Aer Lingus to hire new crew to meet US demand: An increasing number of

passengers flying from Britain to Ireland to avoid Heathrow and connect to

flights to America is prompting Aer Lingus to hire 200 new crew.

Police raid BT’s Italian offices over £530 million accounting scandal: BT’s

offices in Italy have been raided by police as part of an investigation into a

£530 million accounting scandal.

Saudis pump $200 billion into rust belt: Donald Trump signed the first of what

is expected to be a series of multibillion-dollar deals with Saudi Arabia as he

began his first foreign trip as President.

American boom forces OPEC to consider even deeper cuts: OPEC may make

further production cuts and extend an existing deal to curb oil output for a

further nine months as it battles to prop up global prices in the face of a

resurgent American shale industry.

Airbus is the model for energy alliance: A Franco-German plan to create an

alliance dubbed the Airbus of energy is under way as two of Europe’s biggest

gas and electricity companies hold talks.

Activists take fight against Akzo to court: Elliott Advisors will have its day in

court on Monday as the activist shareholder tries to eject Antony Burgmans as

Chairman of Akzo Nobel, the owner of Dulux paints.

Keep door to world open, warns CBI Boss: The President of the CBI has gone

to war with Theresa May over her plans to slash immigration numbers Paul

Drechsler warned that closing the door to top talent is the “one issue”

weighing heavily on British business. “Everything else we can deal with,” he

said.

RBS investors die before court case: About 4,000 Royal Bank of Scotland

shareholders have died while waiting to take on the bank’s former directors in

a legal action that was launched five years ago but will be heard in a court

case.

Brussels warned off bid to strip City of euro trade: Investors could face an

extra €100 billion bill if Brussels forces the clearing of euro-denominated

trades away from London because of Brexit, the Chief Executive of the London

Stock Exchange has warned.

Indian bank tries to seize Improbable mansion: The Hertfordshire mansion

where Herman Narula, the co-Founder of Improbable, began the company is

at the centre of a legal dispute, The Times has learnt. Court documents show

that the grade-II listed property in Arkley is part of a case brought by Axis

Bank, one of India’s biggest lenders, against a relative of Mr. Narula.

Train franchise tipped to go Dutch with Japanese: The Dutch state railway

company Abellio has been tipped to become the new operator of the West

Midlands train franchise.

Current

Value (%)

Change* 1W% Change

FTSE 100 7,502.7 0.4%

DAX 30 12,658.8 0.2%

CAC 40 5,337.4 0.2%

DJIA** 20,804.8 -

S&P 500** 2,381.7 -

NASDAQ Comp.** 6,083.7 -

Nikkei 225 19,678.3 0.4%

Hang Seng 40 25,391.3 0.9%

Shanghai Comp 3,075.7 -0.5%

Kospi 2,304.0 0.7%

BSE Sensex 30,568.8 0.3%

S&P/ASX 200 5,771.2 0.8%

Current Values as at 11:15 BST, *%Chg from Friday Close, **As on Friday Close

-1.9%

0.9%

0.1%

0.2%

0.1%

-1.5%

-0.6%

-0.4%

-0.4%

-1.5%

-1.0%

0.5%

Asking prices hit new high as young families move on: Asking prices for properties have reached a new high after five consecutive

months of growth, figures from Rightmove show, suggesting there is resilience in the housing market despite the slowdown of

recent months.

Military supplier to chase ambulances: A small engineering company whose monitors check the vital signs of seriously ill casualties

has signed up the world’s special forces and is now targeting ambulances.

Terra Firma digs up funds for Wyevale: Terra Firma, the private equity house led by Guy Hands, has been forced to part with

additional cash to support Wyevale Garden Centres, Britain’s largest garden retail group.

City firms busy making plans as Brexit clock ticks down: While some business leaders have vented their anger at Theresa May’s plans

to enforce changes in areas such as pay and workers’ rights, bankers have been relatively sanguine.

Free Spanish lessons if drugs agency moves to Barcelona: Spain’s Prime Minister is leading an attempt to move the European

Medicines Agency from London to Barcelona after Brexit.

Jefferies analyst is City’s top stock-picker: A healthcare analyst at Jefferies has been named the City’s best stock-picker as brokers

continue to scale back their research operations.

Sullivan & Cromwell to open Brussels office with antitrust hire: Sullivan & Cromwell, the US corporate law firm, has poached a

senior European competition lawyer to open its first new office in nearly two decades based in Brussels.

To Read More Click Here

Smiths: Dropped 2.8% to £15.84 on news that Chris O’Shea, its Chief finance officer, is stepping down after less than two years in

the job. Smiths said current trading and its outlook remained in line with previous guidance.

To Read More Click Here

Rouhani wins Iran’s Presidential election: Hassan Rouhani said Iranians had chosen re-engagement with the outside world over

“extremism and violence” after he won a landslide victory in a Presidential election he had presented as a referendum on the

direction the Islamic republic should take domestically and internationally.

To Read More Click Here

$350 billion of deals as Trump arrives in Saudi Arabia: President Donald Trump was met by King Salman in Riyadh on Saturday

morning, with officials pledging deals of around $350 billion as the two allies rekindle a relationship that had grown frosty under

the Obama administration.

To Read More Click Here

Bain makes $10 billion bid for Toshiba’s chip business: US private equity firm Bain Capital has made a $10 billion bid for Toshiba’s

prized Nand memory chip subsidiary that could result in management running the Japanese unit getting a stake in the business.

To Read More Click Here

Singapore Airlines ponders ‘radical’ measures after posting loss: Shares in Singapore Airlines dropped more than 7% on Friday, the

biggest one-day decline since the 2008 financial crisis, after it unveiled a surprise quarterly loss.

To Read More Click Here

Fiat Chrysler to modify vehicles after emissions cheating claims: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles shares rose after the company proposed a

fix for 100,000 of its diesel vehicles that the automaker hopes will form the basis of a deal with US regulators who have accused the

company of violating emissions laws.

To Read More Click Here

Saudi wealth fund to back $40 billion Blackstone infrastructure vehicle: The sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia has unveiled

plans to place $20 billion with Blackstone, the alternative asset manager, becoming the anchor investor in a new $40 billion

infrastructure fund that will focus on mainly upgrading US assets.

To Read More Click Here

Foot Locker feels the squeeze on slowing sales: Foot Locker shares were under the gun on Friday after the US-based athletic-

footwear chain failed to regain lost ground on sales and profits following a slow start last quarter.

To Read More Click Here

Dollar suffers worst week in a year on Trump scandal nerves: The dollar suffered its worst week in more than a year, wiping out all

its gains since Donald Trump was elected US President as investors fretted that a growing White House scandal might derail

Republican initiatives to boost the economy.

To Read More Click Here

Alibaba beats forecasts with record-breaking quarterly revenues: China’s Alibaba recorded its biggest quarterly rise in revenues since

its blockbuster initial public offering in 2014, even as some analysts expressed disappointment at its efforts to expand its non-retail

businesses.

To Read More Click Here

Land Securities’ underlying profit rises 5%: Land Securities on Thursday reported a 5.5% rise in underlying profit, as the UK’s largest

listed commercial property company said its market had been unexpectedly robust since the Brexit vote but warned that the future

trading environment was uncertain.

To Read More Click Here

Burberry sales rise as Bailey bows out as Chief Executive: Burberry, the UK luxury fashion group, managed to scrape an increase in

reported profit last year thanks to a sharp fall in the pound.

To Read More Click Here

Daimler joins with US solar group to provide home power storage: Carmaker’s venture with Vivint Solar looks to compete with

Tesla’s Powerwall

To Read More Click Here

Alisher Usmanov makes $1.3 billion bid to take control of Arsenal FC: Alisher Usmanov, the Russian billionaire who owns a minority

stake in Arsenal football club, has in recent weeks made a $1.3 billion bid to buy out his rival shareholder, according to three people

close to the situation.

To Read More Click Here

Chinese group in talks to aid struggling jet maker Bombardier: China’s Comac and Bombardier have held talks about a deal that

could inject new life into the debt-laden Canadian company’s passenger jet business, several people familiar with the discussions

said.

To Read More Click Here

Private equity bidding war erupts over Fairfax: Hellman & Friedman, a US private equity group, has made a A$2.9 billion bid for

Fairfax Media, firing the starting gun in a bidding war with rival TPG Group for control of Australia’s oldest media group.

To Read More Click Here

US solar power groups await ITC ruling on higher tariffs: US solar power businesses are braced for an imminent decision from the

country’s International Trade Commission on whether to start a process that could lead to a sharp contraction in the market and

thousands of job losses.

To Read More Click Here

BP and Glencore warned over bullish fossil fuel forecasts: BP and Glencore are exposed to investor lawsuits by making “bullish”

forecasts about the world’s future hunger for fossil fuels, a prominent environmental law firm has warned.

To Read More Click Here

Waberer’s plans biggest Hungarian IPO for a decade: Waberer’s International, one of Europe’s biggest haulage and logistics

companies, is preparing for a listing on the Budapest Stock Exchange in July in a sign of revival for Hungary’s state-owned bourse.

To Read More Click Here

Saudi wealth fund to invest $65 billion with foreign asset managers: Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund plans to invest $65 billion

with foreign asset managers, underscoring the dramatic transformation under the leadership of Mohammed bin Salman, the

country’s powerful deputy crown prince.

To Read More Click Here

Solvency II data reveal gaps in insurers’ capital positions: European insurers have for the first time revealed how much their financial

health depends on temporary rules that are set to disappear. The fresh data showed UK life insurers in a particularly bad light, with

big gaps between their reported capital positions and their positions once temporary measures are stripped out.

To Read More Click Here

Tudor Jones backs AI hedge funds: Hedge fund magnate Paul Tudor Jones has invested in a brace of artificial-intelligence powered

“quantitative” hedge funds, underscoring the increasing acceptance that the industry will need to turn more to technology and

away from traditional human traders.

To Read More Click Here

Canada’s ‘big 5’ banks in spotlight over house price fears: Canada’s biggest banks are this week set to post returns that again put

their US peers in the shade, even as rapidly rising house prices and consumer debt levels have raised concerns about potential

threats to financial stability north of the border.

To Read More Click Here

Four Seasons Health Care raises fees for elderly: Four Seasons Health Care has raised fees for the elderly as the lossmaking care

seeks to shore up its finances ahead of a crucial restructuring.

To Read More Click Here

Huntsman and Clariant set to announce $14 billion tie-up: Huntsman Corporation and Switzerland’s Clariant are set to unveil a $14

billion all-stock cross-border merger on Monday, in a transaction that will allow the two speciality chemicals companies to form a

formidable industry challenger.

To Read More Click Here

Barclays tightens email security after Jes Staley hoax: Barclays has tightened its email security to avoid a repeat of the embarrassment

caused earlier this month when the bank’s Chief Executive responded to a message from a prankster posing as his chairman.

To Read More Click Here

Crossrail and Heathrow in legal dispute over fees: A plan for London’s new £15 billion Crossrail line to stop at Heathrow airport

when the service fully opens next year may be derailed by a legal dispute over fees.

To Read More Click Here

3,300 UK jobs at risk as hedge fund pushes for takeover: Vulture’s court battle to force out Dulux Boss: The battle for Dulux will

reach a crescendo this week as Dutch courts decide whether to allow US vultures to take steps to oust the paintmaker’s chairman.

Aston Martin to float on the London stock market as early as next year: Aston Martin is looking at plans to list on the London stock

market, which would give fans a chance to buy shares in the prestigious 104-year-old car maker.

Cyber Boss cashes in: Sophos Group finance Chief Nick Bray sells 800,000 shares for £3.2 million: Sophos Group's finance Chief has

cashed in on a boom in the British computer security firm's stock following last week's global cyber attack.

Britain's internet upstarts killing US department stores: Asos and Boohoo pounce as America's appetite for online shopping rockets:

Britain's online fashion upstarts are taking on American retailers as US shoppers turn away from traditional department stores.

Moss Bros boosted by strong online sales but CEO warns inflation will create 'tough trading environment': Men's suit retailer Moss

Bros increased total sales by 3.7%, but warned it faces ‘economic headwinds’ this year as consumers cut back on their spending.

Team of salvage experts hoping to recover billions of pounds worth of gold from deep-sea shipwrecks are looking for investors: A

team of salvage experts hoping to recover billions of pounds worth of gold from deep-sea shipwrecks are looking for investors to

back their treasure hunt. Britannia’s Gold has launched a £5 million equity fundraising for their exploration of ships sunk in the First

and Second World Wars.

Yorkshire fracking firm reportedly draws up plans for £500 million stock market float to help fund huge gas project: A Yorkshire

fracking firm has reportedly drawn up plans for a £500 million stock market float to help fund a huge gas project.

F1 owner Liberty Media reportedly paid just £6.9 million in tax last year despite having turnover of £1.4 billion: Formula 1 owner

Liberty Media reportedly paid just £6.9 million in tax last year despite having underlying profits of £350 million and turnover of £1.4

billion.

Owner of British Airways hits out at Heathrow Airport over plans to nearly double number of UK destinations it will offer after

expansion: The owner of British Airways has hit out at Heathrow Airport over its plans to nearly double the number of UK

destinations it will offer after expansion. Heathrow has written to the Government asking it to ringfence a proportion of the slots it

expects to become available – if a third runway is built – for flights to and from UK destinations.

Philip Morris: Maker of Marlboro cigarettes accused of using 'immature trick' to get round plain packaging laws: Philip Morris, the

maker of Marlboro cigarettes, has reportedly been accused of using an “immature trick” to bypass the strict plain packaging laws

coming into force in the UK this weekend.

Leon plans to open first US restaurants in 2017 after £25 million cash injection from Swiss investors: Leon plans to open first US

restaurants in 2017 after £25 million cash injection from Swiss investors

Just Eat's £200 million bid to take over rival Hungryhouse faces in-depth competition investigation: Just Eat’s proposed £200 million

takeover of its rival Hungryhouse has been referred for an in-depth investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority.

LEGO reaches 100% renewable energy target three years ahead of schedule: The LEGO group now says it is running entirely on

renewable energy after reaching its 100% target three years ahead of schedule.

Lost access to single market in services could cost UK economy up to £36 billion, new report concludes: Losing access to the single

market in services after Brexit could cost the British economy up to £36 billion a year and have a particularly negative impact on

financial services, telecoms and transport, a new report concludes.

Ex-RBS boss Fred Goodwin returns to spotlight in £520 million court battle: For eight years, Britain’s most vilified banker has kept a

low profile. But next week in London’s high court a £520 million legal case will force Fred Goodwin into the limelight.

German business leaders urge Tories to rethink plan to leave single market: German industrialists have warned that British hopes of

their support in Brexit negotiations are misplaced and could backfire with dangerous consequences for international trade.

Remote air traffic control preparing for takeoff at London City airport: Manned air traffic control towers, a reassuring fixture at

airports since the dawn of civil aviation nearly a century ago, could soon be made obsolete by technological advances allowing

arrivals and departures to be monitored from miles away using live streams of high-definition video.

Ikea seeks to make more products in UK to fend off post-Brexit vote price rises: Ikea is considering making more products in the UK

as the Swedish furniture chain bids to fend off Brexit-led price rises.

Church of England made stunning 17% return on investments in 2016: The case for profitable ethical investing has been bolstered

by the Church Commissioners for England, as the fund announced divine returns on its financial portfolio for 2016.

Australia leads fight to save Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact: Australia is leading the charge to save the controversial Trans-Pacific

Partnership free trade deal thrown into doubt by Donald Trump’s decision to pull America out of the pact.

Shell shareholders to vote for new climate change goals: Shell shareholders including the Church of England, European pension

funds and Dutch activists will send a signal to the board of the Anglo-Dutch company this week by voting for it to set new climate

change goals.

Consumers lose appetite for spending due to rising prices in shops: Consumers failed to propel the UK economy in the first quarter

as rising prices dampened appetite for spending, official figures will show this week.

Monday,

22 May 2017

UK: Rightmove House Price Index (MoM),

Rightmove House Price Index (YoY)

US: Chicago Fed National Activity Index - 3M

Moving Average, Chicago Fed National Activity

Index, US to Sell Bills

Final Results: Mckay Securities

Interim Results: Cerillion, Ixico, Jersey Electricity 'A'

Shares

Tuesday,

23 May 2017

UK: PSCNR Net Debt % GDP, Public Sector Net

Borrowing, PSNB ex Interventions, Public Sector

Net Cash Requirement, UK to Sell Bonds, CBI

Distributive Trades Survey - Realised

US: Redbook Index (YoY), Redbook Index s.a.

(MoM), Markit Services PMI, Markit Composite

PMI, Markit Manufacturing PMI, New Home

Sales Change, Richmond Fed Manufacturing

Index, New Home Sales (MoM), Richmond Fed

Retail Revenues Index, Richmond Fed Services

Revenue Index, Richmond Fed Shipments

Index,US to Sell Bills, US to Sell Bonds

EU: Markit Composite PMI, Markit

Manufacturing PMI, Markit Services PMI

Final Results: 1Spatial, Assura, Aveva Group, Big

Yellow Group, Cranswick, De La Rue,

Electrocomponents, Entertainment One Limited,

Hibernia Reit, Homeserve, Scapa Group, Severn

Trent

Interim Results: easyHotel, Greencore Group,

Paragon Group Of Companies, Premier Veterinary

Group, Renew Holdings, Shaftesbury, Topps Tiles,

UDG Healthcare Public Limited Company

Trading Announcements: Gem Diamonds Ltd. (DI)

Wednesday,

24 May 2017

US: MBA Purchase Index s.a., MBA Purchase

Index s.a. (Current Change), MBA Refinance

Index (Current Change), MBA Market Index,

MBA Refinance Index, MBA Mortgage

Applications, House Price Index s.a., Housing

Price Index (MoM), House Price Purchase Index

(QoQ), Existing Home Sales, Existing Home Sales

(MoM), DOE Cushing OK Crude Inventory

(Barrels), DOE Distillate Inventory, DOE Gasoline

Inventories, EIA Crude Oil Stocks Change

(Barrels), US to Sell Bonds, US to Sell Bonds, Fed

Releases Minutes of FOMC Meeting, FOMC

Economic Projections, Fed's Kaplan Speaks in

Toronto

EU: ECB Executive Board member Praet speaks in

Sofia, ECB Balance sheet, ECB President Draghi

speaks in Madrid, ECB account of the monetary

policy meeting

Final Results: Babcock International Group, Great

Portland Estates, HICL Infrastructure Company Ltd,

Hogg Robinson Group, Lombard Risk Management,

Marks & Spencer Group, Mediclinic International,

Mitie Group, Pennon Group, Schroder Real Estate

Investment Trust Ltd, Vedanta Resources

Interim Results: Hollywood Bowl Group, Sanderson

Group, ZPG Plc

Trading Announcements: Dixons Carphone,

Kingfisher, Tungsten Corporation

Thursday,

25 May 2017

UK: Government Spending, Total Business

Investment (QoQ), Total Business Investment

(YoY), Exports (QoQ), Imports (QoQ), Total

Imports, Total Exports, Gross Fixed Capital

Formation, Private Consumption (QoQ), Gross

Domestic Product s.a. (QoQ), Gross Domestic

Product s.a. (YoY), Gross Domestic Product s.a.,

BBA Mortgage Approvals, Index of Services

(3M/3M), Index of Services (MoM)

US: Advance Goods Trade Balance, Continuing

Jobless Claims, Initial Jobless Claims, Wholesale

Inventories (MoM), EIA Natural Gas Storage

Change, EIA Natural Gas Storage, Kansas City

Fed Manufacturing Activity, US to Sell Bonds

EU: ECB's Constancio Speaks at Seminar in

Lisbon

Final Results: Helical, PayPoint, Renewi, United

Utilities Group, Wizz Air Holdings

Interim Results: Daily Mail and General Trust A

(Non.V), Schroder European Real Estate Investment

Trust, Urban&Civic

Trading Announcements: GVC Holdings, Mincon

Group, Regional REIT Limited

Friday,

26 May 2017

UK: UK to Sell Bills

EU: Fed's Bullard Speaks on US economy in

Tokyo, Personal Consumption (QoQ), Personal

Consumption Expenditure Core (QoQ), GDP

Contribution, Gross Domestic Product

Annualised (QoQ), Gross Domestic Purchases

Price Index (QoQ), Cap Goods Orders Nondef Ex

Air, Cap Goods Ship Nondef Ex Air, Durable

Goods Orders, Durable Goods Orders ex

Transportation, Univ. of Michigan Current

Economic Conditions, Univ. of Michigan Index of

Consumer Expectations, Univ. of Michigan 12-

Month Inflation Forecast, Univ. of Michigan 5-

Year Inflation Forecast, Reuters/Michigan

Consumer Sentiment Index, Baker Hughes US Rig

Count

Final Results: Volvere

Interim Results: MedicX Fund Ltd.