Kingfisher Share News (KGF)

(ShareCast News) - Stocks were being called to start the day higher ahead of a raft of macroeconomic releases, not to mention the outcome of the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting on 17 September - which has kept markets in thrall for several weeks now.Bookmakers were calling the Footsie to start 17 points higher at 6,101.As of 07:32 the Shanghai Stock Exchange's Composite Index was retreating 3.69% to 2,999.99.All eyes were expected to be on Tuesday's consumer price data, with the median forecast from economists calling for an unchanged year-on-year reading for the cost of living in the UK in August.Nonetheless, with core consumer prices expected to print at 1% the Monetary Policy Committee was - according to most economists - expected to continue to play up the possibility of a hike in Bank Rate early in 2016. As in the US however, traders were of another mind, with derivatives markets pointing to a first rise come fall of next year.Acting as a backdrop, new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's appointment of hardline socialist John McDonell, who advocates a 60p top rate of tax and increased public spending as shadow chancellor occupied many headlines in Tuesday's press.Stateside, investors were awaiting the latest readings on US industrial production and retail sales. As of Monday's close fed funds futures were assigning just a 26% probability to a rate hike at Thursday's gathering of the US central bank's monetary priests, according to calculations by Bloomberg.Finally, overnight the Bank of Japan opted to leave policy unchanged despite calls from many analysts for further stimulus."I still think we'll see an increase in asset purchases in the coming months though as the current package just isn't achieving its target, or even close to doing so," said Craig Erlam, Senior Market Analyst at Oanda.Kingfisher posts drop in yearly profitsB&Q owner Kingfisher saw pre-tax profits fall 2.3% in the first half of the year as like-for-like sales grew 2% at constant currencies. Total adjusted sales fell 4% as the company remained on track to close roughly 15% of B&Q surplus store space by the end of the next financial year. The interim dividend was lifted 1% to 3.18p per share.British Land and Oxford Properties announced two new lettings at the Leadenhall Building to global energy company Petredec and Fidelis Insurance. There are now just five floors still available at the building. Aon and Amlin, which signed pre-lets for 191.000 square ft and 111,000 sq ft respectively, completed their phased moves into the building over the summer, joining six other companies already in occupation.Gross group sales at supermarket delivery group Ocado rose 17% to £272m in the third quarter of the year, with average orders per week jumping 16.6% to 190,000. The average order size fell 1.1% to £110.46, Ocado said. Group sales take in includes the benefits from the company's agreement with Morrison and retail business. Gross sales include revenue plus VAT and marketing vouchers. Gross sales from retail were up 15.3% to £252m.