Corporate results:

  • Airbus publishes €4.4 bn free cash flow in 2023, will pay an exceptional dividend of EUR1 and revises its 2024 delivery forecast downwards to 800 aircraft.
  • Albemarle - The world's leading producer of lithium for electric vehicle batteries falls 4.7% in after-hours trading after reporting a fourth-quarter net loss of $617.7 million.
  • EssilorLuxottica is still forecasting annual sales growth of 5% for 2022-2026, after mixed results for 2023.
  • Cisco lost 5.2% in after-hours trading, as the network equipment manufacturer lowered its annual sales forecast and said it expected lower-than-expected revenues for the current quarter amid slowing demand. The group also announced its intention to cut 5% of its workforce and focus on artificial intelligence and software.
  • Close Brothers will not pay a dividend for the current year.
  • Twilio plunged 10.6% in after-hours trading after the cloud computing specialist announces a sales forecast for the current quarter below expectations, according to LSEG data.
  • Tripadvisor jumped 5.3% in after-hours trading after reporting better-than-expected fourth-quarter sales and earnings.
  • Deere cut its earnings forecast for 2024 on Thursday, as farmers were reluctant to buy equipment due to high borrowing rates and falling prices.
  • Commerzbank posts its highest annual profit in 15 years.
  • Danube reports above expectations and plans to spin off its animal nutrition and health businesses.
  • Embracer missed third-quarter operating profit forecast.
  • Rakuten surged 16% in Japan after results.
  • RELX targets further growth after a 13% increase in operating profit in 2023.
  • Occidental Petroleum exceeded expectations on Wednesday evening with its fourth-quarter profit, as the oil group achieved its best production performance in three years and cut expenses.

In other news:

  • Renesas will acquire Altium for $5.9 billion.
  • Microsoft will invest 3.2 billion euros in Germany in 2024-2025 and will focus on artificial intelligence, the group announced on Thursday.
  • BAE Systems received the necessary regulatory approvals to complete the acquisition of Ball Aerospace from Ball Corporation for $5.55 billion.
  • Berkshire Hathaway reduces its stake in Apple, exits DR Horton, Globe Life, Markel and StoneCo and takes a new undisclosed bet.
  • Salesforce's venture capital subsidiary invests in chip reseller Nvidia Together AI, according to The Information.
  • Swisscom is the only party still in the running to buy Vodafone Italy, according to Reuters.
  • BHP Group has taken a $2.5 billion impairment charge on its nickel assets.
  • Ryanair is in negotiations to supply flights to TUI, according to Bloomberg. Moody's raised TUI's credit rating from B2 to B1, with a positive outlook.
  • GSK completes acquisition of Aiolos.
  • Shell may abandon its offshore wind project in Norway for commercial reasons.
  • Intuitive Machines climbed 7.6% in pre-market trading after the successful launch in Florida on Thursday morning of a lunar craft built by the company as part of a mission to enable the USA to land a vehicle on the Moon.
  • Volkswagen is in discussions with its Chinese partner SAIC Motor concerning its presence in Xinjiang province, following a report alleging the use of forced labor.
  • S&P downgraded Deutsche Pfandbriefbank from "BBB" to "BBB-".
  • NatWest is considering confirming its interim CEO, Paul Thwaite, in this position.
  • Intel is reportedly looking to raise $2bn to finance a new manufacturing plant in Ireland.
  • Pfizer pays $93 million to settle Lipitor antitrust lawsuit.


Today's main earnings reports: Applied Materials, Deere, Airbus, Schneider, RELX, Safran, Stellantis, Danube, Commerzbank... The full earnings calendar is here.