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British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (LSE:IAG) and easyJet PLC (LSE:EZJ) have been given higher share targets and tipped as ‘buys’ over the potential for further growth headroom.

Airlines are still “in the early stages of recovery from the pandemic”, said Liberum analyst Gerald Khoo in a note on Tuesday.

He cited positive factors for the sector being “relatively careful” plans from companies to grow capacity, moderating and stabilising jet fuel prices and “encouraging” recent commentary about forward bookings.

https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/1004153/ba-owner-iag-and-easyjet-offer-more-upside-as-airline-recovery-still-in-early-stages-1004153.html

UK Manufacturing PMI improves to 46.7 in January, a positive surprise.

Services PMI in the UK comes in at 48.0 in January, a big miss.

GBP/USD drops toward 1.2300 on mixed UK PMIs.

The seasonally adjusted S&P Global/CIPS UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) unexpectedly improved to 46.7 in January versus 45.0 expected and 45.3, December’s final reading.

Meanwhile, the Preliminary UK Services Business Activity Index for January arrived at 48.0 when compared to December’s final print of 49.9 and 49.9 expected.

Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global, commented on the survey
“Weaker than expected PMI numbers in January underscore the risk of the UK slipping into recession. Industrial disputes, staff shortages, export losses, the rising cost of living and higher interest rates all meant the rate of economic decline gathered pace again at the start of the year. Jobs also continued to be lost as firms tightened their belts in the face of these headwinds, though many other firms reported being.”

Public sector borrowing (PSNB ex) in December 2022 was £27.4bn, the highest December figure since monthly records began in January 1993, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The rise which was above City expectations was largely because of a sharp rise in spending on energy support schemes and an increase in debt interest the ONS said

Pub and hotel operator Marston’s has reported bumper sales over the Christmas period as Brits treated a pint as an “affordable treat”.

The historic London-listed firm, founded in 1834, said like-for-like sales were up 12.9 per cent on Omicron-affected 2022, for the 16 weeks to 21 January.

The FTSE 100 is expected to open slightly higher on Tuesday, after gains in the US and Tokyo and ahead of PMI readings for many of the world's major economies.

Spread betting companies are calling London’s blue chip index up by around 15 points

British Airways, the largest carrier at the UK's busiest airport, has axed around 80 flights.

Airlines were told on Sunday night they would have to reduce the number of flights they are operating by about 15% due to the weather and Air Traffic Control restrictions.

Temperatures at the airport on Monday morning were as low as -6C and visibility was poor.

The full extent of trade-down trends among airline passengers will be front and centre when two of Europe’s largest budget carriers, easyJet plc and Wizz Air Holdings PLC (AIM:WIZZ), release their quarterly results next week, on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

If stock market performance is anything to go by, investors expect to see bumper results across the board.

Year to date, easyJet has added 35% on the LSE, while Wizz Air has soared nearly 45%, vastly outperforming their more premium competitor, British Airways’ parent company International Consolidated Airlines (IAG).

https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/1003933/easyjet-and-wizz-air-gear-up-for-critical-earnings-season-1003933.html

Mulberry Group PLC 9.1% potential upside

https://www.***************************/mulberry-group-plc-9.1-potential-upside-indicated-by-barclays/4121098341

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/investing/article-11648079/As-FTSE-100-nears-record-high-does-mean-investors.html

The FTSE 100 is expected to open higher on Friday recouping some of yesterday’s heavy losses despite further falls in the US overnight as strong subscriber figures from Netflix after the bell lifted the mood.

Spread betting companies are calling the lead index up by around 37 points.

Aston Martin has gone on a hiring spree, announcing today it’s seeking to recruit over 100 new positions at its Warwickshire headquarters.

The luxury carmaker said the new technicians will be recruited to support the rollout of a new generation of ultra-luxury sports cars.

These include a limited edition of the two-seater V12 Speedster as well as the new Aston Martin Valhalla.

Chief people officer Simon Smith said the company was delighted to “offer high-quality permanent employment opportunities to our valued agency colleagues”.

The recruitment drive includes an offer of full-time permanent employment to agency staff who work at the ***don factory on a temporary basis.

“Nobody builds an Aston Martin on their own and this is a fantastic opportunity for experienced automotive technicians to join our world-class team and play their part in this exciting next chapter in Aston Martin’s rich history,” Smith added.

The announcement comes after Jaguar Land Rover announced it was recruiting 81 per cent of its global workforce in the UK.

https://www.cityam.com/aston-martin-to-recruit-over-100-people-in-uk-to-support-new-sports-car-plans/

Lti
"That would be the minimum i was hoping for"

Maybe we'll get a special payment as well

Lloyds is predicted to announce another £2.0bn share buyback when it reports on 22 February, the same as announced a year ago, as well as hiking its total dividend 20% to 2.4p per share.

https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/1003839/analysts-expect-lloyds-banking-to-unveil-materially-higher-share-buybacks-for-2023-and-2024-1003839.html

"BHP believes China will be a stabilising force when it comes to commodity demand in the 2023 calendar year, with OECD nations experiencing economic headwinds.

"China's pro-growth policies, including in the property sector, and an easing of COVID-19 restrictions are expected to support progressive improvement from the difficult economic conditions of the first half. China is expected to achieve its fifth straight year of over 1 billion tonnes of steel production."

Jan 19 (Reuters) - German airline Lufthansa's bid for a minority stake in Italy's ITA Airways has ignited talk of further potential sector consolidation as the industry seeks to plot a more profitable post-pandemic recovery.

Many of Europe's legacy flag-carrying airlines are struggling to compete effectively with budget carriers, hampered by weak balance sheets that could be made more robust by merging with rivals, analysts said.

Lufthansa has offered to buy an initial minority stake in ITA, Italy's state-owned successor to Alitalia, it said on Wednesday.

"This may be the next step in European airline consolidation," said Bernstein analyst Alex Irving, citing Portugal's national airline, TAP, as a prime target.

The Portuguese government, which owns TAP, has said it is considering an outright or partial sale of the business. Lufthansa, Air-France KLM (AIRF.PA) and British Airways owner IAG (ICAG.L) are potential buyers, analysts said.

The FTSE 100 is set to open lower today following heavy falls in the US and as yesterday’s inflation numbers suggested there would no let up yet in the pace of interest rate rises in the UK.

Spread betting companies are calling London’s blue-chip index down by around 45 points.

WH Smith revenues boosted by return of rail and air travellers

Pound Sterling Holds Gains against Euro and Dollar 1.24 as Core Inflation Surprise Pressures Bank of England to Hike 50bp in February

Nearly 600 chief executives and more than 50 heads of state or government are expected but it is never clear how much concrete action emerges from the elite event.

The elite gathering is regularly skewered by critics who argue that attendees are too out-of-touch or too profit- or power-minded to address the needs of common people and the planet.

Throughout the week, critics and activists will be waiting outside the Davos conference centre to try to hold decision-makers and business leaders to account.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11643585/amp/Prostitutes-gather-Davos-annual-meeting-global-elite-demand-skyrockets.html

"Our base case for 2023 is we will have a recession — a mild recession — GDP of about -0.1% this year, unemployment staying strong and that's more because of the constraints on the supply side, interest rates about 4% and a recovery coming into 2023," Nunn said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The British housing market has been under pressure following former prime minister Liz Truss' disastrous "mini-budget"

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/01/17/uk-house-prices-to-fall-by-up-to-10percent-this-year-lloyds-bank-ceo-says.html