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JamesIG

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  1. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments 
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 11th June 2018. If you have any queries or questions on this please let us know in the comments section below. For further information regarding dividend adjustments, and how they affect  your positions, please take a look at the video. 

    NB: Special Divs are highlighted in orange 
    Special Dividends
    You can see the special dividends listed below. Unfortunately we do not have granular insight on the effect on the index for the index in question, however the below maybe helpful for some. Please note the dates below are the stock adjustments in the underlying, whilst the index div adjustments are taken out the day before on the IG platform at the cash close.
    Index: NIFTY
    Effective: 14/06/18
    Summary: Special Div of 1000
    How do dividend adjustments work? 
    As you know, constituent stocks of an index will periodically pay dividends to shareholders. When they do, the overall value of the index is effected, causing it to drop by a certain amount. Each week, we receive the forecast for the number of points any index is due to drop by, and we publish this for you. As dividends are scheduled, public events, it is important to remember that leveraged index traders can neither profit nor lose from such price movements.
     
    This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
     
  2. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments 
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 1 Oct 2018. If you have any queries or questions on this please let us know in the comments section below. For further information regarding dividend adjustments, and how they affect  your positions, please take a look at the video. 

    NB: All dividend adjustments are forecasts and therefore speculative. A dividend adjustment is a 
    cash neutral adjustment on your account. Special Divs are highlighted in orange.
    Special dividends 
    You can see the special dividends listed below. Unfortunately we do not have granular insight on the effect on the index for the index in question, however the below maybe helpful for some. Please note the dates below are the stock adjustments in the underlying individual instrument, whilst the index div adjustments are taken out the day before on the IG platform at the cash close.
    Index
    Bloomberg Code
    Effective Date
     Amount
     
    UKX
    BDEV LN
    11/10/2018
    17.3
    AS51
    ASL AU
    03/10/2018
    2.8571
    RTY
    KRNY US
    02/10/2018
    16
    As you know, constituent stocks of an index will periodically pay dividends to shareholders. When they do, the overall value of the index is affected, causing it to drop by a certain amount. Each week, we receive the forecast for the number of points any index is due to drop by, and we publish this for you. As dividends are scheduled, public events, it is important to remember that leveraged index traders can neither profit nor lose from such price movements.
    How do dividend adjustments work? 
      This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  3. JamesIG
    Asian stocks generally up on hopes trade tensions may ease. Hopes of a China - US trade resolution pushed up copper, often seen as a barometer for the economic outlook, dragging behind it miners such as BHP Billiton and Glencore. Venezuela have debased their currency taking off five zeros, along with increase minimum wage by 3000% in and effort to prop up their economy. Yesterday the world trade organisation confirmed that Turkey had lodged a trade dispute against the US. Gold gains as Trumps remarks weigh on the US dollar, whilst oil edges up on tighter US outlook and Iran sanctions. See what's going on with London house prices in the IGTV video featured video below. Asian overnight: Another mixed Asian session overnight, with the Japanese Topix and Australian ASX 200 providing the two negative movers in an otherwise positive session. Donald Trump has downplayed expectations for tomorrow's trade talks between the US and China, yet Chinese stocks managed to gain significant ground nonetheless. Trump also hit out at the Fed over their consistent rate hikes since he came to power, sending the dollar lower. US index futures and most Asian equity markets are trading flat to modestly higher this morning, although China's Shanghai Composite has managed to post significant gains this morning (+1.37%). The scheduled news calendar for today is relatively light and Turkish markets are closed, to removing some of the short term catalysts for volatility.
    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, we have precious few major events of note to look out for. Thus markets will likely to continue to feed off any comments from Donald Trump as we head towards tomorrow's summit.
    South Africa:  The US dollar has weakened and with it aided some gains in commodity prices and strength in emerging market currencies such as the rand. BHP Billiton is down 1.87% in Australia after releasing FY18 results, suggestive of a similar move for the local Billiton listing. Tencent Holdings is down 0.3% in Asia, suggestive of a softer start for major holding company Naspers. With this in mind we expect a flat to marginally lower start on the Jse Top40 Index today. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Persimmon said first-half pre-tax profit rose 13% to £516.3 million, while average selling prices rose 1% to £215,813 over the year. Current forward sales were 6% higher compared to a year earlier, at £2.1 billion.   BHP Billiton said that full-year net profit fell 37% to $3.7 billion, thanks to impairments of $5.2 billion. Underlying profit was 33% higher at $8.93 billion, while revenue was up 21% to $43.64 billion, helped by higher production and increased prices for copper, coal and oil. The dividend was boosted by 20 cents to 63 cents per share.  Wood Group suffered a net loss of $52 million for the first-half, due to a write-down on its EthosEnergy gas turbine services business. Operating profit before exceptionals however rose 74% to $125 million, while revenue was up 13 overall. The dividend was boosted to 11.3 cents per share, from 11.1 cents. It remains on track to hit full-year expectations.  Polymetal reported a 45% jump in first-half profit, to $175 million, while revenue was up 16% to $789 million. The firm enjoyed higher gold production and selling prices in gold, offsetting lower silver output. The dividend was raised to 17 cents per share, from 14 cents a year earlier. . Imperial Holdings  FY18 results showed that excluding businesses held for sale, total revenue and operating profit for the group increased by 13% and 7% respectively. BHP Billiton FY18 results  showed basic earnings per share to have remained flat from the prior financial year.  Harmony Gold FY18 results headline earnings per share to have declined by 38% (in USc) from the prior year. Aggreko upgraded to buy at HSBC
    H&R upgraded to hold at DZ Bank
    Bayer upgraded to buy at Berenberg
    Deutsche Wohnen upgraded to buy at HSBC
    Atlantia downgraded to hold at Santander
    Bodycote downgraded to sell at Panmure Gordon
    Medistim downgraded to sell at SpareBank
    IGTV featured video
    Information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary. 
  4. JamesIG
    European shares seen opening slightly higher Interest rates and details of asset purchases by the ECB remain unchanged after yesterdays meeting. No mention of protectionist policy or further details on the supposed resolution of aluminium and steel tariffs were given by Draghi. Prescription cannabis for medical use is now legal in the UK after a reclassification of the drug. Amazon smash forecasts of $2.54 EPS with a healthy $5.07 for their end of years. Sky broadcaster and broadband provider profits are soaring amidst the Comcast and 21st Century Fox bidding war. Copper is looking to gain this week for the first time in seven. After three days worth of gains oil slipped on a quieter trading day, however the black gold remains supported by Saudi transport disruption. Asian overnight: A somewhat steady, if indecisive session overnight saw moderate gains across the Japanese and Australian indices, while Chinese and Hong Kong markets drifted lower throughout the session. Asian markets are trading marginally lower this morning although the Australian All Ordinaries is up nearly 1%. Yesterday’s Facebook driven losses on the Nasdaq had a limited impact on tech shares in Asia, with Hong Kong the only market to see downside for their tech sector. On the data front, Japanese Tokyo core CPI rose to 0.8% (from 0.7%), in a welcome continuation of the rare rise seen last month.
     
    UK, US and Europe:  US Index Futures are staging a partial rebound this morning after yesterday's Nasdaq led decline following worse than expected results from Facebook.  The dollar has softened overnight and in turn we have seen some marginal gains in commodity prices. Looking ahead, a quiet day from Europe means the focus will be firmly fixed on the US GDP figure, which is expected to rise sharply to over 4%. Trump’s excitement at the ‘best financial numbers on the planet’ could possibly be another lead on the potential release, given his announcement about “looking forward to the jobs numbers” on the day of a massive NFP outperformance back in June.
    The corporate calendar remains busy, with Twitter earnings maintaining the focus on tech stocks today. Meanwhile, we also have the likes of Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Colgate, Merck, and American Airlines numbers to look out for.
    South Africa: The rand is slightly firmer against the majors. BHP Billiton is up 2.2% in Australia, suggestive of a positive start for local diversified miners. Tencent Holdings is down 0.75% in Asia, suggestive of a similar start for major holding company Naspers. Markets are expected to trade cautiously into this afternoons US GDP data release where consensus estimates predict an economic expansion of more than 4% q/q in the worlds largest economy. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    1.30pm – US GDP (Q2, first reading): growth forecast to be 2.1% QoQ. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    3pm – US Michigan confidence index (July, final): forecast to fall to 97.1 from 98.2. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Reckitt Benckiser saw an outperformance in its infant formula business, with a 7% rise in sales for that segment helping drive a 4% increase in like-for-like sales for the business as a whole over the second quarter. It was that bullish development in their infant formula business, particularly in China, which helped raise their full-year sales outlook. Pearson are on track to return the business to profitability this year, after a rise in demand in US and online helped deliver an outperformance for what is traditionally a quiet first half of the year. The second half of the year is usually where the company makes the bulk of its profits, and with first-half adjusted operating profit of £107m, this was well ahead of the £85m expected. BT Group saw a 1% rise in core earnings for the first quarter, thanks largely to cost savings, and strong business in its EE mobile unit. However, the firm also saw underlying revenue down 2%, which fell in line with market expectations. Rightmove saw pre-tax profit rise 12% in the six months to June, with revenue up 10% as their revenue per advertiser rose to £987, from £911. The number of agents using the platform remained largely flat despite housing market struggles, helping enable a 14% rise in their interim dividend, to 25p a share. Oando Plc  Interim results showed turnover increased by 11%, N297.3 billion compared to N267.0 billion (H1 2017). Gross Profit increased by 53%, N51.0 billion compared to N33.4 billion (H1 2017).  Royal Bafokeng Platinum anticipates a loss per share ("LPS") for the six months ended 30 June 2018, of between 13.5 cents and 10.5 cents (representing an improvement of between 10% and 30%), compared to a LPS of 15 cents for the previous corresponding period (the six months ended (30 June 2017). A headline loss per share (“HLPS”) of between 7.5 cents and 4.5 cents (representing an improvement of between 51% and 70.6%) is anticipated, compared to a HLPS of 15.3 cents for the previous corresponding period.  William Hill Upgraded to Hold at Peel Hunt
    Tekmar Group Rated New Buy at Berenberg
    NCC Upgraded to Buy at Berenberg
    Rosneft GDRs Upgraded to Buy at Goldman
    Amerisur Resources Cut to Sector Perform at RBC
    Inchcape Downgraded to Hold at HSBC
    SSE Downgraded to Hold at HSBC
    Ebro Foods Downgraded to Neutral at Haitong
     
    Featured Video
     
    Please note: This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  5. JamesIG
    The Asia equity market ex-Japan are looking at their lowest levels since July last year. Tech sector as a whole was hit by a drop in chip stocks yesterday as well as a knock to social media. Investors are cautious that new U.S. tariffs on China could come into play at any time. Yen and Swiss franc are looking to be bid up for those looking at safe harbours. Non-farm payrolls are out later today. Asian overnight: Yet again trade concerns weighed on Asian markets, with the Hang Seng posting its worst week since February. Tech stocks remain under pressure in both the US and China, with the momentum trade in the Nasdaq seeing a stark turnaround. A rise in US gasoline reserves hit oil prices and helped drive energy stocks lower.
    UK, US and Europe: Yesterday’s ADP numbers were weaker than forecast, so there will be some nervousness among dollar bulls ahead of NFPs this afternoon, while before this we have eurozone GDP figures. Trade war concerns remain front and centre, as the US and China ramp up the tensions.
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    10am – eurozone GDP (Q2): expected to be 0.4% QoQ and 2.2% YoY, from 0.4% and 2.5% respectively. Market to watch: EUR crosses
    1.30pm – US non-farm payrolls (August): NFPs expected to come in at 187K from 157K, while the unemployment rate holds at 3.9%. Average hourly earnings to be 0.3% MoM, in line with last month. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    1.30pm – Canada employment data (August): 15,900 jobs forecast to have been created, from 54,100 a month earlier. Market to watch: CAD crosses
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Playtech said that it has sold its 10% stake in Plus500 for £176 million. The proceeds will be used or general corporate purposes and to reduce net debt.  AstraZeneca said that the FDA had granted a breakthrough therapy label for its asthma treatment.  Aixtron upgraded to hold at Baader Helvea
    BioMerieux upgraded to buy at Kepler Cheuvreux
    Equinor upgraded to buy at SEB Equities
    Idorsia upgraded to hold at Berenberg
    Burberry cut to neutral at Goldman
    MorphoSys downgraded to hold at Berenberg
    Safran downgraded to hold at SocGen
    Shire downgraded to hold at Berenberg
    IGTV featured video
    Information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.  
  6. JamesIG
    Expected index adjustments
    Please see the expected dividend adjustment figures for a number of our major indices for the week commencing 22nd July 2019. If you have any queries or questions on this please let us know in the comments section below. For further information regarding dividend adjustments, and how they affect  your positions, please take a look at the video.  

    NB: All dividend adjustments are forecasts and therefore speculative.
    A dividend adjustment is a cash neutral adjustment on your account.
    Figures  and adjustment dates can be affected by public holidays. Special Divs are highlighted in red.

    How do dividend adjustments work?
    As you know, constituent stocks of an index will periodically pay dividends to shareholders. When they do, the overall value of the index is affected, causing it to drop by a certain amount. Each week, we receive the forecast for the number of points any index is due to drop by, and we publish this for you. As dividends are scheduled, public events, it is important to remember that leveraged index traders can neither profit nor lose from such price movements.
    This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  7. JamesIG
    A lack of trade war news is jumped on by Asian equity markets which rally for a third consecutive session. Boris Johnson follows David Davis and resigns from his position of Foreign Secretary sparking speculation of a rebellion. Oil dropped yesterday after Merkel and Li commit to Iran nuclear deal, before supply shortages and strikes in of oil workers in Norway aided the reversal for brent and WTI to finish up. Gold prices inch up amid the continued Brexit uncertainty, whilst subdued dollar assists commodities.  Asian overnight: Asian markets failed to sustain their overwhelmingly positive start to the week, with the overnight session seeing gains in Japanese and Hong Kong markets counteracted by weakness in China and Australia. Energy stocks were in focus amid a rise in crude prices, while the pound recovered much of the losses seen in the wake of yesterday’s political rollercoaster ride. On the data front, Chinese inflation data moved higher as expected, with CPI rising from 1.8% to 1.9%, while PPI jumped from 4.1% to 4.7%.
    UK, US and Europe: Despite two years of hashing out a brexit plan and continued discussions with the EU, and a confirmation by May that she had secured an agreement on Britains biggest foreign and trading policy in nearly 50 years, two UK MP's quit citing a change of heart in something the cabinet had agreed on last week.  Looking ahead, the UK remains in focus, with the first monthly GDP reading from the ONS set to be released. This comes amid the release of goods trade balance data, industrial, and manufacturing production figures, ensuring the pound remains in focus. Finally, watch out for the ZEW economic survey from Germany, with eurozone sentiment in the spotlight.
    South Africa: Global markets are trading mixed this morning as US Futures continue overnight gains in US equity markets, while the Shanghai Composite and Australia All Ordinaries Indices trade lower today. While the trade war narrative remains in markets investor focus will now find a further catalyst in the US earnings season which commences this week. Precious metal prices are trading relatively unchanged this morning, although base metal prices looked to have commenced with a rebound. The rand has firmed, particularly against a weakening pound following yesterday's resignation of UK ministers. Tencent Holdings is trading 2.3% lower in Asia, suggestive of a similar start today for major holding company Naspers. BHP Billiton is trading 1.09% higher this morning in Australia, suggestive of a positive start for local diversified miners. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    9.30am – UK trade balance (May): deficit forecast to narrow to £1.2 billion from £5.3 billion. Market to watch: GBP crosses
    10am – German ZEW economic sentiment (July): forecast to rise to -14 from -16.1. Market to watch: EUR crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Ocado has seen a first half loss of £9 million, compared to a £7.7 million profit a year ago. Revenue was up 12.1% to £800 million. 
    Kier said that it expected underlying profit to be in line with forecasts, and while poor weather has hit activity, volumes have returned to levels in line with expectations. 
    TP ICAP has downgraded earnings forecasts for the year, due to rising costs and lower-than-forecast benefits from the recent merger. Finance costs will rise, as will staff compensation. 
    Tsogo Sun Holdings - Further to the cautionary announcements issued by Tsogo, the last of which was issued on  SENS on 31 May 2018, the board of directors of Tsogo  is pleased to announce that Akani Egoli Proprietary Limited, Silverstar Casino Proprietary Limited, Tsogo Sun Casinos Proprietary Limited, Tsogo Sun KwaZulu Natal Proprietary Limited and Tsogo Sun Newcastle Proprietary Limited, all  of which are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Tsogo and Tsogo, Listed Investments Proprietary Limited and Cassava Investments Proprietary Limited, have entered into a sale of shares and subscription agreement with Hospitality Property Fund Limited and its wholly-owned  subsidiary Merway Fifth Investments Proprietary Limited for the disposal by the  sellers to Hospitality of a portfolio of seven mixed-use casino precinct properties  for an aggregate purchase consideration of R23 billion.
    Acacia Mining upgraded to overweight at Barclays
    Ascential upgraded to add at Peel Hunt
    Chemring Group raised to overweight at Barclays
    UBS upgrade Barclays Africa from sell to neutral with a target price of 19700c
    Computacenter cut to underweight at Barclays
    Straumann cut to market perform at Bernstein
    Temenos cut to underweight at Barclays
    Featured Video from IGTV
    Please note: This information has been prpared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  8. JamesIG
    Asian market bounced a little on Wednesday morning on continued trade war talks. In the Chinese markets regulators sought to calm the markets. Those with large Chinese export books such as Boeing and machinery manufacturers Caterpillar were hit the hardest with Trump's threat of further tariffs. These may be ones to watch going forward as the trade war unfolds. The ‘big four’ accounting scandal continues with internal report from a Lloyd’s bank employee detailing allegations of misconduct by senior bank staff and KPMG auditors. A drop in US crude inventories and the loss of storage capacity in Libya provided some recovery to oil prices. Bitcoin down around 2am BST after a South Korean exchange was hacked, however we have broadly seen consolidation around these levels for the last 10 daily candles. Think tanks in the UK call on legalisation of cannabis for medical use after high profile case of a young boy who was hospitalised after his cannabis oil, used to aid severe epilepsy, was confiscated. You can see the best marijuana stocks to watch on IG.com Asian Overnight: A largely bullish session overnight saw gains for a number of markets, despite the continued concern over a potential trade war between the US and China. The reasons for this mornings gains are as yet unclear, although there is some suggestion of easing trade war tensions as being the catalyst (we are however not yet convinced of this). This breather in the recent global stock market decline has provided welcome respite, yet issues remain. Oil prices also moved higher, with the OPEC meeting looking increasingly likely to provide volatility, with Iran expected to refuse any production increase, as proposed by Saudi Arabia. 

    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, a roundtable discussion including governors from the RBA, BoE, BoJ, and Fed will be a significant event which will certainly be watched closely for signs of any clues as to future monetary policy changes. Also keep an eye out for the latest existing home sales and crude inventory figures.
    South Africa: Global markets are finding some short term reprieve as US Futures and Asian markets rebound this morning.  The rand has clawed back some strength after the severe weakening we saw yesterday, which could help a partial rebound in local financial counters this morning. BHP Billiton has added 0.75% in Australia this morning, suggestive of a positive start for local retailers. Tencent Holdings has added 1.3% on the Hang Seng suggestive of a similar gains for locally listed Naspers. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    2.30pm – ECB Central Bank Forum, Portugal: the ECB will host central bankers from around the globe, with speeches from RBA governor Lowe, ECB president Draghi, BoJ governor Kuroda and Fed chair Powell. Markets to watch: AUD/USD, EUR/USD, USD/JPY, US Dollar Index
    3pm – US existing home sales (May): forecast to rise 1.5% MoM from a 2.5% drop. Market to watch: USD crosses
    3.30pm – US EIA crude inventories (w/e 15 June): expected to rise by 690,000 barrels from a 4.14 million barrel drop a week earlier. Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Featured video: BCC predicts worst UK growth since 2009
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Sports Direct has sold its interest in US retailer Finish Line.  Sirius Minerals has signed an agreement to sell its fertiliser product to African firm Intercontinental Trade DMCC Dubai. The agreement will last for seven years.  Berkeley Group has raised profit guidance for the two years to 30 April 2019, by £75 million to £1.575 billion. Pre-tax profit for its full-year was up 15.1% to £934.9 million, Revenue was £2.7 billion from £2.72 billion a year earlier.  Tesla has seen volatility the first half of the week as Musk accuses employees of hacks and code changes to production line software under false usernames and unauthorised data exports to third parties. Disney and 21st Century Fox pledge increases to sky and sky news funding, with the later being divested to Disney, to help push through the Fox/Sky merger. Footasylum down over 50% after profit warnings and slashed 2019 growth forecast by Analysts. Full year results show profit before tax down to £1.9m from £8.1m last year due to cost on the back of the companies inclusion in the AIM market. Grindrod (SA) Shareholders are advised that total earnings per share for the six months ending 30 June 2018 is
    expected to be positive (an increase of more than 100%). The prior year comparative period, being
    the six months that ended 30 June 2017, reflected a loss per share of 11.5 cents Sandvik Upgraded to Buy at Goldman
    JP Morgan maintain overweight rating on Naspers (SA) with a target price of 450000c
    SSE Downgraded to Sector Perform at RBC
    Ringmetall Downgraded to Hold at Montega
    SKF Downgraded to Sell at Goldman
    Please note: This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  9. JamesIG
    David Davis resigns from his poll position as Brexit secretary. Sterling feels the pinch.   Global equity markets rally on US jobs relief, whilst dollar falters.  Balanced U.S. jobs data suggest Fed can stay gradual on hikes  Oil inches up whilst gold gains on the weaker dollar. NYSE technology chief has jumped ship to join the Winklevoss ‘bitcoin billionaires’ cryptocurrency venture as their first CTO for Gemini. Asian overnight: Asian markets have seen substantial gains overnight, as we see a continued feedback from Friday’s strong US jobs data and easing fears over the US - China trade war. The US non-farm jobs report alluded to an improving labour market with 213 000 people being added t the payroll last month, where expectation was for 195000 people to have been added. The dollar has softened somewhat lifting commodity prices, in particular that of precious metals.
    UK, US and Europe: The overnight resignation of UK Brexit Secretary David Davis had added a focus onto the pound, with the weekend gap higher erased as markets seek to find answers of what this means for negotiations with the EU. British Chambers of Commerce believe forward looking indicators predicting the growth of the economy are not strong enough to warrant a rate rise at the next MPC meeting on August 2nd. A poll conducted by the group reviewed more than 6000 firms from the UK.
    The economic calendar looks relatively quiet for the day ahead, and that bullish theme overnight seems likely to carry through into European trade. Look out for appearances from ECB governor Mario Draghi, alongside BoE member Broadbent. 
    South Africa:  The rand has managed to claw back some of its recent losses, as outflows from emerging markets halt for the time being. We are expecting broad-based gains on the JSe initially, with a stronger rand aiding a rebound in local banking and retail counters. BHP Billiton is up 2% in Australia suggestive of a positive start for resource counters. Tencent Holdings is up 2.53% suggestive of a positive start for local holding company Naspers.   
    Company earnings: Pepsi will report second quarter results tomorrow, whilst fashion house Burberry and America's Delta Airlines will follow on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. We also see big banknames Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup finish the week on Friday.
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Centamin said that gold production fell 25% in Q2, due to low metal grades at its Egypt mine. Production was expected to be 505,000 to 515,000 ounces for the full year. 
    Purplebricks has completed the acquisition of Canadian estate agency Duproprio/Comfree, for £29.3 million.
    Murray & Roberts Holdings (SA) - Shareholders are referred to the announcement released on SENS today by Aveng regarding a notification received from ATON on Thursday, 5 July 2018, indicating that ATON and its wholly owned subsidiary ATON Austria Holdings GmbH, have in aggregate, acquired an interest in the ordinary shares of Aveng, such that the total interest in the ordinary shares of Aveng now amounts to 25.42% of the total issued ordinary shares of
    Aveng. 
    Beazley upgraded to top pick at RBC
    G4S upgraded to top pick at RBC
    Meggitt upgraded to buy at Berenberg
    TalkTalk upgraded to neutral at JPMorgan
    UBS upgrade Barclays Africa from sell to neutral with a target price of 19700c
    Nedbank Limited’s (SA) national scale rating was upgraded to ‘zaAA+’ from ‘zaAA’ by S&P
    Hargreaves Lansdown cut to underweight at JPMorgan
    Virgin Money cut to equal-weight at Barclays
    Featured Video from IGTV
    Please note: This information has been prpared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  10. JamesIG
    The Trump house looks to impose 10% tariffs on $200 bln of Chinese goods. Shanghai and Hong Kong equity markets drag down the wider overnight Asian session. The bidding war on Sky continues with Murdoch's Fox offering £14/share beating Comcasts previous £12.50. Copper and zinc slide to 1-year low, oil also sharply lower on trade war fears. Asian overnight: Asian markets were back in the red overnight, as Donald Trump has once again ramped up trade war fears, driving away any optimism built in recent days. With Trump starting the process that will ultimately lead to the imposition of tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, there is reason to believe we are entering the next stage of the trade war between the two countries. Unsurprisingly we have seen losses across the board overnight, with the heaviest falls centred upon the Chinese and Hong Kong markets. US and European futures are trading lower this morning as well.
    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, central banks are in focus, with appearances from ECB and BoE governors Mario Draghi and Mark Carney. The big event of the day comes in the form of the Bank of Canada rate decision, where the committee is expected to push interest rates higher for the first time in 2018. Also keep an eye out for US PPI, and crude oil inventories data.
    South Africa: We are expecting a softer open on the local SA index as the trade war narrative see's escalation once again. We have seen some strength returning to the dollar and in turn mostly weaker commodity prices and a softer rand. Tencent is trading 2.3% lower in Asia this morning, suggestive of a similar start for major holding company Naspers. BHP Billiton is trading 1.3% lower in Australia, suggestive of an initial decline for local resource counters. A softer rand is expected to continue to weigh on financial counters as well as local retail counters. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    1.30pm – US PPI (June): forecast to be 0.1% from 0.5% MoM, while core PPI falls to 0.2% from 0.3%. Market to watch: USD crosses
    3pm – Bank of Canada rate decision: rates expected to remain at 1.25%. Market to watch: CAD crosses
    3.30pm – US EIA crude inventories (w/e 6 July): stockpiles expected to fall by 230,000 barrels from a 1.5 million barrel drop a week earlier. Markets to watch: Brent, WTI
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Sky has agreed new terms for its takeover by 21st Century Fox, with the US firm offering £14 per share, up from the previous £10.75 per share.  
    Burberry reported a 3% rise in like-for-like sales for Q1, and there was no change to full year guidance. 
    Indivior said that guidance for its financial year was ‘no longer valid’, as a rival generic product in the US has a major impact on operations. The revenue impact could be $25 million for 2018. 
    Barratt Developments expects record profit for the year, bolstered by Help to Buy. Pre-tax profits are expected to be £835 million, from £765.1 million a year ago. The firm completed 17,579 homes, compared to 17,395 last year, while the number of plots sold was up 4%. 
    Coca-Cola HBC upgraded to buy at Jefferies
    Drax upgraded to outperform at Macquarie
    LPKF upgraded to buy at HSBC
    HSBC upgraded to overweight at JPMorgan
    UBS upgrade Barclays Africa from sell to neutral with a target price of 19700c
    BHP downgraded to hold at Renaissance Capital
    CYBG downgraded to underperform at KBW
    Trelleborg downgraded to hold at SEB Equities
    Virgin Money downgraded to market perform at KBW
    Featured Video from IGTV
    Please note: This information has been prpared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  11. JamesIG
    In a similar manner to our position preview feature you can now see your working order shaping up on the charts as you start creating orders from the ticket.
    Simply input your order direction, size and level and you will be able to see a preview on the chart. You can then decide to drag you Stop and/or Limit from the chart to define their absolute level and see the related Risk/Reward Ratio. Once you are happy with this just place your order from the ticket et voila!
    If you have any comments, feedback, or questions on this please add your thoughts to the comment section below. Client feedback is a driving force behind platform improvements and all suggestions are forwarded to the appropriate project management and product ownership teams.
    NB: You will need to make sure 'position preview' is on - you can toggle this by right clicking on the charts and navigating to 'show'.

  12. JamesIG
    Trump to impose an additional 10% tariff duty on China rising to 25% next year if no deal is reached. China's yuan down on the back of trade war talks, whilst a stimulus package helps support the equity market. Gold's typical 'safe haven' status isn't re enforced this time around, with flow seen into the USD over the precious metal. Nickel, aluminium and bellwether metal copper hit on the LME by the $200bn tariff. Oil drops on the same news. Mining shares also hit as a result and its likely we’ll see some FTSE and European shares gap down on the open.. In the EM space political uncertainty is driving down coffee prices, whilst the Indian rupee drops to near record lows despite PMs best efforts. Elon Musk's SpaceX has named a Japanese billionaire as its first tourist they’ll fly around the moon.  Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund has invested $1bn in a Tesla rival, Lucid motors.
    Asian overnight: Asian markets performed remarkably well overnight, with the Hang Seng and ASX 200 providing the two sour notes on an otherwise resilient session. Chinese markets rose despite Trump implementing 10% tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese goods which will will start on September 24. The decision comes in spite of China's warning that they would not engage in scheduled trade talks if the US implemented these tariffs. This would rise to 25% next year if no deal is reached, and the US has further warned that if China retaliates, it would pursue tariffs on another $267bn worth of imports from China. 
    To an extent this largely writes off any hopes of a resolution in the near-term and instead heightens the risk of Chinese retaliation. However it seems today’s news was largely baked into the price, thus muting the effect. While US markets were weaker overnight, US Index futures are trading marginally firmer this morning and Chinese equity markets significantly firmer today. Elsewhere, the RBA minutes pointed towards a bank which has no inclination to raise rates anytime soon.
    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, there are precious few notable economic releases of note, thus shifting the focus back onto the Chinese trade concerns alongside Brexit.
    South Africa:  Commodity prices are under some pressure this morning while the rand has managed to claw back some further strength against the greenback. BHP Billiton is trading 0.4% lower in Australia suggestive of a weaker start for local diversified resource counters. Tencent Holdings is up 0.2% in Asia, suggestive of a marginally positive start for major holding company naspers. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Spire Healthcare said that pre-tax profit fell 7.9% for the first half, to £8.2 million, while revenue was down 1.1% to £475.6 million. Full-year guidance was also cut, to £120-£125 million.   Ocado reported an 11.5% rise in retail revenue for Q3 to £349 million, while average orders per week rose 11.4% to 283,000.  Centrica upgraded to buy at Goldman
    Fresnillo upgraded to top pick at RBC
    Merlin upgraded to buy at SocGen
    Polymetal upgraded to outperform at RBC
    Investec maintain buy on Barloworld with a target price of 14400c
    Investec upgrades Distell to buy with a target price of 15000c
    CYBG downgraded to hold at Berenberg
    NCC downgraded to hold at SEB Equities
    Vifor Pharma cut to neutral at JPMorgan
    Moody's has placed MTN on review for downgrade 
    IGTV featured video
    Information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary. 
  13. JamesIG
    Earnings solid coming from the US continues to push futures up overnight. Oil prices held steady, supported by a report of rising U.S. crude inventories as well as the introduction of sanctions against Iran. Elon Musk tweeted last night regarding taking Tesla private. Stock up as he quoted a $420 price target. Crypto markets slump following SEC bitcoin ETF delay. Today there’s a 39.1 point FTSE div (updated from 39.0 on the dividend adjustment post) and a 25.8 Dow div. Asian overnight: Another good session for US markets helped to drive Asia higher, while oil prices continued to rise thanks to Iran tensions. Tokyo, Hong Kong and Australia rose, but Shanghai fell 0.6% as trade war fears continued to hit equities there. The US has said that it would be implementing a further 25% in tariffs on $16bn of Chinese imports in two weeks time. Trade balance data from China showed a smaller than expected surplus although exports increased more than expected in July as did imports into the region. While the S&P 500 failed to hit a new record, the index is now within easy distance of a fresh record, proving that bullish sentiment remains strong despite trade war rhetoric.

    UK, US and Europe: UK earnings from key firms such as Prudential, Glencore, and G4S help to offset a lighter macro calendar, although we do have a speech from FOMC member Barkin, plus weekly crude inventories and a New Zealand rate decision.
    South Africa: The Jse Top 40 Index is expected to open flat this morning tempering overnight gains with this mornings losses in global equity markets. Tencent Holdings is trading 1.74% firmer in Asia suggestive of a positive start for major holding company Naspers. BHP Billiton is up 0.95% in Australia suggestive of a positive start for local diversified miners. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Paddy Power Betfair said that pre-tax profit rose to £106 million for the first half, while revenue was up 7%. The dividend was raised 3% to 67p. However, it downgraded its annual earnings guidance, to £460-480 million, from a previous £470-495 million.  Glencore reported a 13% rise in net income for the first half, to $2.8 billion, with a strong performance from metals and minerals and its energy products segments.  PageGroup saw first-half profit rise 18% to £67.2 million, while revenue was up 12% to £751.6 million. The dividend was raised by 5.1% to 4.1p per share, while a special dividend of 12.73p was also declared.  Countrywide upgraded to neutral at Credit Suisse
    Rio Tinto upgraded to add at AlphaValue
    Ibstock upgraded to buy at Goodbody
    Pendragon upgraded to neutral at JPMorgan
    Alstria Office cut to hold at Kepler Cheuvreux
    Maersk downgraded to hold at SEB Equities
    Rotork downgraded to hold at SocGen
    Spire Healthcare downgraded to sell at Berenberg
    Featured Video
      Please note: This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  14. JamesIG
    The ECB announced the end of QE with plans to half asset purchases starting in September. ECB interest rates left unchanged, but hints at "the summer of 2019" for a change. Euro slides. Trump plans to impose $50bn in tariffs on China, met with a pledge of retaliation.  BoJ to keep stimulus unchanged. Brent continued declines as Saudi Arabia and Russia hint that production figures could rise. Unilevel is "extremely unlikely" to remain in the FTSE after it's planned move to Rotterdam. Netflix share price at record high, doubling in value over the last 6 months. UK, US and Europe: Asian markets were down across the board overnight, as the expected US imposition of $50 billion worth of sanctions on Chinese goods stoked fears of an impending trade war. With the possible breakdown of US trade relations with China, alongside a host of G7 allies as seen earlier in the week, it comes as no surprise that we are seeing risk-off sentiment take hold as we move towards the end of the week. The dollar has gained against a broad basket of currencies, while the Euro has weakened considerably following yesterdays dovish ECB press conference. Meanwhile, the BoJ has finished off a week of major central bank announcements, with the widely expected decision to keep their stimulus unchanged.

    Looking ahead, a final eurozone CPI reading has the potential to grab headlines in the morning, with the recent sharp rebound clearly having an influence on ECB thinking. The US session sees a focus on tier two releases such as the Empire state manufacturing survey, industrial production, and the Michigan consumer sentiment number.
    South Africa: The rand has renewed weakness which is expected to weigh on locally listed financial and retail counters, whilst perhaps aiding gains on rand hedge industrial counters. Tencent Holdings is up 0.5% in Asia suggestive of a positive start for major holding company Naspers. BHP Billiton has added 0.5% in Australia suggestive of a slightly positive start for diversified resource counters. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Featured video: History of the US Dollar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Tesco Q1 sales rose 1.8% on a like-for-like basis, and were up 2.3% overall. Like-for-like sales rose 14.3% at the newly-acquired Booker.   Rolls-Royce said that the job cuts announced yesterday would cost £500 million in redundancies and system investments. It said that it remained well-placed to exceed free cash flow of £1 billion by 2020, with a mid-term target of free cash flow per share to exceed £1.  Glencore has agreed to settle a dispute with its former partner in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who had been seeking $3 billion in damages for unpaid royalties.   Carrefour upgraded to neutral at Credit Suisse
    InterContinental raised to neutral at JPMorgan
    SGL upgraded to hold at Kepler Cheuvreux
    Umicore upgraded to buy at Berenberg
    Bossard downgraded to sell at Research Partners
    OHL downgraded to hold at Bankinter Securities
    Campari downgraded to neutral at Citi
    IAG downgraded to neutral at MainFirst
    Please note: This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  15. JamesIG
    Trump tariffs now in effect, however markets have generally priced this in. Fed hints at last nights FOMC that it could raise rates twice more this year. Greenback gains removing some of the earlier gains from GBPUSD. Carney warns that Trumps trade tariffs could damage the global economy knocking up to 2.5 percentage points of global growth over three years, but has warned Trump that these tariffs will hurt the US the most. Carney still upbeat about UK growth. New figures show that UK high street retailers could suffer the ‘worst year on record’. Copper extends losses on worries about global growth. The metal, seen as a bellwether of economic health, has hit a fresh 11 month low in London's LME. This week alone the metal has shed nearly 5% which has put it on it's steepest weekly drop since mid November 2017. Asian overnight: Asian markets were in surprisingly positive mood overnight, as a dovish Fed meeting helped ease any fears over the ramp up in tariffs between the US and China today. The imposition of tariffs on $34 billion worth of goods in either direction have done little to market sentiment, with much of the implications seemingly priced in. However, we have since seen Donald Trump mention the possibility of adding another $300 billion on top of the $200 billion in goods already mentioned in the past. Markets are however gaining despite this trade war result, suggesting that perhaps the news has already been priced in. The rebound in global markets should be treated with caution as we await further retaliation from China and the suggested escalation from the US regarding this matter. Overnight data saw Japanese household spending fall, while average cash holding improved significantly.
    UK, US and Europe: A busy day for the US follows a relatively quiet economic calendar in Europe, with one of the main figures already released in the form of the German industrial production number (2.6% from -1.3%). The focus for most will be the US and Canadian jobs report, with markets set to see whether the headline NFP number will follow the ADP figure lower. With market expectations of a September already elevated, todays jobs figures will add another important piece of that puzzle for traders.
    South Africa: South Africa's local equity market is expected to initially follow gains in the US and Asia, although could trade tentatively into the US employment data releases this afternoon. South Africa's gold and foreign exchange reserves for June 2018 were reported to have been recorded at slightly lower levels than in the previous month. The rand has managed to claw back some strength today which is expected to aid gains in local banking and retail counters. BHP Billiton is trading 0.85% higher in Australia this morning suggestive of a positive start for local resource counters. Tencent Holdings is up 0.26% in Asia, suggestive of a marginally positive start for major holding company Naspers, although the stronger rand may temper some of these gains. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    1.30pm – US non-farm payrolls (June): payrolls expected to fall to 190K from 223K, while the unemployment rate holds at 3.8%. Average hourly earnings forecast to be 0.2% higher MoM, from 0.3%. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses

    1.30pm – Canada employment data (June): 17,500 jobs expected to have been created, from a 7500 fall in May. Unemployment rate to hold at 5.8%. Market to watch: CAD crosses

    3pm – Canada Ivey PMI (June, seasonally-adjusted): forecast to fall to 60.7 from 62.5. Market to watch: CAD crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Glencore, the copper, nickel and iron ore mining specialist, announced it will initiate a $1bn share buy back scheme.
    Stobart said that it had started the year ‘satisfactorily’, and has also announced a new five-year lease partnership with Ryanair. 
    Rolls-Royce has sold its commercial marine business to Norwegian firm Kongsberg for £500 million. 
    Eurazeo upgraded to buy at HSBC
    ITV upgraded to buy at SocGen
    Petra Diamonds raised to buy at Panmure Gordon & Co
    Shell upgraded to buy at DZ Bank
    Daily Mail downgraded to sell at SocGen
    Direct Line cut to equal-weight at Barclays
    Esure downgraded to underweight at Barclays
    Pearson downgraded to hold at SocGen
    Featured Video from IGTV
    Please note: This information has been prpared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  16. JamesIG
    Global equity markets are shining with the Japanese Nikkei hitting an 8-month high, Chinese shares on course to make their biggest weekly gains in 2 years, and a strong earnings outlook expected to continue. US stock market also looks to continue it's march to record highs are strong fund inflows support the market. Figures released on Thursday by EPFR Global quoted a $14.5bn inflow. The Hong Kong dollar (pegged to that of the USD) strengthened early Friday ahead of the US Federal Reserve meeting next week, and an expected rise in interest rates. Brent crude has its eyes on $80 a barrel and is currently trading at its highest level in 4 years, all despite efforts of Trump's Tweets for OPEC to "get prices down now". Crypto exchanges have hit back at a damning NY Attorney General report. Assets in the sector have rallied over the last session with bitcoin up around 5% in the last 4 days, and ether pushing a 17% gain in the same time period.  Join our #IGFXChat and put your currency
    questions to our expert panel now! Asian overnight: Asian markets are back on a positive footing, with the Chinese indices leading the gains amid widespread upside. This week has largely seen the markets take an optimistic outlook to US-China trade talks, and the gains seen overnight are an extension of that. On the data front, Japan was the centre of market focus, with national core CPI rising to 0.9% (from 0.8%), while the flash manufacturing PMI rose less than expected to 52.9 (from 52.5). Oil prices were mixed after falling in the previous session as President Donald Trump urged OPEC to lower crude prices ahead of its meeting in Algeria this weekend.  For many industrial buyers and energy companies out there it seems they are cautious and possibly expectant of higher prices in the future.
    UK, US and Europe: New data out recently has shown that the US has become the EU's largest supplier of soyabeans, with nearly 1.5 million tonnes supplied in the last quarter. This shows an increase of nearly 130% compared to the same period last year. This is seen as important by both Brussels and Trump, as it featured prominently in the President's plan for improving US-EU relations. Looking forward this could signal a success for both sides, as continued efforts to "reduce barriers and increase trade in services, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, [and] medical products".
    Europe is ending the week in busy fashion, with a raft of eurozone PMIs released throughout the morning. Manufacturing and services PMI readings from the likes of France, Germany, and the eurozone should keep the euro in focus. In the US session, we also see those same PMI readings released later in the day. Also keep an eye out for the Canadian retail sales and CPI numbers. Finally, given the current events surrounding oil, Trump and OPEC it's going to be increasingly important to stay up to date with figures out on the black gold. Baker Hughes should keep you in your chairs at 6pm BST today.
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    8am – 9am – French, German, eurozone mfg & services PMI (September, flash): French services PMI to rise to 56.1 from 55.4, and mfg fall to 53.4 from 53.5. German services PMI to rise to 55.1 from 55 and mfg to fall to 55.4 from 55.9. Eurozone services PMI to hold at 54.4 and mfg to fall to 54.4 from 54.6. Markets to watch: eurozone indices, EUR crosses
    1.30pm – Canada CPI (August), retail sales (July): CPI to be 2.8% YoY from 3% and 0.2% Mom from 0.5%. Core CPI to be 1.5% YoY from 1.6%. Retail sales to rise 0.4% MoM from -0.2%. Markets to watch: CAD crosses
    2.45pm – US mfg & services PMI (September, flash): mfg to fall to 53.8 from 54.7, and services to fall to 53.6 from 54.8. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Smiths Group said pre-tax profit for the year was down 28% to £435 million, while revenue fell 2% to £3.21 billion. Operating margin fell 110 basis points to 16.9%.  SIG reported a 28% drop in operating profit, to £26.9 million, while revenue was down 4% to £1.38 billion. Poor weather in the UK hit performance, but the trading environment was better in mainland Europe and Ireland.  EDF upgraded to neutral at Exane
    Enel upgraded to outperform at Exane
    Maersk upgraded to buy at HSBC
    Endesa downgraded to neutral at Exane
    Suedzucker downgraded to sell at Bankhaus Lampe
    Verbund downgraded to underperform at Exane
    IGTV featured video
    Information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary. 
  17. JamesIG
    Whilst the Tokyo markets are on holiday, most other Asian equity markets slip on reports that Washington are continuing their tariff roll outs with a focus once more on Chinese imports. Thin liquidity due to the closed Japanese market didn't help, however moves in currencies seem minor. Dollar steady against a basket of major currencies, whilst gold nudges up. Oil prices have generally eased as the trade war row potentially distorts the demand outlook. The cryptocurrency market is seeing mixed signals as the total market cap holds a strong position over the weekend. Tim Draper, Silicon Valley venture capitalist, has predicted an $80 trillion market cap in the next 15 years, whilst others point to stronger arguments in favor of an ETF market.  Asian overnight: A largely bearish start to the week has seen Chinese and Hong Kong stocks trading sharply lower, with the Australian ASX 200 pushing back in the opposite direction in the absence of Japanese markets whom are on a national holiday. Weather related crises throughout the world have been wreaking havoc on a number of countries, and the landfall of Typhoon Mangkhut on Hong Kong and Chinese land has dented confidence in the region. Damage to the Macau area meant that we saw a sharp decline in casino stocks. Meanwhile, news that China could actually reject the latest trade talk proposals given the likely imposition of tariffs on another $200bn of goods, risk sentiment as a whole isn’t great in the region.
    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, we have a day with precious few hugely notable releases, with the eurozone final CPI grabbing the headlines in the morning. For the afternoon, look out for the US empire state manufacturing survey, as we start the week off in a somewhat slow fashion.
    South Africa: Weaker US Index Futures and Asian equity markets this morning are suggestive of a slightly softer start for the JSE All Share Index. The rand along with its emerging market currency peers has softened against the dollar, while metal prices are also trading lower this morning. BHP Billiton is 0.66% lower in Australia suggestive of a weaker start today for locally listed diversified miners. Tencent Holdings is down 2.55% in Asia, suggestive of a softer start for major holding company Naspers.  
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    10am – eurozone inflation (August): forecast to rise 0.2% MoM from -0.3%. Markets to watch: EUR crosses
    1.30pm – US NY Empire State mfg index (September): index to fall to 23.6 from 25.6. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Prudential said that it expects its demerged UK investments business, M&G Prudential, to hold around £3.5 billion of subordinated debt.  Sirius Minerals has signed a take-or-pay supply agreement with Brazilian firm Cibrafertil, for the supply and resale of potash into Brazil and other countries.  Dairy Crest expects first half profits and revenue to be ahead of last year, due to a strong performance from its Clover and Cathedral City brands.   Boohoo has appointed Primark’s chief operating officer John Lyttle as its new CEO.  Immofinanz Upgraded to Hold at Baader Helvea
    Concentric Upgraded to Buy at Kepler Cheuvreux
    Prysmian Downgraded to Neutral at Goldman
    Hays Downgraded to Hold at HSBC
    IGTV featured video
    Information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary. 
  18. JamesIG
    The Asian market index futures boards are seeing a sea of red on the back of continued EM anxieties. Dollar seeing pressure as European peers are bid up. Tesla stock slips as investor worries deepen, whilst the Tesla bond hits a record low. Uber on track for an IPO in 2019, however there are no plans to sell it's tech unit according to CEO. Goldman have dropped bitcoin trading plans for now according to reports. Crypto space crashes.  Gold seeing an increase in physical demand, whilst also helped by dollar weakness. Asian overnight: Emerging market concerns continued to weigh on markets overnight, while the bruising handed out to US tech stocks also bore down on bullish sentiment. Tokyo, Hong Kong and Australia all fell, but there was one bright spot as the CSI 300 rose 0.4%. Keep an eye on UK utilities as Ofgem proposes an energy price cap that is the biggest intervention in the UK energy market since privatisation in the 1980s.
    UK, US and Europe: US ADP numbers (delayed by a day due to the Labor Day holiday) and the ISM non-manufacturing number will be the main events today, ahead of non-farm payrolls tomorrow. Emerging market jitters will be watched closely, as will the ongoing strength in the US dollar.
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    1.15pm – US ADP report (August): 187K jobs expected to have been created, from 219K a month earlier. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    3pm – US ISM non-mfg PMI (August): forecast to rise to 56 from 55.7. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    4pm – US EIA crude inventories: forecast to rise to -0.88M from -2.6M. Markets to watch: WTI and Brent
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Dixons Carphone reported flat like-for-like revenues in Q1, hit by difficulties in mobile phones, although consumer electronics were boosted by World Cup demand. Full-year pre-tax profit guidance was maintained at £300 million.   McCarthy & Stone has reduced its full-year operating profit forecast, due to weaker consumer spending and economic uncertainty. The firm now expects full year operating profit of £65-73 million, from the previous estimate of £65-80 million.  Melrose said that it suffered an operating loss of £256 million for the first half, down from a profit of £58 million. Trading for the second half so far remains in line with expectations.  BNP Paribas Upgraded to Hold at Berenberg
    KAZ Minerals Upgraded to Equal-weight at Morgan Stanley
    Enel Upgraded to Buy at Goldman
    Scor Downgraded to Hold at SocGen
    Bodycote Downgraded to Hold at Liberum
    IMI Downgraded to Sell at Liberum
    IGTV featured video
     
    Information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary. 
  19. JamesIG
    Asian stocks slide on further trade war tariffs. Yen, treasuries and gold gain as traditional safe havens. UK incomes for those in employment rise at the highest rate since the financial crisis according to IHS Markit yesterday. CYBG confirmed yesterday it had agreed a £1.7bn tie up with Virgin Money. Oil prices whiplash, but ultimately fall on expectations that OPEC and Russia will gradually increase output after withholding supply since 2017. Payment company Square has been awarded a BitLicence to operate in New York. BTC trades at $6700, and ETH at $515 Asian Overnight: Weakness in overnight markets came as no surprise after Donald Trump declared another $200 billion worth of goods that would be hit by a 10% tariff after China imposed a like for like $50 billion package of US goods to be targeted. This trade war is set to kick in on July 6, and instead of making progress towards a solution, it looks as if relations between the two biggest economies in the world are instead deteriorating. Meanwhile, crude prices rallied ahead of Fridays OPEC meeting, with rumours that a production hike will be smaller than expected.

    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, the current themes impacting markets are likely to remain in focus, with few major economic events of note. Appearances from ECB economist Praet, and Fed member Bullard will provide a central bank focus. Meanwhile, the US session sees a focus on construction with the release of building permits and housing starts data.
    South Africa: The local bourseis expected to open up significantly lower this morning following on from soft US Futures and a rampant decline in China (-3.45%) and Hong Kong (-2.76%). Emerging markets are bearing the brunt of the weakness today from the 'Trump Tariffs', as reflected in their respective currency declines. The rand looks to be fast approaching the R14/$ mark. Tencent Holdings is trading 3.17% lower on the Hang Seng, suggestive of a similar move in major holding company Naspers. BHP Billiton is trading 1.2% lower in Australia , which combined with weaker base metal prices is suggestive of an initial decline in local diversified miners. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Featured video: 'Be wary’ of Carney’s guidance
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Ashtead said that underlying pre-tax profit was 21% higher at £927.3 million for the full year, and revenues were up 21% at £3.42 billion. The dividend was boosted 20% to 33p.  McCarthy & Stone has issued a profit warning, downgrading its forecasts and announcing the departure of the CEO. Legal completions are forecast to be in the 2100-2300 range, compared to 2302 year-on-year.  Debenhams has issued another profit warning, saying that full-year pre-tax profit will now be £35-40 million, versus consensus forecasts of £50.3 million.  Beiersdorf upgraded to neutral at JPMorgan
    Ferrexpo upgraded to buy at HSBC
    Verbund upgraded to reduce at AlphaValue
    JP Morgan maintain overweight rating on Naspers (SA) with a target price of 450000c
    Edenred downgraded to neutral at MainFirst
    Galp downgraded to sector perform at RBC
    Hornbach Baumarkt cut to reduce at Commerzbank
    Informa downgraded to hold at Peel Hunt
    Please note: This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  20. JamesIG
    A sharp decline in oil prices has caused a lower Asian equity market session as energy sector is hit. Netflix share tumble 14% late last night in after hours trading on poor quarterly results, helping to pull down the S&P futures. The IMF has warned that tariffs imposed by the White House could initiate a $440bn knock to global growth and coined it the “greatest near term threat to global growth". Yesterday BoA beat earning expectations, Deutsche Bank share jumped in surprise profits forecast, and BlackRock profits up as well. Could this be a barometer for other banks earnings and a possible trade idea over earning season? Global regulators have started to lay the foundations to start monitoring crypto assets. BlackRock, the largest asset manager in the world with $6.3 trillion in AUM, also announced a plan to build a crypto unit. Crypto markets rose sharply on the news. Asian overnight: Asian markets largely traded in the red in the wake of a sharp deterioration in energy prices, with Japanese indices the only positive movers as they play catch up in the wake of yesterday’s bank holiday. Data wise, we saw the release of a weaker than expected inflation print from New Zealand, falling to 0.4% from 0.5%. Meanwhile, RBA minutes pointed towards a continued expectation that the next move will be a rate rise, although this remains some way off yet.
    UK, US and Europe: US corporate earnings have taken the mantle in terms of being at the forefront of driving short term market sentiment. Yesterday a softer results release from Netflix saw the tech sector weaker and in turn the Nasdaq leading declines amongst the major US indices. Oil prices have come under enormous pressure overnight as suggestions that the US may waiver some sanctions on Iran oil. Looking ahead, a whole host of employment related data points from the UK brings the pound into focus. The dominant figure to look out of comes in the form of the average earnings number, with BoE’s Cunliffe specifically singling out the possible undershooting of wages as a reason to hold off on an August rate hike. Also keep an eye out for the US industrial production figure and an appearance from Fed governor Powell who is due to testify on monetary policy before the Senate Banking Committee.
    South Africa:  The dollar has lost a bit of strength and in turn the rand has gained marginally this morning. BHP Billiton is down 1.69% in Australia suggestive of a softer start for diversified resources. Tencent Holdings is 1.3% lower in Asia suggestive of a similar start for major holding company Naspers. 
    Earning season look ahead: Earning season continues with Royal Mail and TalkTalk putting out quarterlies today, along with Johnson and Johnson, Progressive, and Fidelity. Don't forget Morgan Stanley, American Express, Hochschild Mining, RPC Group and Severn Trent look to publish on Wednesday, and there may be some trade potential there give the results from banks yesterday.
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)
    9.30am – UK employment data: May unemployment rate to rise to 4.3% from 4.2%, June claimant count to be 11K from -7.7K, and May average earnings to rise 2.7% from 2.5% (including bonus). Markets to watch: GBP crosses.
     
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Rio Tinto produced 88.5 million tonnes of iron ore in the second quarter, representing a 14% rise compared with the same quarter in 2017. Improved weather and productivity throughout its Pilbara iron ore operations in Western Australia were most notable amongst reasons for this shift. 2018 shipments are expected to be towards to top end of its 330-340 million tonnes guidance. Royal Mail traded in line with expectations, with a decline in addressed letter business (down 7%) and marketing mail over the three months to June 24 vs the same time last year. CashBuild Revenue for the fourth quarter for the Cashbuild Group was up 4% on the fourth quarter of the prior financial year, with the 42 new stores opened or acquired since 1 July 2016 contributing 5% of the increase, whilst the 276 existing stores decreased by 1%. The growth for the fourth quarter together with the growth of the previous quarters, equates to an increase in revenue for the Cashbuild Group of 5% for the financial year, with new stores contributing 5% of the increase and existing stores remaining at similar levels. Asos Upgraded to Buy at Goldman
    Morgan Advanced Raised to Overweight at JPMorgan
    Deutsche Bank Upgraded to Hold at Commerzbank
    Michelin Upgraded to Buy at HSBC
    Investec maintain buy rating on Naspers (SA) with a target price of 440000c 
    Investec maintain buy rating on Tencent with a target price of HK$530
    Adidas Downgraded to Market Perform at Wells Fargo
    Brunello Cucinelli Downgraded to Neutral at Goldman
    Featured Video from IGTV
    Dick Bove, veteran banks analyst and chief strategist at Hilton Capital Management, tells IGTV that Citigroup is most at risk from the US-Sino trade tensions. Bank of America (BoA) is his top pick in the sector, praising CEO Bryan Moynihan as ‘an expert CEO’. Bove says he can see the stock rising to $60. Meanwhile, he says JPMorgan’s numbers were ‘superb’ while Wells Fargo was ‘very disappointing.’ However if we enter into a recession, he says ‘all bets are off’.
    Please note: This information has been prpared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  21. JamesIG
    IG is hosting the first #IGForexChat on Thursday 4th October at 6.30pm
    You can watch the live broadcast using the video player below (with the broadcast starting just before the above time), or from within the dealing platform. We want to hear your questions so we can put them to the panel, opening up a two way channel between you and a group of experts which you may not usually have access to. The first two guests will be Raj Dhall at tradingview.com and Samuel Morton at lovethepips and forexcfdsignals.com. You can read more about the #IGForexChat here, or simply submit your questions below!
     
  22. JamesIG
    Asian overnight: Market volatility remains evident throughout Asia, with yesterday’s sharp tumble being followed up by a strong rebound overnight. Chief amongst those gainers were the Chinese markets, which gained ground despite the ongoing trade war with the US. Suggestions that China and the US could resume trade talks has helped boost short term market sentiment. Crude prices were also fighting back in the wake of the biggest one-day decline in more than two years yesterday.
    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, a relatively quiet European session sees industrial production data from the eurozone take precedence in the lead up to the latest ECB monetary policy minutes. Meanwhile, the US will be keeping a close eye out for the CPI inflation data and unemployment claims number.
    South Africa: We are expecting a higher open on the local SA bourse today as US Futures and Asian markets rebound this morning. Emerging market currencies and metal prices are in turn finding some reprieve today. Tencent Holdings is up 0.5% in Asia suggestive of a positive start for major holding company Naspers. BHP Billiton is trading 0.6% lower in Australia suggestive of a slightly softer start for locally listed diversified miners. Mining production and sales data is scheduled for release at 11:30am and Manufacturing production and sales data is scheduled for release at 1pm today. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    10am – eurozone industrial production (May): expected to be 2.8% YoY and 0.8% MoM, from 1.7% and -0.9% respectively. Market to watch: EUR crosses

    1.30pm – US CPI (June), initial jobless claims (w/e 7 July) headline CPI to be 2.9% YoY and 0.2% MoM, from 2.8% and 0.2% respectively. Core CPI to be 0.2% MoM and 2.3% YoY, from 0.2% and 2.2% respectively. Initial jobless claims to fall to 227,000 for the week, from 231,000 a week earlier. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Dunelm said that store like-for-like sales were up 1% to £805 million for the year to 30 July, while online sales rose 37.9% like-for-like to £105.4 million. Pre-tax profit is expected to be £102 million for the full year.  ASOS expects full-year profit to be in line with forecasts, as total sales rose 22% to £802.7 million for the four months to 30 June. Full-year pre-tax profit is expected to be around £101 million.  B&M European Value Retail said that it enjoyed a strong start to the year, with revenue growth of 21.3% overall in the quarter, up 1.6% on a like-for-like basis.  Aker BP upgraded to overweight at JPMorgan
    Hapag-Lloyd raised to neutral at Goldman
    Maersk upgraded to buy at Goldman
    Roche upgraded to buy at Berenberg
    ITV downgraded to neutral at Goldman
    Pagegroup downgraded to hold at Kepler Cheuvreux
    Sky cut to neutral at Macquarie
    Veidekke downgraded to hold at SEB Equities
    Featured Video from IGTV
    Please note: This information has been prpared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  23. JamesIG
    USDJPY falls on the back of an intensifying trade war dispute. ‘Fang’ stocks and the heavily tech centric Nasdaq slump on the same trade war fears. Turkish lira gains from yesterday gives further reason for overseas investment in Turkey to remain wary. USDTRY looking like it could have entered a period of consolidation after rising nearly 25% from the beginning of the year. Oil prices rise on the Libyan oil export uncertainty, however OPEC still the overarching dampener with plans to raise output.  Gold inching down on US rate hike expectation. Bitcoin at critical level of support previously hit in April and February 2018, and previously November 2017. Asian Overnight: Asian markets traded largely in the red overnight, as marginal gains throughout Japanese indices provided the one standout performer of the session. This follows yesterday's significant market declines where US Indices fell in excess of 1% (Nasdaq more than 2%). Continued fears over the impending breakdown in trade between China and the US ensured that Chinese equities were the worst performer, with the Shenzhen composite trading over 1% lower. On the data front, the BoJ core CPI reading failed to rise as expected, with the data set showing underlying inflation remaining at 0.5%.
    UK, US and Europe: Another quiet day on the economic calendar sees the release of US consumer confidence this afternoon as the only major event of note. That is not to say that market volatility is going to be low, as evident by yesterday’s sharp selloff throughout European and US indices despite a near empty economic calendar.
    South Africa: While trade war talks still linger markets look to have stopped the hemorrhaging for now and the local bourse looks to have already priced in much of the overnight weakness. Commodity prices remain depressed and the dollar firm. The rand remains weak although off its worst levels finding directional catalysts from factor external rather than domestic at the moment. BHP Billiton is trading 1% lower in Australia suggestive of a softer start for local diversified resources. Tencent Holdings is 0.3% lower on the Hang Seng suggesting a flat to slightly lower start for major holding company Naspers. 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    3pm – US consumer confidence (June): expected to hold at 128. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Inmarsat, the privately listed communications company, has confirmed its considering a bid from Eutelsat. This has helped push the stock, which previously saw prices of 1100p in 2015 and as low as 340p in April of this year, trade above 630p. Eutelsat has until 5pm on the 23rd July to confirm an intention or rule itself out for 6 months.
    Health conscious millennials have pushed Whittards of Chelsea back in the black yesterday to a net profit of just over a quarter of a million pounds, up from a net loss of £1.4m in 2016. The craze for herbal teas amongst the younger generation, for many at the cost of caffeine based drinks such as coffee, has been an important factor in the turn around.
    Petrofac said that it continued to trade in line with forecasts, with the year-to-date order book reaching $1.8 billion. 
    Carpetright said that it suffered an annual loss of £71 million for the year, while borrowing rose sharply due to restructuring costs. Debt rose from £10 million to £54 million. 
    Polymetal has started its new gold mine in Kazazkstan ahead of schedule. Mining activities had reached full design capacity, and ‘significant’ cash flow and net income contribution should start in Q4 this year. 
    ASML upgraded to add at AlphaValue
    Andritz upgraded to buy at Goldman
    Renault upgraded to equal-weight at Morgan Stanley
    Royal Mail upgraded to sector perform at RBC
    Eutelsat downgraded to hold at Kepler Cheuvreux
    Gazprom GDRs cut to neutral at JPMorgan
    Deutsche Bank maintains buy rating on Vodacom (SA) but reduces target to 15000c
    Featured video
    Please note: This information has been prpared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
  24. JamesIG
    Yesterday the US Federal Reserve raises interest rates for the 3rd time this year. Asian stocks post negative sessions following the Fed announcement being led by the technology and energy sectors. Major currency pairs hold steady whilst the USD basket, despite initial volatility, traded largely flat. Minor gains have been made this morning putting the dollar about a quarter of a percent up. Oil continues to climb as investors continue to be cautiously optimistic that the Iranian sanction void can’t be easily filled. Upbeat comments by Mario Draghi on rising pay and inflation expectations helps boost the euro. Gold continues to trade in a tight range. This is a perfect time for traders to start following the precious metal as volatile movements are likely to follow as traders jump on a break out. German CPI data for September and US GDP Q2 / August Trade Balance figures are the ones to look out for today. Asian overnight: The US Federal Reserve increased the benchmark lending rate by 0.25% last night (as was expected). The central bank has suggested that another rate hike in 2018 may be on the cards, as the US economy shows signs of further strength. A bearish session overnight has seen losses across the board, with Japanese stocks suffering the most. Yesterday’s expected rate rise came alongside a rise in expectations for a December hike, sparking dollar strength. With all the talk of the ‘neutral rate’, it is clear we are not quite there yet. We also saw the RBNZ rate decision, where the New Zealand central bank decided to retain the current rate of 1.75%.
    UK, US and Europe: Looking ahead, a somewhat quiet European session drives the focus straight back onto the US, with core durable goods, trade balance, and the Final GDP figure all released at once. We also have a series of appearances from central bankers, with Draghi, Powell, and Poloz all appearing throughout the afternoon and evening.
    South Africa: US Index Futures and Asian markets are trading flat to marginally lower this morning suggestive of a similar start for our local bourse (The Jse AllShare Index). The rand remains firm at around R14.15/$. Tencent Holdings is down 1.9% in Asia suggestive of a weaker start for major holding company Naspers. BHP Billiton is 0.1% lower in Australia, suggestive of a flat to slightly lower start for local resource counters. 
    Commodity prices are trading slightly firmer after marginal losses yesterday. When it comes to spot gold the percentage of traders net-long is now its highest since Aug 09 when it traded near 1211.76. Paul Robinson of DFX noted that “If the monthly high (1212) or low (1187) [of golds range bound movement] aren’t broken by the close on Friday, this month’s range will rank as the smallest in over 22 years. That almost certainly won’t last another month.” 
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    10am – eurozone business confidence (September): forecast to drop to 1.15 from 1.22. . Market to watch: EUR crosses
    1pm – German CPI (September, preliminary): forecast to fall to 1.9% YoY from 2%. Market to watch: EUR crosses
    1.30pm – US GDP (Q2, final reading), durable goods order (August), Personal consumption expenditure prices (Q2, final): GDP to rise 4.2% QoQ, durable goods orders to rise 1.7% from -1.7% MoM, and increase 0.5% from 0.2% MoM excluding transportation orders. PCE prices to rise 2.6% QoQ from 2.5%, and core PCE prices to increase by 2% from 2.2% MoM. Markets to watch: US indices, USD crosses
    3pm – US pending home sales (August): forecast to fall 1.9% YoY from a 2.3% drop in July. Market to watch: USD crosses
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Saga reported a 4% fall in first-half profits, to £107 million, although it said its retail broking policy count was back to levels seen in the first half of 2017. Expenses fell to £120 million from £126 million a year earlier.  TUI said that trading was in line with expectations despite the hot summer, and it maintained its guidance for underlying earnings to rise 10% this year. Trading for the future season was in line with forecasts at this early stage.  Entertainment One said it remains on track to hit forecasts after its family and brands segment performed well in the first half.   Adcorp Holdings released a trading statement, guiding that Total basic earnings per share of between 82 cents and 100 cents is expected, which compares to a total basic loss per share of 120.7 cents in the prior years comparative period (ending 30 August 2017). Wood Upgraded to Hold at Jefferies
    RWE Upgraded to Buy at DZ Bank
    Investec upgrade Anglo Platinum with a target price of 48000c
    BMW Downgraded to Hold at SocGen
    DEFAMA Downgraded to Accumulate at SRC Research
    Investec downgrade Pick n Pay to sell with a target price of 6900c
    IGTV featured video
    Information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary. 
  25. JamesIG
    Asian overnight: Another bearish session overnight saw Chinese and Hong Kong indices lead the decline, with the first round of tariffs on Chinese goods set to take effect on Friday. The recent decline in the yuan was arrested, with strong dollar selling pressure from Chinese banks looking like intervention from the Chinese authorities. Australian data came in mixed, with a strong retail sales reading counteracted by a lower than expected trade balance figure. Meanwhile, the Chinese Caixin services PMI rose sharply, driving the measure to rise from 52.9 to 53.9.

    UK, US and Europe: The services PMI theme looks set to continue, with European nations releasing their own version throughout the morning. The big focus will be upon the UK services PMI figure, with the release playing a key part in dictating GDP estimates for Q2. Meanwhile, the US markets are closed as the country celebrates Independence Day.
    Economic calendar - key events and forecast (times in BST)

    9.30am – UK services PMI (June): expected to fall to 53 from 54. Markets to watch: FTSE 100/250, GBP crosses
    Source: Daily FX Economic Calendar
    Corporate News, Upgrades and Downgrades
    Sainsbury’s said that sales rose 0.8% in Q1, and were up 0.2% on a like-for-like basis. Price cuts had helped to boost performance. 
    SIG reported a 0.6% rise in first-half revenue, with currency improvements offsetting bad weather. Revenue was flat on a like-for-like basis. 
    National Express has secured a €1 billion contract to operate buses in Morocco, with 500 buses carrying 109 million passengers a year across 61 routes.  
    Topps Tiles suffered a 2.3% drop in like-for-like sales in the 13 weeks to 1 July.
    BN FP upgraded to outperform at RBC
    GFT upgraded to hold at Kepler Cheuvreux
    Petra Diamonds upgraded to outperform at RBC
    Brunello Cucinelli downgraded to hold at Berenberg
    Please note: This information has been prpared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.
     

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