‘Layers of uncertainty’: The City braces for a US election unlike any other November 3, 2020 It’s been a long year for markets, but today’s US presidential election could be the longest day yet – not least because the results may not be clear for days or even weeks. Democrat challenger Joe Biden is well ahead in the polls. Yet memories of 2016, when Donald Trump came from behind to take [...]
Oil slip: Aramco profit halves as Covid batters oil demand November 3, 2020 Oil behemoth Saudi Aramco’s profit shrank 44.6 per cent in the third quarter due to the collapse in oil demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The state-owned firm said profit fell from 79.8 billion riyals (£16.5bn) last year to 44.21 billion riyals this year. The pandemic has devastated the global oil market, with lower prices [...]
FTSE 100 closes higher and US stocks rise despite fresh coronavirus lockdowns November 2, 2020 The FTSE 100 rebounded strongly from a terrible last week and US stocks jumped as investors rediscovered some optimism ahead of the US election and key central bank meetings. London’s main stock index was 1.4 per cent higher at 5,654 points by the close of trade, despite the imposition of a new national lockdown. The [...]
Oil prices continue slump as lockdown restrictions increase November 2, 2020 Oil prices continued last week’s plunge this morning as increased coronavirus restrictions came into effect around the world. Prices have fallen sharply over the last week over fears that new lockdowns will cause a decrease in fuel demand. Worldwide standard Brent crude dropped 2.3 per cent to trade at around $37, while US benchmark West [...]
Biden vs Trump: what are markets telling us? November 2, 2020 | City Talk With less than a week to go until the US presidential election, will Biden’s lead in the polls be enough to convince investors that Trump is poised for defeat? Many think not. After all, the polls notoriously got it wrong four years ago when Trump beat Hillary Clinton. For this reason, there has been heightened [...]
Weekly outlook, 2-6 November: FTSE heavyweights in spotlight as election day arrives November 2, 2020 It’s election day at last, and while the outcome of Tuesday’s vote in the US will drive the headlines for much of this week and beyond, there’s still a full slate of results and economic updates in store for UK markets. With coronavirus cases now surging at an alarming rate, Boris Johnson has announced a [...]
Exclusive: Downing to raise £200m for renewable energy fund November 2, 2020 Downing Renewables and Infrastructure Trust (DORE) will today announce a £200m capital raise in order to invest in a range of renewable energy assets. The fund will put money into a variety of clean energy sources, including hydro, solar, wind and geothermal power. The assets in question will be spread across the UK, Ireland and [...]
Tech stocks drag down Wall Street as FTSE 100 suffers worst month since March October 30, 2020 Sliding tech stocks dragged down Wall Street this afternoon, while the FTSE rounded off its worst monthly fall since March amid a wave of new coronavirus lockdowns. The three main US indexes were on course for their worst week since March as ongoing pandemic-related uncertainty and the looming presidential election sparked market volatility. Read more: [...]
Oil prices plunge as second lockdown fears mount October 29, 2020 Global oil prices slumped to their lowest prices in nearly five months today as fears over new coronavirus lockdowns mounted. With numbers of new cases climbing around the world, several countries have put in place new restrictions, putting downward pressure on demand. Both Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate fell about six per cent earlier, [...]
Shell boosts dividend as oil giant beats profit forecasts October 29, 2020 Oil giant Shell beat analyst expectations for profit in the third quarter of a year, but the Anglo-Dutch firm’s income remained at historically low levels. It will also increase its dividend by four per cent, just months after slashing it by two-third, the first reduction since World War Two. The FTSE 100 firm posted $955m [...]