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| UK 100 Leaders | Close (p) | Chg (p) | % Chg | % YTD |
| Tullow Oil PLC | 424.2 | 27.2 | 6.9 | -50.4 |
| Weir Group PLC | 1905 | 35.0 | 1.9 | -10.7 |
| Tesco PLC | 185.4 | 9.6 | 5.5 | -44.6 |
| BG Group PLC | 901.3 | 25.5 | 2.9 | -30.5 |
| Dixons Carphone PLC | 461.6 | 13.5 | 3.0 | 70.3 |
| Royal Dutch Shell PLC | 2222.5 | 63.5 | 2.9 | -2.5 |
| Intertek Group PLC | 2355 | 22.0 | 0.9 | -25.2 |
| Hargreaves Lansdown PLC | 1002 | 13.5 | 1.4 | -26.0 |
| UK 100 Laggards | Close (p) | Chg (p) | % Chg | % YTD |
| TUI AG | 1096 | -31.0 | -2.8 | 0.0 |
| Coca-Cola HBC AG | 1234 | 12.0 | 1.0 | -30.0 |
| Sky PLC | 889 | -11.0 | -1.2 | 5.3 |
| Babcock International Group PLC | 1055 | -8.0 | -0.8 | -11.7 |
| AstraZeneca PLC | 4565 | -7.5 | -0.2 | 27.7 |
| Lloyds Banking Group PLC | 76.16 | 0.8 | 1.1 | -3.5 |
| Diageo PLC | 1835 | 4.0 | 0.2 | -8.3 |
| HSBC Holdings PLC | 607.5 | 10.7 | 1.8 | -8.3 |
| Major World Indices | Mid/Close | Chg | % Chg | % YTD |
| UK UK 100 | 6,545.3 | 79.3 | 1.23 | -3.0 |
| UK | 15,888.9 | 156.2 | 0.99 | -0.3 |
| FR CAC 40 | 4,241.7 | -7.8 | -0.18 | -1.3 |
| DE DAX 30 | 9,787.0 | -24.1 | -0.25 | 2.5 |
| US DJ Industrial Average 30 | 17,804.8 | 26.7 | 0.15 | 7.4 |
| US Nasdaq Composite 100 | 4,765.4 | 17.0 | 0.36 | 14.1 |
| US S&P 500 | 2,070.7 | 9.4 | 0.46 | 12.0 |
| JP Nikkei 225 | 17,635.1 | 13.7 | 0.08 | 8.2 |
| HK Hang Seng Index 48 | 23,401.2 | 284.6 | 1.23 | 0.4 |
| AU S&P/ASX 200 | 5,442.0 | 103.3 | 1.94 | 1.7 |
| Commodities & FX | Mid/Close | Chg | % Chg | % YTD |
| Crude Oil, US Light Sweet ($/barrel) | 57.77 | 2.64 | 4.79 | -41.5 |
| Crude Oil, Brent ($/barrel) | 62.57 | 2.29 | 3.79 | -45.6 |
| Gold ($/oz) | 1194.50 | -2.30 | -0.19 | -0.9 |
| Silver ($/oz) | 16.07 | 0.19 | 1.16 | -17.3 |
| Platinum ($/oz) | 1196.80 | -1.80 | -0.15 | -12.9 |
| GBP/USD – US$ per £ | 1.563 | – | -0.24 | -5.6 |
| EUR/USD – US$ per € | 1.223 | – | -0.48 | -11.0 |
| GBP/EUR – € per £ | 1.278 | – | 0.24 | 6.0 |
Click graph to enlarge
See Live Macro Calendar for full data line-up, incl. consensus expectations
The UK 100 Index is called to open 32pts higher at 6595pts as the traditional year-end rally (Santa rally) gathers momentum.
After a tough start to the month it now appears many global indices are set to challenge all-time record levels once again before the year is out.
The UK 100 continued its recovery from the supportive 6100 level (bounced here in October) adding 79pts on Friday with some of the year's most beaten stocks coming back into favour.
Tullow Oil (TLW.L) closed the session as the best performer up 6.85%, enjoying a bounce in the price of oil. Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB.L), BG Group (BG.L) and BP (BP.L) also helped to drive the market higher with stocks up as much as 3%.
Tesco (TSCO.L) added nearly 10p to close at 185p, higher by 5.5% on the day as we learned in November British retail sales surged at their fastest annual rate in more than a decade.
U.S. stocks rose for the third straight session in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s reassurance that the rate increases would not be imminent.
The S&P 500 ended the day up 9.42 points and gained 3.4% for the week. Energy and materials sectors were leading the gains on Friday and throughout the week, as investors were betting that the bottom in oil prices might be in sight. Energy sector stocks in particular jumped nearly 10% over the past week, while materials gained 5%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 26.65 points to 17,804.80 and rose 3% over the past week. Chevron Corp +3.6% and Exxon Mobil Corp +2.7% advanced the most over the past week, gaining 10% and 8.1% respectively.
Asian stocks rose, with the regional index headed for its biggest three-day advance in more than a year, as commodity shares increased amid a rally in crude oil and metals. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index climbed 0.9% in Tokyo, bringing its gain since December 18 to 3.4%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index jumped 1.9% and China’s benchmark stock index surged to a four-year high.
In commodities, the headlines belong to oil. The price of 'black gold' has risen 5% in the last three sessions as traders speculate the bottom has been seen. Brent crude currently trades at $64 whilst WTI trades at $59. Gold climbed as the dollar fell from a five-year high amid signs of rising physical demand.
In FX the U.S. dollar reached a two-year high versus the euro amid speculation the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates as early as April while other major central banks maintain monetary stimulus.
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This research is produced by Accendo Markets Limited. Research produced and disseminated by Accendo Markets is classified as non-independent research, and is therefore a marketing communication. This investment research has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote its independence and it is not subject to the prohibition on dealing ahead of the dissemination of investment research. This research does not constitute a personal recommendation or offer to enter into a transaction or an investment, and is produced and distributed for information purposes only.
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