Renault set a gloomy tone for the European car industry by slashing its outlook for revenue and profit, saying weakening economies are weighing on car sales and tougher rules on emissions have increased costs.

Online fashion retailer Boohoo said its sales for the year will be higher than previously expected after they soared during the summer.

Carlsberg has posted a solid rise in half-year sales, thanks to Asian markets, where consumers are trading up from mainstream beers to pricier premium brands, lifting its shares by as much as 5%.

Renault’s Dacia has built a devoted following for its often spartan, low-cost vehicles, making it one of the French manufacturer’s fastest-growing consumer brands.

Shares in Sports Direct plunged to a new eight-year low as investors reacted to the farcical scenes on Friday when Mike Ashley’s company delayed its results until nearly an hour after the stock market closed.

For months, executives from Anheuser-Busch InBev raced to prepare for a listing of its Asian subsidiary, Budweiser Brewing Company. It was to be this year’s biggest initial public offering and would surpass Uber Technologies’ $8.1bn (€7.2bn) share sale.

Royal Dutch Shell reported a small drop in first quarter profit to $5.4bn (€4.8bn), but still easily beat forecasts, helped by stronger trading and liquefied natural gas earnings.

Britain’s competition regulator has blocked Sainsbury’s proposed £7.3bn (€8.4bn) takeover of Walmart-owned Asda — a huge blow to the supermarket groups who wanted to combine to overtake market leader Tesco.

Provident Financial expects 2018 earnings to be at the lower end of market expectations, sending shares in the sub-prime lender 20% lower.

B&Q is expected to reveal a second-quarter boost from the warm weather next week, helped by shoppers splashing out on barbecues and garden furniture.

Comments by ECB chief economist over the steep path inflation still has to take may mean mortgage rates here stay lower for longer, an economist has said.

Pfizer’s quarterly profit beat market estimates, partly helped by higher-than-expected sales of its blockbuster pneumonia vaccine, Prevnar. The company also raised its full-year earnings forecast.

Cabot Credit Management, the UK’s biggest debt collector has confirmed it will list on the London Stock Exchange, targeting a £1bn (€1.1bn) market capitalisation.

Lloyd’s of London expects net losses of $4.5bn (€3.8bn) from hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which analysts said would eat into the insurer’s capital and hit its profitability.

Shares in beauty group L’Oreal surged the most in seven years on speculation that the death of the founding family’s matriarch, Liliane Bettencourt, could clear up the cosmetics maker’s ownership through a takeover or a buyback.

Profits at B&Q owner Kingfisher are expected to tumble when the DIY firm reports half year results next week, after it was hit by wetter than usual summer weather and amid a slowing property market.

Profits at B&Q owner Kingfisher are expected to tumble when the DIY firm reports half year results next week, after it was hit by wetter than usual summer weather and amid a slowing property market.

US President Donald Trump’s warning to North Korea and Pyongyang’s threat of possible armed retaliation drove investors out of stocks and other risky assets and into textbook safe havens like gold and US debt paper.

Shares in Rolls-Royce and BP rose as the jet engines maker said earnings were on the up and the oil giant reassured over its debt pile.

Christmas spending at UK supermarkets and weak sterling helped boost London’s Ftse 100 blue-chip index, which hit fresh record highs yesterday, as other European shares also ended slightly in positive territory.

Heineken is in advanced talks to buy Punch Taverns for £386m (€460m), competing with one of the chain’s founders to expand its network of British taverns.

Herbalife shares rose yesterday after billionaire Carl Icahn bought more than 2.3m shares in the nutrition company.

Shares in Shire rose to its highest level in 10 months in London after the US Food and Drug Administration approved its Xiidra drops to treat dry-eye disease, the first treatment for the ailment to be approved in more than a decade.

British supermarket giant Sainsbury’s yesterday said it was prepared for an escalation of price wars in Britain’s highly-competitive supermarket sector after reporting a decline in underlying quarterly sales.

British housebuilder Taylor Wimpey promised investors larger payouts till 2018 than previously expected on Tuesday, underpinned by strong demand for property in the UK. 

Just Eat shares soared after the company said an increase in the commission it charges UK restaurants for its online takeout service will give an additional boost to full-year sales and profit.

The London market edged back into positive territory as a rise in the price of oil eased the pressure on top-flight stocks.

Britain’s top equity index edged lower yesterday, with a decline for commodities stocks such as BP and Royal Dutch Shell overshadowing gains in travel group TUI.

Shares in Guinness maker Diageo built up a head today as investors responded to reports that Brazil’s richest man was preparing a bid for the British drinks maker.

The Dáil has voted in favour of selling off the State’s share in Aer Lingus as part of a €1.4bn takeover bid by International Airlines Group (IAG).

Diageo, the world’s largest spirits maker, has reported a drop in quarterly sales, despite an improvement in north America, after being hurt by challenges in several emerging markets.

Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to buy smaller rival BG Group for £47bn (€65bn) in the first major energy industry merger in more than a decade, closing the gap on market leader ExxonMobil after a plunge in prices.

Dublin-headquartered Horizon pharmaceutical has agreed to buy Hyperion Therapeutics for $1.1bn (€1bn) to gain drugs to treat rare metabolic diseases, adding to this year’s surge in pharmaceutical- industry takeovers.

Hopes for a turnaround in Europe’s economic fortunes cheered investors today as the FTSE 100 Index rallied to within 100 points of its record level.

The London market ended the week in the red after a downbeat note on housebuilding and as oil prices began falling again.

State-backed Lloyds Banking Group is reportedly expected to announce thousands of job cuts as it publishes latest financial results with a strategic update today.

GlaxoSmithKline, battered by weak US drug sales and a bribery scandal inChina, set out a bold recovery plan yesterday, including an initial public offering of part of its fast-growing HIV and AIDS drugs business.

British airline, EasyJet is giving an increased forecast for upcoming full-year earnings in the latest indication of the success of its low-cost model. The forecast has spurred hopes of a lucrative reward to shareholders.

On one side of the Atlantic they’re trying to refill the punchbowl.

The Glazer family will make around $150m (€112m) by selling part of its stake in Manchester United although the deal will leave the Americans firmly in control of the English soccer club.