Rival engineers in talks on special relationship: The American consulting

engineer playing a key role in Britain’s new High Speed Two rail route has

approached its UK competitor WS Atkins about a possible $4 billion merger.

BAE hopes Turkish jet deal will boost trade links: The UK’s biggest defence and

security company is hoping a £100 million contract with Turkey will pave the

way to a more lucrative defence partnership with Ankara.

EU trade deal ‘vital’ for the prosperity of city economies: Striking a trade deal

with the European Union will be vital if the government is to meet its goal of

boosting regional development because the Continent is the biggest export

market for almost every key British city, according to a report.

Surge in public spending after Brexit vote: The vote to leave the European

Union appears to have unshackled public spending, with data from

government procurement revealing a sharp rise in the value of work put out to

tender.

Greece’s woes ‘may spell end of the EU’: Greece is in trouble again, and failure

to rein in its explosive debt and wrap up a key bailout review with creditors

soon could push the country out of the euro, leading economists and the

International Monetary Fund warn.

Wood’s arrival at Paperchase fuels rumours of float plans: Nick Wood, the

former Chief Executive of Pets at Home and a veteran retailer, is to become

the non-Executive Chairman of Paperchase in a move that will be taken as a

sign that the upmarket stationery retailer is preparing for a possible float.

Ivy revamp eats up Caprice profits: The closure of The Ivy for an overhaul

before its 100th anniversary took a bite out of 2015 profits at Richard Caring’s

Caprice Holdings.

Exports apply brakes to US growth: Growth in the American economy stalled

at the end of last year, all but ensuring that Britain will take the crown as the

fastest-growing of all G7 nations last year.

Lewis piles more on his plate with merger: Just when the City thought that

Dave Lewis had enough on his plate, the Chief Executive of Tesco decides to

test the market’s appetite and the retailer’s mettle with a proposed merger

with Booker Group.

Toshiba meltdown puts nuclear project at risk: Plans for a new nuclear power

station in Cumbria are at risk from the financial crisis engulfing the developer,

Toshiba, after the Japanese company announced that it was putting its entire

overseas nuclear business under review.

Inquiry into VW emissions scandal to question ex-Boss: German prosecutors

widened their investigation into fraud at Volkswagen to 37 people including

Martin Winterkorn, the former Chief Executive who resigned after the

emissions scandal.

Current

Value (%)

Change* 1W% Change

FTSE 100 7,130.1 -0.76%

DAX 30 11,744.2 -0.6%

CAC 40 4,797.5 -0.9%

DJIA** 20,093.8 -

S&P 500** 2,294.7 -

NASDAQ Comp.** 5,660.8 -

Nikkei 225 19,368.9 -0.5%

Hang Seng 40 ** 23,360.8 -

Shanghai Comp ** 3,159.2 -

Kospi ** 2,083.6 -

BSE Sensex 27,853.9 -0.1%

S&P/ASX 200 5,661.5 -0.9%

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

1.0%

3.1%

0.9%

1.2%

2.1%

1.7%

1.9%

1.0%

1.3%

-0.2%

1.6%

-0.2%

French bid battle bears fruit at last: The extraordinary battle to take control of Britain’s champion cherry picker appeared to have

ended last night, with victory going to the French.

Sale talk grows with print no longer in vogue: A sweeping restructuring of Condé Nast has prompted rumours that the magazine

publisher is being prepared for sale.

Traders jailed over £141 million fraud plot: Two London-based traders were jailed for a complex plot to defraud a Russian bank of

£141 million.

Shell loses control of huge oilfield in Nigeria: The Nigerian government has seized control of a huge offshore oilfield from Royal

Dutch Shell and Eni while it investigates alleged corruption in how the companies acquired it.

BAE and Rolls on hook for Trident costs: Ministers have drawn up a new deal on the £41 billion Trident submarine contract that will

heap risks and rewards on BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce.

Watchdog to bury teeth into Tesco’s cornershop raid: Tesco faces a lengthy competition inquiry over its proposed £3.9 billion

takeover of Britain’s biggest food and drink wholesaler as rivals prepare to lobby the watchdog over the deal.

Carney mulls plans to put Co-op bank out of misery: The Bank of England is considering a further intervention into the Co-operative

Bank that could lead to the lender being wound up before the end of the year.

Italian fraud could cost BT top brass millions: The FTSE giant BT is considering recouping what could amount to millions of pounds in

bonuses paid to Boss Gavin Patterson and another top Executive following a £530 million accounting scandal in Italy.

Axed staff seek BHS payouts: A new row has broken out over the collapse of BHS as former head- office staff pursue compensation

over the way they were made redundant.

Restaurant tycoon Caring in £150 million biotech float: A healthcare company backed by high-profile City figures including biotech

impresario Sir Chris Evans and restaurant tycoon Richard Caring is being prepared for a stock market float.

Rate increase on radar as growth and inflation rise: The Bank of England is expected to increase its forecasts for growth and

inflation, feeding speculation it will be forced to raise interest rates this year.

3i desperate to spare blushes at lingerie chain: Ailing lingerie retailer Agent Provocateur could slip into the hands of its lender within

days unless it secures a last-ditch rescue bid.

FTSE grandees cast doubt on ‘three Brexiteers’: Theresa May’s “three Brexiteers” are losing the battle to win over board chairmen,

who fear the trio will fail to cut a business-friendly divorce deal with Brussels.

Irish in scramble to beat Heineken to Punch: An Irish investment fund is this weekend trying to put together the financing it needs

to dislodge Heineken in the race for Punch Taverns.

Singapore’s £1.3 billion Telefonica swoop: Singapore has hatched a €1.5 billion (£1.3 billion) plan to seize control of a network of

phone masts and undersea cables owned by Telefonica — a deal that could pave the way for the float of Britain’s O2.

May’s blueprint for a Brittelstand comes with a strong German accent: Tony Hague is looking for engineers. The managing Director

of PP Control & Automation is planning to unveil a big expansion of his West Midlands factory in March.

Pensions outrage over tax deal for HS2 firm: An American engineering giant with a key role on the new High Speed 2 rail route has

quietly booked a £37 million tax gain due to slashing the pensions of 3,300 British savers.

Train maker in court battle over lost Mersey order: Train maker Bombardier has gone to the High Court to overturn a Swiss rival’s

£460 million contract to build new trains for Merseyside.

Property tycoon faces bankruptcy: A secretive property tycoon is facing bankruptcy after he was defeated in an attempt to repay

creditors just 0.07p in the pound.

Taxman told to take sting out of constant updates: Godfrey Munro has a bee in his bonnet. Last week the Founder of Park

Beekeeping asked his accountant how much a chat about new rules on quarterly tax returns would cost. The answer was £285 for

an hour.

Crunch time in Staveley court battle: City financier Amanda Staveley faces a key test this week in her £1 billion legal challenge

against Barclays.

Universities on notice to give inventors fair deal: Ministers are planning to crack down on British universities that demand too much

equity from spin-out companies and leave promising business ideas on the shelf.

Former watchdog Tracey McDermott to join Standard Chartered: The former acting head of the UK’s financial watchdog is joining

Standard Chartered in the latest move through the revolving door from officialdom to the financial sector.

To Read More Click Here

Citadel Securities Chief leaves after 5 months: Kevin Turner, the Chief Executive of Citadel Securities, is leaving just five months after

the former Microsoft Executive joined the group.

To Read More Click Here

End of an era at Publicis as Lévy steps down: News had reached the 80,000 or so people in the group — the world’s third-largest

advertising agency by revenues — that Mr Lévy was stepping down as Chief Executive in June and becoming chairman of the

supervisory board.

To Read More Click Here

Shell to install chargers for electric cars on European forecourts: Royal Dutch Shell is preparing to introduce battery charging points

at some European petrol stations and Total is working on a similar move as the region’s biggest oil groups react to rising sa les of

electric vehicles.

To Read More Click Here

Energy auction blamed for survival of coal power plants: One of the UK’s main energy policies has been criticised for enabling old

and polluting coal-fired power stations to stay open. On Tuesday the government will hold its latest subsidy auction, which is

designed to ensure Britain has enough energy over the winter of 2017-18. Analysts and critics expect a number of ageing coal

stations will be successful in winning contracts, even though the government has said it intend to phase out all such stations by

2025.

To Read More Click Here

Bonds start year at breakneck pace, but higher rates loom: A breakneck start to the year for borrowing by companies and

governments across the globe has left bankers and investors questioning its sustainability. Bond sales have started the year at the

fastest pace since 2013, led by record offerings from banks in the US and borrowers in Asia.

To Read More Click Here

BlackRock to warn investors of Brexit risks: BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, is warning bondholders that Brexit remains

a major risk event for investment portfolios this year as the UK prepares to negotiate its exit from the EU.

To Read More Click Here

Goldman piles pressure on May to protect City post-Brexit: Goldman Sachs’ Chief Executive has emerged as a thorn in the side of

UK Prime Minister Theresa May, warning that European financial centres could challenge London unless her government gives more

priority to the City in Brexit negotiations.

To Read More Click Here

Alibaba and Tencent inspired by ‘Pokémon Go’ in red envelope wars: Alibaba and Tencent, China’s two top technology groups,

have opened a new front in their rivalry over the lunar new year tradition of gifting hongbao — red envelopes with money inside —

using Pokémon Go-like add-ons to attract new customers.

To Read More Click Here

Apple set to return to sales growth at next quarterly results: Apple, the US technology company, is expected to return to revenue

growth when it reports quarterly results on Tuesday, having recorded its first decline in full-year sales in more than a decade.

To Read More Click Here

Apple, Google and Facebook condemn Donald Trump’s travel ban: The world’s largest technology companies condemned Donald

Trump’s Executive order on immigration after coming under pressure to speak out from employees.

To Read More Click Here

LME regroups after Chief drops out of electronic trading battle: When the London Metal Exchange was launched in a coffee house

in 1877, its benchmark three-month futures contract was based on the time it took for ships to go from Chile to London.

To Read More Click Here

French mobile groups’ bundling trend risks harm, watchdog warns: The head of the French telecoms regulator has warned that the

growing trend for mobile operators to offer bundles of telecoms and TV services across Europe risks harming investment in their

networks.

To Read More Click Here

Chevron forecasts growth after disappointing earnings: Chevron, the second-largest US oil group, reported disappointing earnings

for the fourth quarter of 2016, as profits slumped at its refining and marketing operations, but held out the prospect of strong

production growth this year.

To Read More Click Here

May to defy critics and explore trade deal with Turkey: Theresa May arrives in Ankara on Saturday to hold talks with her “important

ally,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, amid criticism that Britain is prioritising a trade agreement and arms sales to Turkey in spite of

concerns about human rights abuses.

To Read More Click Here

Lawmakers speak out against US import tax plan: The prospects for a radical Republican plan to tax imports have dimmed as

opposition grows in Congress after a confused White House intervention muddied the waters over party policy.

To Read More Click Here

Snap readies to put out the message on IPO: Snap, the owner of Snapchat, will publish its initial public offering filing late next week,

kick-starting the largest US technology IPO of recent years, according to people familiar with the process.

To Read More Click Here

Banks and lenders face clampdown from the Bank of England on household borrowing: Banks and other lenders are facing a

crackdown from the Bank of England and City regulators in an attempt to put the brakes on runaway household borrowing.

Forget New York...it's York that's attracting the yen: York is famous for its Minster and the National Railway Museum. But a small

investment team is beginning to gain the city something of a reputation for managing Japanese funds rather effectively.

City trading firms poised to make the move from London to Amsterdam after Brexit: Key City trading firms are looking to open

offices in the European Union after Brexit, a stock market Boss has said.

Dragon's Den star Touker Suleyman expands empire with stake in Finery London: Touker Suleyman, the fashion entrepreneur and

TV Dragon, is expanding his empire with a stake in British womenswear label Finery London.

Small investors see their shares in BT plummet by £900 million amid accounting scandal: The plunging price of BT shares has seen

the value of stock owned by the company’s 700,000-strong army of small private investors plummet by £900million as the company

battles with the effects of an accounting scandal.

Devolved governments won't get decisive role in Brexit talks Theresa May confirms: Theresa May has made it clear the devolved

administrations will not be given a decisive role in the UK's divorce from the European Union ahead of talks with leaders from across

the UK.

Donald Trump and Theresa May agree immediate talks on post-Brexit trade deal: The UK and the US will begin work immediately on

a new negotiating pact to pave the way for a full trade deal to come into force after Brexit.

One entrepreneur is helping foreigners leave the UK because of Brexit and find jobs elsewhere: Marcin Czyza, who use to work in

finance, founded Expatexit, a company that aims to help foreigners working in Britain find jobs elsewhere following the Brexit vote.

Ford's European Chief said pound slump could cost the car manufacturer $600 million in 2017: The Chief Executive of Ford in

Europe has warned that the slump in the value of the pound since the Brexit vote could cost the company as much as $600 million

(£478 million) this year.

Tata Steel pension scheme deficit set to balloon to £2 billion threatening 130,000 retirement funds : Tata Steel UK’s pension scheme

deficit is set to balloon to up to £2 billion and Britain's largest steelmaker believes it could face insolvency unless a way can be found

to tackle it, the scheme’s trustee has told members.

Pound sterling on track for its best weekly performance since November: The pound edged lower on Friday but remained firmly on

track to put in its strongest weekly performance since mid-November, thanks to some robust economic data and hopes of an

imminent trade agreement between the UK and the US.

Steelworkers to vote on Port Talbot rescue plan: Thousands of steelworkers will vote on rescue proposals for the Port Talbot

steelworks this week in a definitive moment for the crisis in the industry.

140 JD Sports staff taken to hospital from one warehouse in four years: At least 140 people have been taken to hospital after

incidents at JD Sports’s controversial warehouse in Rochdale in the last four years.

Brexit has allowed the banks to get off Britain's naughty step: It is almost a decade since the financial crisis and barely a day has

gone by without banks being in the headlines, invariably for the wrong reasons.

BT fires opening shot at Sky in new Champions League rights battle: BT has fired the first shot in the battle for Champions League

football, saying it is determined to keep a grip on the TV rights to European football’s blue-riband club competition and accusing

arch-rival Sky of having too much dominance over pay-TV sports.

Strong dollar drags US growth to slowest pace since 2011: The US economy slowed last year to register its worst performance since

2011 after the strong dollar sent exports tumbling and encouraged American businesses to import cheaper components from

abroad.

Tesco to buy Budgens and Londis owner Booker in £3.7 billion deal: Tesco has agreed a £3.7 billion deal to buy Booker, the cash

and carry giant behind the Londis and Budgens convenience chains, in a move that will tighten its grip on the UK’s £195 billion food

market.

Frankfurt prepares for Brexit bankers: 'Maybe our city will change them': In the heart of the Frankfurt banking district of Westend,

Luise Hoepfner serves a steady stream of office workers her lunchtime menu of organic salads, soups and spelt-flour savoury tarts.

The 28-year-old worked in event management for several years before opening her restaurant Vif (old German for “chipper” or

“lively”) on Mendelssohnstrasse in September.

Monday,

30 January 2017

US: Personal Income (MoM), Personal Spending,

Personal Consumption Expenditure Core (MoM),

Personal Consumption Expenditure Core (YoY),

Personal Consumption Expenditure Deflator

(MoM), Personal Consumption Expenditure

Deflator (YoY), Pending Home Sales (YoY),

Pending Home Sales (MoM), Dallas Fed

Manufacturing Business Index

EU: Business Climate Indicator, Consumer

Confidence, Economic Sentiment Indicator,

Industrial Confidence, Services Sentiment

Indicator

Final Results: Porvair

Interim Results: Conviviality, Filtronic, Murgitroyd

Group

Tuesday,

31 January 2017

UK: GfK Consumer Confidence, Lloyds Business

Barometer, Gross Consumer Credit, Mortgage

Approvals, Net Consumer Credit, Net Lending

Sec. on Dwellings, Net Lending to Individuals, M4

Ex IOFCs 3M Annualised, M4 Money Supply

(MoM), M4 Money Supply (YoY)

US: S&P/Case-Shiller 20 City s.a. (MoM), S&P/

Case-Shiller Composite-20 City Home Price Index

(YoY), Employment Cost Index (QoQ), Redbook

Index (YoY), Redbook Index s.a. (MoM), DOE US

Refinery Utilization, S&P/Case-Shiller Composite-

20 (YoY), S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index,

Chicago PMI, Consumer Confidence

EU: Gross Domestic Product s.a., Consumer Price

Index - Core (YoY), Consumer Price Index (YoY),

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

Domestic Product s.a. (YoY), Unemployment Rate

Final Results: Ocado, Oxford Biodynamics, Toople

Interim Results: Alumasc Group, NWF Group

Trading Announcements: Britvic, Carpetright, CYBG,

Greencore, Intermediate Capital, Pentair, SCS, SSE

Wednesday,

01 February 2017

UK: BRC Shop Price Index (YoY), Nationwide

House Prices n.s.a. (YoY), Nationwide House

Prices s.a. (MoM), Markit Manufacturing PMI

US: MBA Mortgage Applications, MBA Purchase

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

Index (Current Change), MBA Market Index,

MBA Purchase Index s.a., MBA Refinance Index,

ADP Employment Change, Markit Manufacturing

PMI, ISM Supplier Deliveries Index, ISM Backlog

Orders, ISM Inventories, ISM Production, ISM

New Orders, ISM Imports, ISM New Export

Orders, ISM Employment, ISM Manufacturing

PMI, ISM Prices Paid, Construction Spending

(MoM), DOE Cushing OK Crude Inventory

(Barrels), DOE Distillate Inventory, DOE Gasoline

Inventories, EIA Crude Oil Stocks Change

(Barrels), Fed Interest Rate Decision, Total Vehicle

Sales, Domestic Vehicle Sales, Mortgage

Delinquencies

EU: Markit Manufacturing PMI, ECB Balance

Sheet

Final Results: Centamin, Low & Bonar

Trading Announcements: Barr (A.G.), Qinetiq,

TalkTalk Telecom

Thursday,

02 February 2017

UK: Markit Construction PMI, BoE Inflation

Letter, BoE Interest Rate Decision, BoE Asset

Purchase Facility, Carney Speaks at Inflation

Report Press Conference

US: Challenger Job Cuts (YoY), Continuing

Jobless Claims, Initial Jobless Claims, Non-Farm

Productivity, Unit Labour Costs, ISM New York

Index, EIA Natural Gas Storage Change, EIA

Natural Gas Storage

EU: ECB Publishes Economic Bulletin, Producer

Price Index (MoM), Producer Price Index (YoY),

PPI Excluding Energy (MoM), PPI Excluding

Energy (YoY)

Final Results: AstraZeneca, Royal Dutch Shell,

Torchmark Corp.

Trading Announcements: Aberdeen Asset

Management, Compass Group, Cranswick, Delphi

Automotive, Gattaca, Glencore, Johnson Matthey,

Vodafone, Zoopla Property

Friday,

03 February 2017

UK: Markit Services PMI, Official Reserves

(Changes)

US: Average Hourly Earnings All Employees

(MoM), Average Hourly Earnings All Employees

(YoY), Average Weekly Hours All Employees,

Change in Manufacturing Payrolls, Change in

Non-farm Payrolls, Change in Private Payrolls,

Unemployment Rate, Underemployment Rate,

Fed's Evans Speaks on Economy and Policy in

Olympia Fields, Markit Services PMI, Markit

Composite PMI, ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI,

Factory Orders (MoM), Durable Goods Orders ex

Transportation, Cap Goods Orders Nondef Ex Air,

Cap Goods Ship Nondef Ex Air, Durable Goods

Orders, Baker Hughes US Rig Count

EU: Markit Composite PMI, Markit Services PMI,

Retail Sales (MoM), Retail Sales (YoY)

Final Results: Beazley, Wereldhave NV

Trading Announcements: International Consolidated

Airlines