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EU countries will next week discuss a plan to set up a naval mission to help protect Red Sea shipping following attacks from Yemen's Huthi rebels, diplomats said Friday. The proposal — in the pipeline in Brussels for several weeks — was mooted before US and British forces struck rebel-held Yemen. Any EU effort would seek to complement a US-led coalition, which includes numerous countries from the bloc, already operating in the vital shipping route. The exact details of the size and scope of any EU mission remain to be hammered out and European diplomats said a first discussion would take place in Brussels on Tuesday.

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Vishal Bhatia, Mark Costar and Tom Matthews will replace Savvides as portfolio managers of the £1.3bn UK Dynamic fund and will also look after the UK Growth fund.

Evie Paterson (pictured), was previously a senior research analyst at Impax Asset Management.

The consultation comes nearly a year after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, when HSBC stepped in to buy the bank’s UK subsidiary for £1 in March.

Overall GDP growth was a reverse of the 0.3% contraction seen in October, bringing UK growth flat over the two consecutive periods.

The London Tunnels said it expects the IPO to take place in January 2024 with a market capitalisation of £123m on admission.

In a statement, Russia's Permanent Mission to the UN said, «Russia has requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting on January 12 in connection with US and UK strikes on Yemen.» In a statement to TASS, the mission said the meeting was scheduled for 10 am (local time) (3 pm GMT) Russia's decision comes after US military forces, along with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, carried out strikes against a number of targets used by Houthi rebels in Yemen in the early hours of January 12. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that the Royal Air Force has conducted targeted strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen, calling it «limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence.» Rishi Sunak said the UK will always stand up for «freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade.» He stated that the Houthis, despite the repeated warnings from the international community, continue to conduct attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week. In a statement, Rishi Sunak said, «Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week.» «This cannot stand.

Investing.com — European stock markets climbed higher Friday, boosted by U.K. economic growth as investors await more U.S. inflation data and big bank earnings. 

By David Milliken and William Schomberg

LONDON (Reuters) — British luxury fashion brand Burberry on Friday warned that its annual results would be below previous guidance, blaming a further slowdown in demand that hit sales in the key December trading period.

Houthi military positions in Yemen Thursday night in a massive “direct response” to escalating attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed.The move marks a dramatic escalation of a simmering regional conflict in the Middle East sparked by Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel last October and Israel’s responsive offensive on Gaza.Canada joined Australia, Bahrain and the Netherlands in providing support for the strikes, but the extent of that support was not immediately clear.“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes,” Biden said in a statement provided by the White House.“I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”The strikes targeted Houthi-connected facilities storing the rebel group’s combat drones and ballistic and anti-ship missiles, as well as air defence systems and logistical hubs in Yemen, U.S.

By Stella Qiu

(Reuters) — The United States and Britain launched strikes from the air and sea against Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the movement's attacks on ships in the Red Sea, a dramatic escalation of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Investing.com-- Gold prices rose on Friday as an escalation in the Middle East crisis ramped up safe haven demand, which also helped the yellow metal gain despite stronger-than-expected U.S. inflation data.

Houthi spokesperson says targeting of ships heading towards Israel will continue, after United States backed coalition, including United Kingdom, launches heavy airstrikes across Yemen. The Yemen's Houthi spokesperson also said, “No justification for the US-UK attack on Yemen". The attack by the US and UK on Yemen comes weeks after the Houthi rebels allegedly unleashed disruptive attacks on Red Sea hurting commercial shipping on the trade route.

Stock market today: After the announcement of the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Q3 results on Thursday evening (after market close), TCS share price witnessed an upside swing in the morning session on Friday. TCS share price today opened upside at ₹3,848 apiece level on NSE and went on to touch an intraday high of ₹3,8694 mark within a few minutes of the stock market's opening bell. While climbing to this intraday high, TCS shares logged an intraday gain of over 4 per cent.

Citi Research on Friday lowered its Brent price forecasts for this year and 2025, citing oversupply concerns but expects prices holding above $70 per barrel in 2024 as OPEC+ keeps global oil markets «finely balanced». Citi cut its 2024 Brent price forecast by $1 to $74 per barrel and slashed 2025 forecast by $10 to $60 per barrel, but said in a note that recent activity in the Red Sea causing further tension in the Middle East could see near-term upside to the risk premium. The United States and Britain launched strikes from the air and sea against Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the movement's attacks on ships in the Red Sea, a dramatic regional widening of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Brent crude futures were trading around $79 a barrel at 0337 GMT on Friday, while U.S.

Yemen over recent attacks on Red Sea shipping were «necessary and proportionate», UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. «Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea,» Sunak said in a statement. «We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States… to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping,» he said. Sunak's statement followed comments by US President Joe Biden about the strikes carried out against the Houthis, who control wide areas of Yemen. Biden described the joint strikes as «defensive» and warned of further measures if the Iran-backed rebels kept attacking Red Sea shipping. He said Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands had also provided non-operational support. The Houthis have stepped up attacks in recent weeks on shipping in the Red Sea, a vital waterway through which 12 percent of world trade flows. Houthi television channel Al-Massirah said the air strikes hit the capital Sanaa as well as the cities of Hodeida and Saada. US and British forces this week shot down 18 drones and three missiles fired by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea in what Washington called a «complex Iranian-designed» attack. UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said on social media platform X that four Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets had taken part in Friday's strikes against Houthi targets alongside US forces. Sunak described the Houthis' actions as «irresponsible» and «destabilising» and said their attacks were «driving up commodity prices». «This cannot stand.