LONDON MARKET CLOSE: FTSE 100 Ends Week Higher As US Growth Surges

LONDON (Alliance News) - Stocks in London finished the day higher on Friday as the US economy registered sharp growth in the second quarter, though marginally below expectations, while there were a number of winners in the FTSE 100.The FTSE 100 index closed up 0.6%, or 42.50 points, at 7,705.67 on Friday, ending the week 0.4% higher overall.The FTSE 250 finished up 0.3%, or 65.65 points, at 20,834.26, and the AIM All-Share ended up 0.1%, or 1.37 points, at 1,101.34.The Cboe UK 100 closed 0.5% at 13,065.34, the Cboe UK 250 finished 0.3% higher at 18,941.32, and the Cboe UK Small Companies ended up 0.3% at 12,437.82.Economic growth in the US saw a significant acceleration in the second quarter, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Friday.The report said real gross domestic product jumped by 4.1% in the second quarter following a 2.2% increase in the first quarter. Economists had expected GDP to surge up by 4.2%.US President Donald Trump took full credit for the "amazing rate" of expansion and pledged the path was sustainable, amid concerns from economists about overheating."These numbers are very, very sustainable. This is not a one-time shot," he said, adding future figures "are going to be outstanding." Trump pointed to data showing low unemployment and job creation.Also in US data, consumer sentiment in the US deteriorated by less than initially estimated in the month of July, the University of Michigan revealed in a report released on Friday.The report said the consumer sentiment index for July was upwardly revised to 97.9 from the preliminary reading of 97.1. Despite the upward revision, the index was still down from 98.2 in June."Concerns about tariffs greatly accelerated in the July survey," said Surveys of Consumers chief economist, Richard Curtin. "Across all households, 35% spontaneously mentioned that the tariffs would have a negative economic impact in July, up from 21% in June and 15% in May.""European markets have enjoyed a decent week, helped in no small part by Wednesday's agreement between Trump and Juncker not to ramp up the trade rhetoric any further," said CMC Markets' Michael Hewson. In political news Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he was ready to meet with his US counterpart Trump in Washington or Moscow."We are ready to welcome President Trump to Moscow," Putin told reporters at a summit in South Africa, according to comments carried by Russian state news agency TASS."I am also ready to go to Washington, if there are some relevant working conditions there," Putin said, without giving further details.In London's FTSE 100 index, Reckitt Benckiser ended the best performer, up 7.9%, after the household goods maker raised its revenue target for 2018 as it reported a surge in top line numbers buoyed by its acquisition of baby formula maker Mead Johnson Nutrition.For the half year ending June 30, pretax profit grew to GBP1.11 billion from GBP1.02 billion a year before, as net revenue rose 23% to GBP6.14 billion from GBP5.02 billion.As such, Reckitt raised its annual net revenue growth expectations to between 14% to 15%, higher than its previous target of 13% to 14%. Moreover, full year like-for-like sales growth is also expected to come in at the higher end of the company's 2% to 3% range.BT ended up 4.3%, second behind Reckitt, after the telecommunications company reiterated its annual earnings expectations, as it reported a sharp rise in first quarter pretax profit due to the absence of large expenses.For the three months to June-end, BT reported pretax profit of GBP704 million, up from GBP418 million in the year ago period, on revenue of GBP5.72 billion from GBP5.84 billion. Adjusted pretax profit rose 3% to GBP816 million.BT also said its mobile phone operating unit, EE, will launch the UK's first live 5G trail network in east London in October and the transformation of the group's operating model remains on track.Pearson finished up 3.9% after the education publisher said it still expects underlying growth in the year despite its first half revenue dropping.In the six months ended June, Pearson posted a 9% drop in revenue to GBP1.87 billion from GBP2.05 billion the year before. Currency movements decreased revenues by GBP128 million.In underlying terms, however, Pearson said its revenue grew 2%. This growth was driven by improved performances in its US Higher Education Courseware, Online Program Management, Connections Academy, Professional Certification and Pearson Test of English Academic divisions.Pearson's first half pretax profit soared to GBP202 million from a GBP10 million loss last year.BHP Billiton closed 3.0% higher after the Anglo-Australian miner entered into agreements to sell its entire interest in its onshore US assets for USD10.80 billion - with oil major BP buying a large chunk - eyeing a distribution to shareholders with the proceeds.The assets comprise BHP's Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Permian and Fayetteville oil and gas interests. BP will pay USD10.50 billion for this in cash, one half due at completion with the deferred consideration payable in six equal instalments over a six-month period, commencing one month after completion. BP shares finished up 0.5%, having been lower down earlier in the session. In the red was Rightmove, the worst performer, which ended down 2.9% after the property portal said its interim revenue increased 9.7% against a tough UK property market backdrop.For the six months to June 30, the company behind the rightmove.co.uk property portal posted revenue up to GBP131.1 million from GBP119.5 million reported in the same period a year ago.Pretax profit for the period rose to GBP98.1 million compared to GBP87.5 million posted a year ago. The stock was cut to Reduce from Hold by Peel Hunt.In the FTSE 250, Equiniti Group was by far the biggest winner, closing 11% higher, after the technology outsourcer said it was "pleased with performance in the first half", and expects full-year earnings to be towards the top end of market expectations which see earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation between GBP116 million and GBP122.9 million.For the half-year to June-end, revenue jumped 30% to GBP254.0 million from GBP194.8 million. Adjusted Ebitda reached GBP55.0 million from GBP41.8 million a year ago.The company lifted its interim dividend by 12% to 1.83 pence per share from 1.64p paid a year ago.At the other end of the midcap index, Inchcape was the worst performer, finishing down 5.4%, after HSBC downgraded the car dealer to Hold from Buy.In the UK company calendar on Monday, there are interims from property firm Foxtons, engineering firm Senior, geotechnical solutions firm Keller, publisher Reach, and a trading statement from banking group CYBG. The pound was quoted at USD1.3121 at the close compared to USD1.3114 late Thursday, amid fears of a negative outcome to the UK's Brexit negotiations.UK Prime Minister Theresa May was been warned she will struggle to find "loopholes" in the EU's approach to Brexit talks.May will discuss her plan for leaving the EU with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Czech counterpart Andrej Babis as she seeks to build alliances as the clock ticks down to the March 2019 Brexit date.Both the Austrian and Czech governments have been critical of aspects of EU policy, particularly on migration, and May will hope she can use internal divisions within the bloc to push for a more flexible approach from Brussels to the Brexit negotiations.But Czech state secretary for European affairs Ales Chmelar insisted there was unity behind Michel Barnier's approach to the talks.EU chief negotiator Barnier dealt the UK prime minister a serious blow by rejecting a key part of her Brexit strategy on Thursday.In Paris the CAC 40 was up 0.6%, while the DAX 30 in Frankfurt was up 0.5%.The euro was quoted at USD1.1657 Friday at the close from USD1.1651 at the European equities close Thursday.Eurozone economic growth is expected to moderate in the near-term, according to survey of professional forecasters published by the European Central Bank.Real gross domestic product is forecast to grow 2.2% this year instead of 2.4% estimated a quarter ago. Likewise, the outlook for 2019 was revised down to 1.9% from 2%.The growth estimate for 2020 was retained at 1.6%. Average longer-term expectations for real GDP growth remained unchanged at 1.6%.Inflation is expected to average 1.7% each in 2018, 2019 and 2020. This represented upward revisions from 1.5% in 2018 and 1.6% for 2019, but no change to the expectation for 2020.Stocks in New York were mixed at the London equities close. The DJIA was up 0.1%, the S&P 500 index down 0.2% and the Nasdaq Composite down 0.7%.The Nasdaq's losses follow a Facebook-led 1.0% decline on Thursday.Amazon.com on Thursday reported a surge in profit for the second quarter, driven largely by a sharp 39% growth in revenue. Earnings for the quarter trounced Wall Street estimates, but revenue fell short of expectations.Amazon reported second-quarter profit of USD2.53 billion or USD5.07 per share, up from USD197 million or USD0.40 per share last year. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected earnings of USD2.50 per share for the quarter.Amazon's sales for the quarter surged 39% to USD52.89 billion from USD37.96 billion a year ago. Analysts had a consensus revenue estimate of USD53.27 billion for the quarter.Twitter reported second-quarter non-GAAP net income per share of USD0.17 compared to USD0.08 the prior year, meeting analyst expectations. Non-GAAP net income was USD134 million compared to USD56 million, pri or year.Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation was USD265 million compared to USD178 million, previous year.Gold was quoted at USD1,224.40 at the close Friday from USD1,226.19 an ounce at the London equities close Thursday.Brent oil was quoted at USD74.63 a barrel from USD74.57 from USD73.94 Thursday.In the economic calendar on Monday, there are EU consumer surveys at 1000 BST as well as the US pending home sales index at 1500 BST. There are also Japanese retail sales at 0050 BST and the Bank of Japan's monetary policy meeting.