In London, the FTSE 100 index ended down 83.19 points, 0.8%, at 10,458.50.
asserted
index → end → 10,458.50
The FTSE 250 fell 178.58 points, 0.7%, to 24,036.75, and the Aim all-share shed 7.64 points, 1.0%, to 775.98.
asserted
share → fall → 775.98
In European equity markets on Wednesday, the Cac 40 in Paris ended down 1.4%, as did the Dax 40 in Frankfurt.
asserted
Dax → end → Frankfurt
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.1% at the time of the closing bell in London.
asserted
Average → close → London
Bank of France head Emmanuel Moulin said that France’s economic situation is serious, given the rise in its borrowing costs, but the country does not at this point need help from the European Central Bank.
asserted
country → say → Bank
“Risk sentiment is deteriorating further,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, who added Mr Moulin’s comments are “spooking investors and triggered this sell off”.
asserted
comments → deteriorate → off
“Although French and Italian bonds are at the epicentre of today’s sell-off, UK yields are playing catch-up,” she said.
asserted
she → play → up
“The UK 10-year yield is higher by 10bps on Wednesday and the yield on the 30-year gilt is back above 6%, although there are signs that this level is attracting decent buying interest.”
asserted
level → be → interest
Wednesday’s UK debt sale auction attracted healthy demand, with investors bidding for around four times the securities on offer at sales of both the 2028 and 2031 gilts.
asserted
investors → attract → gilts
The yield on the US 10-year Treasury was quoted at 5.32% on Wednesday, hitting a 24-year high, stretched from 5.27% at the same time on Tuesday.
asserted
yield → quote → Tuesday
The yield on the US 30-year Treasury was quoted at 5.69%, widened from 5.63%.
asserted
yield → quote → %
The risk-off mood supported the dollar, which recouped some of Tuesday’s losses.
asserted
which → support → losses
The euro fell to 1.1187 dollars from 1.1264 dollars.
asserted
euro → fall → dollars
Against the yen, the dollar was trading at 158.13 yen, up from 158.07 yen.
asserted
dollar → trade → yen
The pound was quoted at 1.3210 dollars on Wednesday, down from 1.3280 dollars at the same time on Tuesday.
asserted
pound → quote → Tuesday
Against the euro, sterling strengthened to 1.1807 euro from 1.1791 euro.
asserted
sterling → strengthen → euro
David Morrison, analyst at Trade Nation, said: “Investors continue to favour the greenback, although much of this love comes from it being the cleanest shirt in the laundry.
asserted
it → say → laundry
“This is plain to see given the relatively dismal outlooks for the economies of France, Germany, the UK and Japan.”
asserted
This → see → France
Mr Morrison said much of the euro weakness is driven by concerns over the state of the French economy, although Germany, the former Eurozone manufacturing powerhouse, is also struggling, economically and politically.
asserted
Germany → say → economy
Sterling is holding up relatively well, he said, although “it too has its own problems, and investors are girding their loins ahead of what is likely to be a difficult budget next month”.
asserted
what → hold → loins
After the London close, the US Federal Reserve will release minutes of the September Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
asserted
Reserve → release → meeting
According to the CME’s FedWatch Tool, there is a 78% probability that the FOMC keeps rates unchanged at its October meeting, although there remains an 85% chance of at least one 25-basis-point rate hike before the year-end.
uncertain
FOMC → accord → end
A fresh rise in the oil price also kept investors sidelined amid fresh concerns about Middle East supplies following a warning that Iran appeared to be stepping up attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.
asserted
Iran → keep → Hormuz
Brent oil was quoted at 101.77 dollars a barrel in London on Wednesday, up from 98.37 dollars late on Tuesday.
asserted
oil → quote → Tuesday
Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone, told AFP that “reports of increased flows across the ([Middle East) region have offered some downside pressure on crude, but this has been offset by varying reports around the scale of attacks on vessels moving through the Strait”.
asserted
this → tell → Strait
“For now, the market remains highly sensitive to headlines and geopolitical risk,” he added.
asserted
he → remain → headlines
Asia-focused bank HSBC said consultations were under way, after the Financial Times reported that hundreds of jobs were at risk from the bank’s adoption of artificial intelligence.
“We are currently in a consultation period,” a spokesperson told AFP after the FT reported HSBC “is planning sweeping job cuts in its UK wealth management business… as part of a push to use AI to help serve wealthy clients”.
asserted
HSBC → focus → clients
Bucking the weaker trend, JD Sports rose 3.9%.
asserted
Sports → buck → trend
The advance came as Frasers Group took an 8.8% stake in sportswear brand Under Armour.
asserted
Group → come → Armour
Frasers closed up 2.8%.
asserted
Frasers → close → ?
The investment bank upgraded Reckitt Benckiser, which owns brands such as the painkiller Nurofen and throat sweets Strepsils, to “buy” and called Haleon’s valuation “compelling” in a positive sector outlook.
asserted
which → upgrade → outlook
Haleon owns brands such as Sensodyne oral care products and Panadol painkillers.
asserted
Haleon → own → products
Goldman analyst Olivier Nicolai said consumer health is an “attractive category with scope for consolidation”.
asserted
health → say → consolidation
On the FTSE 250, military and law enforcement protection equipment manufacturer Avon Technologies soared 15% as it said it expects annual results to be ahead of market expectations.
asserted
results → soar → expectations
Adjusted operating profit margin is expected to be “comfortably above” the guided range of between 14% and 16%.
asserted
margin → expect → 14
Return on invested capital is also expected to beat guidance of over 17%, compared with 19% a year earlier.
asserted
Return → invest → %
But water company Pennon plunged 20% after it announced a heavily discounted rights issue and said it was cutting its dividend to support increased investment plans.
asserted
it → plunge → plans
Chief executive Keith Haslett said it’s clear that Pennon has “real strengths, but there are areas where we need to improve and deliver better outcomes”.
asserted
we → say → outcomes
Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said: “Investors are not going to like this news one bit.”
asserted
Investors → say → news
He pointed out that investors typically buy shares in utility companies for their dividends, seeing them as a reliable source of income and a bit of capital growth on top.
asserted
investors → point → top
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
