Economics

Brazilian equity markets have rallied sharply after a strong performance by pro-business candidate Aecio Neves in the first round of the presidential election.

The pound dropped to its lowest rate against the dollar in almost a year this afternoon after the US unemployment rate fell below 6%, triggering a further rally for the dollar.

Shares in Sainsbury's fell further today after it became the latest supermarket to cut its sales forecast for the full year, following a slump in trading in the second quarter.

The Office for National Statistics has revised second quarter growth figures in the UK up from 0.8% to 0.9% in its final estimate.

Balfour Beatty shares have plunged over 20% this morning, after the UK's biggest construction company issued another profit warning.

Protests in Hong Kong caused the country's stock market to tumble today, while sharp drops in its currency forced the country's monetary authority to announce emergency measures to provide support.

George Osborne is expected to announce cuts to a so-called 'death tax' which applies to the untouched pension pots of over-75s at this year's Tory conference.

Aberdeen Asset Management today said outflows from its business had slowed significantly following a sustained period of redemptions, with the group also seeing better than expected flows from recent acquisition SWIP.

Deflation defeated

UK markets opened lower Friday after a tough session in the US where stocks suffered sharp losses on the expectation of an imminent rate hike by the Federal Reserve.