Markets Overview:

UK 100 called to open flat at 7574; Following yesterday’s resilience shown in global equity markets on the back of Donald Trump’s impeachment. U.S Markets even went as far as to strike all time new highs across its three major indices, The Dow Jones closed at 28,376 (+137 points), the S&P 500 closed at 3,205 (+14 points) and was the Nasdaq ending the penultimate trading session of the week at 8,887 (+60 points). It was a more mixed session in Asia, the Nikkei closed within 0.1% of opening price, at, 23,845 (-19 points), whilst the Hang Seng closed in the green at 27,849 (+50 points). News that Andrew Bailey will be the BOE's post-Brexit chief, the FT reported. Mark Carney's successor spent three decades at the central bank before moving to run the Financial Conduct Authority will be of interest to traders of pound sensitive stocks, could this be the piece of the puzzle that see’s enough certainty to strengthen the pound? Also in focus today will be Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill faces its first vote Friday in the House of Commons as the prime minister seeks to drive the legislation through Parliament and take the U.K. out of the European Union ‪on Jan. 31. Overnight oil edged ever higher, at one point breaking through the $67 handle to trade just shy at time of writing at $66.92. Gold added $2 overnight to break above the $1477 level, trading at time of writing at $1479.

In corporate news this morning:

AstraZeneca today announced that it has agreed to sell the commercial rights to Arimidex and Casodex in a number of European, African and other countries to Juvisé Pharmaceuticals.  The medicines, used primarily to treat breast and prostate cancers, have lost their compound patent protection in these countries.

Grainger, the UK's largest listed residential landlord and leader in the UK private rented sector, today announces that it has received planning consent to redevelop a housing estate within its existing rental portfolio, known as the OCCC Estate, in the London Borough of Lambeth, delivering 215 quality new homes.

Royal Bank Of Scotland today announces Publication of Supplementary Prospectus has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority for 40,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme, dated 19 December 2019

Source: Bloomberg, FT, Reuters, DJ Newswires, AlphaTerminal

Upgrades/Downgrades:

Royal Bank Of Scotland Downgraded to Hold by Morningstar (Bloomberg: 8 Buys/ 14 Holds/ 3 Sells)

In Focus Today:

Bank of China Interest Rate Decision

UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

U.S Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Next Week's Ex-Dividends:

UK 100

BT Group - 2.3%

British American Tobacco - 1,6%

Halma - 0.3%

Bovis Homes - 2.9%

NewRiver REIT - 2.8%

Dixons Carphone - 1.6%

Grainger - 1.2%

JP Morgan Japanese Investment Trust - 1.1%

(Full list available on Week in advance)

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