Nikkei, Japan’s stock market, has hit a five-year high after the country’s central bank announced an economic stimulus. The main Nikkei 225 stock index surged as much as 4.7% to 13,225.62, its highest since August 2008. Bank of Japan (BOJ) had earlier stated that it would double the country’s money supply to accentuate growth and halt falling prices. The aggressive move caught the investors’ fancy in Japan and overseas.

Cyprus bailout has sent stocks across the world crashing down and led to a rise in the borrowing costs. The UK stock market followed other European stock markets lower when trading began in London, falling 1.6% in the first few minutes to 6,390, as investors tried to absorb the impact of this bailout. While Asian market was first to succumb to a fall with the Nikkei in Japan closing 2.7%…

The UK stock market climbed up for a second day rising 0.70% to 6,379.98, in spite of credit rating company Moody’s downgrading the ‘AAA’ credit rating for the UK to ‘AA1′, as the gloom was lifted by the central-bank stimulus speculation in the US and Japan. Traders were also keenly watching the elections in Italy which began on Sunday. Moody’s reasoned out the UK downgrade, which came after 30 long…

The UK stock market registered triple digit losses today falling 1.54% to 6,296.67, slumping for the first time in three days, amid concerns that the US Federal Reserve will scale back its bond-buying program. After crossing the 6,400 level on Wednesday, the UK stock market fell even below 6,300 today. Adding to the UK stock market’s pressure this morning was the Purchasers’ Market Index (PMI) data from Eurozone which showed abysmal…

The UK stock market, which rose marginally on Friday, fell slightly today by 0.06% to reach 6,324.47, as mining companies fell after it emerged that last week, Chinese retail sales grew at their slowest pace in four years. Offsetting this news was a signal by finance ministers from the Group of 20 nations that Japan has scope for further monetary stimulus. Another reason why markets are likely to perform on a lower note today…

The UK stock market is trading flat today at 6,330.31, up 0.05%, after yesterday’s slump, ahead of the G20 meeting in Moscow and the release of key economic indicators in the US. The agenda of the G20 meeting will encompass global economic outlook, implementation of the G20 framework agreement for strong, sustainable and balanced growth, as well as financial regulation reforms. Consumer sentiment is awaited after a 0.6% drop in UK retail sales which…

The UK stock market slumped today to reach 6,308.31, dropping 0.80%, after hitting a five-year high yesterday, as traders reacted negatively to weaker-than-expected economic growth figures from Japan and across Europe. Last night it was announced that the Japanese GDP contracted by 0.1% in the fourth quarter, down 0.4% on an annualised basis, while the Eurozone GDP also failed to live up to market expectations as sharp contractions were registered in France, Italy and…

The UK stock markets traded in negative today at 6,333.64, losing 0.07%, after a buoyant rise yesterday, as investors waited cautiously for Bank of England (BoE)’s announcement of its three-monthly inflation report. Although, Governor Sir Mervyn King reported that the output has been broadly flat for the last two years, he said that the UK economy is set for a recovery. The BoE report claimed that the UK economy is likely to see a…

The UK stock market today pushed into the positive territory reaching 6,297.12, up 0.32%, posting better gains than yesterday, with the help of banking sector results as Barclays’ strategic review was well-received by the investors. More support came from credit ratings agency Standard & Poors which changed its outlook on Ireland from ‘negative’ to ‘stable’. The move reflects its expectation that the exchange of promissory notes for longer-term government bonds significantly reduces the…

The UK stock market opened on a flat note today rising 0.08% to 6,269.08 but added 16.82 points, or 0.3%, to 6,280.75 at 9:31 am, registering moderate gains by mid-day, as euro-area finance ministers prepared to discuss a bailout for Cyprus. While the Asian markets closed due to the Lunar new year holidays, the UK stock market was buoyed by industrial production figures from France, which showed that the industrial output declined by 0.1%…