London and other European markets followed Asia and the US higher early Wednesday, reopening after a four-day weekend with fresh impetus, after a US inflation report added to hopes for interest rate cuts in the new year.The FTSE 100 index opened up 50.73 points, 0.7%, at 7,748.24. The FTSE 250 was up 60.43 points, 0.3%, at 19,691.38, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.44 points, 0.2%, at 755.84.The Cb

The FTSE 100 edged upwards at Monday?s market open in London, buildings on last week?s gains, as stocks elsewhere declined.The FTSE 100 index opened up 12.80 points, 0.2%, at 7,589.16. The FTSE 250 was down 20.90 points, 0.1%, at 19,188.07, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.18 points, 0.2%, at 738.13.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 758.18, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.1% at 16642.63, and the Cboe Smal

Shares in Canadian Overseas Petroleum (COPL) and Chariot (CHAR:AIM) gained 36% to 27.75p and 37% to 10.2p respectively as both announced major discoveries.Chariot's Anchios-2 well offshore Morocco discovered significant natural gas accumulations, a result which acting chief executive Adonis Pouroulis said 'materially exceeds' internal expectations.The Stena Don rig will now move to drill the histo

The FTSE 100 finished Monday's trading session 0.44% to the good at 7,255.46 points, with continuity-craving markets welcoming the White House's confirmation it will stick with Jay Powell as chairman of the US Federal Reserve.Also lending some support was speculation about private equity interest in several UK firms following the $12 billion bid for Telecom Italia; BT Group (BT.A) was bid up 2.5%

The pound is in freefall again as news breaks that Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to ask the Queen to suspend Parliament just days after MPs return to work from their summer holiday in September.The pound is down more than 0.8% against both the dollar and the euro at 10.30am.That means £1 is now worth $1.22 and €1.099, just fractionally above multi-year lows hit on 9 August, when sterlin

The latest sterling meltdown has sparked bleak projections of a plunge in the pound to 34-year lows if the UK leaves the European Union with no deal in place.The Bloomberg poll of analysts at 13 banks found that the chances of a divorce without an agreement now stands at 30%, three-times the level of a similar survey in February. The impact of such an outcome could cut the sterling/dollar rate as

The FTSE 100 is flat at just below 7,000 at the start of the new trading week. The corporate agenda is dominated by activity in the oil and gas sector.BP (BP.) has made several interesting moves. It has taken 10% stakes in Abu Dhabi's ADCO onshore oil concession and the operating company. BP will issue $2.3bn in shares to the Abu Dhabi government.BP will also buy a 62% stake in exploration project

Grab GallifordWednesday's (14 May) first-half trading statement from Galliford Try (GFRD) should be an opportunity to see how the construction order book is progressing compared to the group's burgeoning house building operations. The firm expects private sector growth to drive its construction and infrastructure business. (SFl)Coca-Cola losses fizzA downwards drift at soft drinks colossus Coca-Co

New float Canadian Overseas Petroleum (COPL) has made a strong start on its London debut. At 17.5p it is up 30% on the 13.5p at which it raised £2.4 million alongside the flotation.Already listed in - yes you guessed it - Canada, the oil explorer is likely to offer plenty of newsflow as it is fully carried for a $120 million two well programme offshore Liberia by US giant ExxonMobil (XOM:NYSE).Th