Following further reports that the rate of new coronavirus cases in China is slowing, the markets continued to climb on Wednesday, if with differing amounts of vigour.
For the FTSE, that translated to an incremental 0.1% increase, keeping it just under its recent February highs at 7515. It’s perhaps a surprise that the UK index wasn’t more robust after the bell – Brent Crude rose 2.2%, lifting BP (LON:BP) and Shell (LON:RDSa) higher with it, while its miners are also in good health.
The DAX was better than its UK peer, adding another 0.4%. That propelled the German bourse to a fresh all-time high of 13685, around 750 points above the lows struck on the last day of January. The DAX was joined at a record peak by the Italian FTSE MIB, while the CAC sat around 25 points shy of its own all-time high as it climbed to 6075.
Erasing its gains come closing time on Tuesday, the Dow is set to make another attempt at retaking 29400 later this afternoon. The futures are pointing to a 120 point increase, one that would once again put the Dow back in record high-testing territory.
It’s a well-known truism that the British retail sector is struggling, especially those with a big bricks and mortar presence. There is, however, the odd exception –case in point, Dunelm. The home furnishing firm once again outperformed its peers, revealing a higher than forecast 19.4% surge in pre-tax profit to £83.6 million, off of a 6% increase in revenue and a 5.6% jump in like-for-like sales. Understandably impressed, investors sent the stock another 5.4% higher, leaving it at a record peak of £12.60.
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