) (OTCQX:HGGOF) expands drill program at Johnson Tract project in Alaska to 15,000 metres
Gatling Exploration Inc (CVE:GTR) (OTCQX:GATGF) appoints industry veteran Jody Dahrouge to board of directors
1933 Industries (CSE:TGIF) (OTCQX:GIFF) enters high value cannabis flower market in Nevada
Zynerba Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ZYNE to present Zygel CBD gel caregiver data at Fragile X Syndrome conference
Endeavour Mining Corp ((TSE:EDV) (OTCQX:EDVMF) boosts Houndé mine's resource base by an additional 554,000 gold ounces
Q Biomed (OTCMKTS:QBIO) to scale-up production of potential liver cancer chemotherapeutic Uttroside-B as it gears up for IND filing
Mota Ventures (CSE:MOTA) (OTCPINK:PEMTF) embarks on European expansion through joint venture agreement with Franchise Cannabis
Benchmark Metals Inc (CVE:BNCH) (OTCQB:CYRTF) updates on successful Lawyer's project drilling where a fifth rig has been added
Nabis Holdings (CSE:NAB) (OTCMKTS:NABIF) sees top line revenue and gross margins increase from its Arizona cannabis operations
Genprex (NASDAQ:GNPX) gets price target bump, repeat Outperform rating from Noble Capital analysts
4pm: FTSE renews fall as oilers slide
The FTSE 100 has resumed its earlier slide, now down 63 points or 1% to 6,206 with oil heavyweights the cause.
Shell (LON:RDSB) and BP (LON:BP.) are now among the big fallers after oil prices dribbled lower after US oil stockpiles rose more than expected.
Across the Atlantic, the Dow Jones is in the green, up 0.2%, but the S&P is now just above flat and the Nasdaq Composite is in the red, down 0.2%.
Other US data just released on home sales showed June was the biggest rise on record, with sales excluding new builds jumping 21% compared to May, to an annual rate of 4.7mln.
But it was slightly lower than expected, with the National Association of Realtors home sales this year still well down on last year.
3.07pm: US stocks get off to positive start
A fat lot of use the pre-market predictions were, as Wall Streets main equity indices have got off to a positive start in early trading.
Both the Dow Jones and S&P 500 traded marginally in the red for the first couple of minutes, but quickly climbed above the waterline.
The Dow was up 86 points or 0.3% to 26,926.00 after half an hour, with the S&P rising 0.25% and the Nasdaq Composite climbing 0.5% as it makes an assault on its all-time high from early yesterday.
Leading the Dow were names such as Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and McDonalds (NYSE:MCD), while among the tech giants, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) are up ahead of their results later, though Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is in the red.
The US open has not changed the story back in the UK, though, with the FTSE down 54 points or 0.9% at 6,216.08.
2.04pm: Stocks hit by Trump
The FTSE 100 is inching away from the worst of its daily losses but US stocks are heading for a sweep of red across the board on Wednesday, according to the futures market.
Traders are putting the blame on Donald Trumps comments overnight that the virus is likely to “get worse”.
This has acted as a wakeup call for investors, says Connor Campbell at Spreadex.
“When a man as foolish and dangerous as Trump feels the need to start taking something seriously, despite a deep-seated wish to protect businesses at the cost of everything else, it is probably a sign that were in a pretty sticky situation.
“And however often the markets have tried to kid themselves otherwise, we are still very much in the thick of it regarding the covid-19 crisis, especially in the United States.”
Microsofts earnings are expected to be a big focus later, though the tech giant is in the headlines already as Slack has filed an EU antitrust complaint against it.
Slack has alleged that the tying of Microsofts Teams software to its office suite violates EU law.
In London, the Footsie losses on the day have been cut below 50 to 6,219.98.
RBS (LON:RBS) has just now confirmed that its name has now officially been changed to NatWest Group PLC and registered at Companies House in Edinburgh.
Trading in NatWest ordinary shares will begin under the new name and an updated ticker, NWG, from tomorrow, July 23, with its ADRs on the New York Stock Exchange also moving to the new name and ticker.
12.40pm: Wall Street set for mixed start
Wall Street is expected to make a mixed start on Wednesday, while London stocks are chipping away at their losses from earlier in the morning.
The Dow Jones and S&P 500 are both expected to retreat after the opening bell, while the tech-jammed Nasdaq is seen buzzing higher, all three reversing their respective moves from the day before.
Commodities prices, such as crude oil and copper, plus a rally in US Treasuries, comes as “investors fear escalating tensions between the US-China will dampen the global outlook for technology and trade”, said market analyst Edward Maya at Oanda.
The US closed the Chinese consulate in Houston, with the State Department saying this was based on the need to protect American intellectual property and Americans private information, prompting China to consider the closure of the US consulate in Wuhan.
With Wall Street little apprehensive going into todays big tech earnings day, with Tesla and Microsoft reporting after the closing bell, Moya said “the China consulate action made it an easy decision for traders to head for the sidelines”.
In London, the FTSE has moved to 6,214, reducing its losses to 55 points or 0.9% on the day.
Almost all of the Footsies largest companies are firmly in the red, with only Reckitt Benckiser (LON:RB.) and LSE (LON:LSE) in the green among the indexs 20 biggest PLCs.
11.40am: Mid caps reverse gains
The FTSE 100 has taken a breather at a level 1% below where it finished yesterday as traders cast about for new catalysts, but small caps have reversed earlier gains.
London's large cap benchmark was down 65 points at just over 6,206.
However, the mid caps of the FTSE 250 are heading lower after starting the day on the front foot, down 0.5% to 17,408.
Property groups Hammerson (LON:HMSO) and St Modwen Properties (LON:SMP) are leading the falls after the latter sharply wrote down the value of two assets.
Hammerson was the most shorted UK-listed company this month, with 13.9% of its shares subject to short positions by hedge funds, according to new research.
Also of interest to property and retail investors, there was a leftfield report out earlier from the Social Market Foundation thinktank, suggesting UK town centres should be turned into residential hubs, creating at least 800,000 homes.
The thinktank said the decline of the traditional high street and the rise of homeworking meant policies to revitalise high streets were futile and that empty stores should turned into homes or be torn down to allow the building of apartments to support “new and more beneficial uses for town-centre sites”.
10.45am: FTSE fall steepens
Stocks are falling in London and across Europe as investors take profits and China tensions creep back up.
The Footsie index has steepened its descent as Wednesday morning went on, now down 64 points or 1% to 6,206.22.
Stock markets were handing back some of the gains that were achieved in the past few sessions, said market analyst David Madden at CMC.
“The bullish move in recent days was connected to the EUs €750 billion rescue fund meeting, and confirmation came through yesterday that a deal was struck.
“Now that the dust has settled, some dealers are banking their profits.”
In the past hour, it was announced the US government ordered one of its Chinese consulates to close, which Madden said had added to the cautious mood.
“Tensions between the US and China have been brewing recently in relation to Hong Kong, and this could be the next chapter of the frosty relations between the two countries.”
Bringing the UK back into the mix after relations were soured by the Huawei telecoms network decision this month, tensions were further elevated yesterday by unsubstantiated comments from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his day trip to London to meet MPs yesterday, where he accused the Peoples Republic of “buying” support from the World Health Organisation.
“I cant say more, but I can tell, Im saying this on a firm intelligence foundation, a deal was made … there was a deal making election and when push came to shove, you get dead Britons,” Pompeo is quoted as saying.
9.40am: Dull turns to distinctly downbeat
The FTSE 100 has continued its downward path, in sync with other European indices.
Londons blue chip index has fallen 39 points or 0.6% to 6,230.26, led by travel and leisure stocks, aerospace and financials.
With aero and auto engineer Melrose leading the way, other major fallers include Asia-focused Burberry (LON:BRBY), HSBC (LON:HSBA) and Prudential (LON:PRU).
The Footsies high proportion over overseas focused stocks is under extra pressure with the pound having hit its best level in a month.
Sterling could not keep up the momentum, however, and has retreated 0.6% to US$1.2655.
“It has been an interesting start to the second half for the markets as they swing between despair at the mounting number of Covid-19 cases across the globe and hope driven by financial stimulus and developments on a potential vaccine,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
The downbeat feel to markets on Wednesday followed a mixed session in the US after President Trump admitted the coronavirus pandemic is likely to “get worse before it gets better”, which fed into a mostly negative session in Asia.
“Earnings later from Microsoft and Tesla could help define the trading pattern for the remainder of the week,” said Mould. (PREVIEW: Microsoft and Tesla earnings put tech sector in spotlight.)
“Corporate news should also pick up in the UK from next week onwards as first-half results reveal the full damage wrought by coronavirus.”
8.50am: Dull early progress
The FTSE 100 index retreated in early trade on Wednesday as investors piled into gold again as the price of the yellow metal, a haven in times of uncertainty, appeared to signal something that world stock markets are continuing to ignore.
The UK benchmark was down 29 points to 6,240.62.
The value of an ounce of the yellow metal is currently bubbling just under the record levels last seen in 2011, and is set to hit US$2,000 this year, according to American investment bank Citi.
This momentum perhaps reflects a more realistic assessment of the prospects for the world economy faced with a worsening coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the US and a second spike in countries with the spread supposedly under control.
The dollar fell for a fourth day as US President, Donald Trump warned the coronavirus spread will likely get worse before it improves, while receding crude oil futures reflected widespread pessimism over global growth.
Scores on the doors
Fresnillo (LON:FRES), a Mexican silver miner whose share price is closely aligned to the fortunes of gold, was up 6.7% early on, as it posted a mixed quarterly production update. Polymetal (LON:POLY) rose 3.2%.
A coronavirus lockdown DIY boom was behind the strong showing from B&Q owner Kingfisher (LON:KGF), which advanced 10.9% in the wake of an upbeat trading update.
Melrose Industries (LON:MLRO), owner of aero-engineer GKN, tumbled 13% after it said its losses had continued to mount up and it warned job cuts were “inevitable”.
Proactive news headlines:
Itaconix PLC (LON:ITX) (OTCQB:ITXXF) said it has continued to enjoy improved momentum in its first-half with strong demand for its range of specialty polymers. In a trading update for the half-year to June 30, 2020, the leading innovator in sustainable specialty polymers, said unaudited revenues for the first six months of the year were US$1.1mln, representing around 80% growth over the equivalent period in 2019 and about 62% over the second half of 2019. Itaconix said volumes and revenues increased from new and recurring orders in detergent, odour control, and personal care applications.
Zoetic International PLC (LON:ZOE) has made a three-pronged change to streamline its cultivation strategy. The cannabinoid (CBD) specialist is expanding its seed testing programme via a partnership with GVB Biopharma; it is terminating the lease on its Colorado production facility; and it has struck a European joint-venture to grow high-quality hemp seeds.
ADM Energy PLC (LON:ADME) (FSE:P4JC), a natural resources investing company, has announced the appointment of influential German industry investor Dr Stefan Liebing to its board as a non-executive director with immediate effect. Liebing is the chairman of Afrika-Verein der deutschen Wirtschaft e.V., the prestigious German-African Business Association, where, as part of his role, he advises the German Government on investment in Africa. He chaired the G20 Compact with Africa investment summits in 2018 and 2019, held under the patronage of Chancellor Angela Merkel. He is the CEO of Conjuncta GmbH, a boutique investment and project development company. Previously, Liebing was a director of International Gas Business at EnBW Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg AG, one of the largest energy supply companies in Europe, and earlier in his career held various senior positions at Royal Dutch Shell.
Scancell Holdings PLC (LON:SCLP) has unveiled plans to raise up to £15mln to support the continued initial development of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine as well as clinical trials and partnering discussions for its antibody technology. The immunotherapy developer said it is planning to raise £5mln through a subscription of 90.9mln new shares at a price of 5.5p each, a 19.7% discount to its closing price on Tuesday, to US specialist healthcare investor Redmile Group. Scancell said it will also offer a subscription for convertible loan notes with an aggregate principal amount of £6mln and conversion price of 6.2p per share, with £5mln to be subscribed for by Redmile and £1mln in to be subscribed for by Vulpes, one of its substantial shareholders. The company is also planning to raise £2mln through a placing with new and existing shareholders at 5.5p, of which Vulpes intends to subscribe for 18.18mln shares for £1mln, as well as an open offer of up to £2mln at the same price to qualifying shareholders.
Metal Tiger PLC (LON:MTR) said it has invested in Toronto-listed Pan Global Resources Inc (CVE:PGZ) via a share subscription. It has invested the equivalent of £146,000, buying 1.38mln units – comprising one share and one half-share warrant – priced at 18 Canadian cents per unit. Pan Global is a Spain-focused base-metals explorer with two projects, Aguilas and Escacena, with the latter being the main focus.
Iofina PLC (LON:IOF) said its performance in the first half has been “solid in spite of the difficult events affecting the world” as it updated on production from its iodine plants during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The AIM-listed chemical products group said it produced 284.4 metric tonnes (MT) of crystalline iodine in the first half of 2020, in line with the 286.7 MT produced a year earlier. With all Read More – Source
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