Are there any major UK companies ripe for takeover bids in 2025? Have your say

Vicky McKeever writes:

Oil prices rose on Wednesday, with the market's focus on the Fed's rate decision, but also developments in China's economy.

Brent crude futures were up nearly 0.6% to $73.60 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up by almost 0.7% to $70.55.

Data released on Monday showed that retail sales in China rose at their slowest pace in three months, up 3%. However, officials have signalled bigger fiscal spending to come in 2025, in an effort to boost consumption.

Hargreaves Lansdown's Streeter said: "The expectation that economic moves to boost growth in China will increase appetite for energy, which is partly why oil prices have lifted slightly."

"Industry data from API (American Petroleum Institute), showing oil stocks in the United States fell by more than expected last week, is also helping to shore up prices, indicating higher demand in the world’s largest economy," she added.

In broader market movements, the FTSE 100 (^FTSE) rose 0.3% to 8,218.25 points. For more details check our live coverage here.

Read our full curtain raiser on the Bank of England's decision tomorrow here

The latest ONS bulletin says on rents:

• Average UK private rents increased by 9.1% in the 12 months to November 2024; this is up from 8.7% in the 12 months to October 2024.

• Average rents increased to £1,362 (9.3%) in England, £772 (8.0%) in Wales, and £980 (6.5%) in Scotland, in the 12 months to November 2024.

• In Northern Ireland, average rents increased by 9.0% in the 12 months to September 2024.

• In England, rents inflation was highest in London (11.6%) and lowest in Yorkshire and the Humber (5.7%) in the 12 months to November 2024.

And on house prices:

• Average UK house prices increased by 3.4%, to £292,000 in the 12 months to October 2024; this annual growth rate is up from 2.8% in the 12 months to September 2024.

• Average house prices increased in England to £309,000 (3.0%), in Wales to £222,000 (4%), and in Scotland to £197,000 (5.5%) in the 12 months to October 2024.

Danni Hewson, AJ Bell head of financial analysis, said:

Pedro Goncalves writes:

UK inflation ticked higher in November, reaching 2.6%, up from 2.3% the previous month, driven by the rising cost of petrol, groceries and an increase in tobacco duty in the budget, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This increase marks the second consecutive month that inflation is the highest figure since March.

The core inflation rate, which excludes volatile items such as food and energy, rose to 3.5% from 3.3%. The increase was largely driven by higher prices in key areas like fuel and clothing. Prices for recreation and cultural activities also rose.

Read more on Yahoo Finance UK

From our US team:

US stocks fell across the board on Tuesday, with the Dow logging its biggest losing streak in 46 years.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) finished the session down roughly 0.6%, registering its ninth straight day of losses. The last nine-day losing streak for the Dow was in February 1978. Prior to that, the index suffered an 11-day losing streak in 1974 and another in 1971.

The other major indexes dropped in tandem on Tuesday, with the benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) falling around 0.4% and the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) losing about 0.3% after the tech-heavy index closed at a record high on Monday.

Fed policymakers kicked off their final gathering of the year earlier in the trading day, amid almost total conviction that a 0.25% rate cut is coming on Wednesday. Some on Wall Street suspect it could be the last cut for some time, as inflation proves persistent. Given that, the focus is on clues to the path of rates next year — and in January, in particular.

Hello from London! Lucy Harley-McKeown here ready to bring you the latest markets news of the day. We've already had an inflation reading in the UK — data which precedes a Bank of England rate decision tomorrow.

Eyes are also on Birkenstock (BIRK) results and the US Federal Reserve's interest rate decision.

Quiet week before Christmas? Not a chance.

Let's get to it.