What you need to know before the US open
US stock futures haven’t altered much today, following the S&P 500 reaching its largest gain in more than a month.
The number of people claiming unemployment benefit for the first time in the US has dropped to a May 2007 low of 300,000 – much lower than expected.
Over here, the Bank of England’s decided to keep interest rates at historic loses of 0.5 per cent.
European shares have been gaining on the caution signalled in the Fed’s latest meeting minutes around raising interest rates too quickly,
Corporate news
Shares in luxury brand retailer LVMH jumped 3.4 per cent, following its announcement that its fashion and leaner division rose by an above-expectations nine per cent.
Home goods giant Bed, Bath and Beyond saw a near six per cent fall in fourth quarter revenue, with sales of $3.2bn. The company lost nearly five per cent in after-market trading last night.
And activist Carl Icahn is dropping his proposal to separate Paypal from Ebay, and his nomination of two new people to its board of directors.
Icahn, who’s also withdrawn a proposal to force Apple to widen its buyback programme, says he still thinks Ebay and Paypal would be worth more if separated. Chief executive John Donahue has disagreed with this, though.
Data in focus
• 7.00pm: US March monthly budget statement