A Brief Look At The Week Ahead

The banking crisis continues to rumble on, with the casualties becoming more high profile. The prospect of more calls for BoE assistance seems a certainty according to pundits, although why it should be forthcoming when the crisis was largely created by the banking industry itself is the question the man in the street is asking. The ongoing Sainsbury soap opera seems to have taken a political twist with the Qatari bidders reportedly falling out with each other. Watch out on Monday for numbers from HSBC which might set the tone for financials during the week. On Wednesday, Scottish & Newcastle will be in the limelight, investors hoping to hear that their plans to rebuff the overtures of Carlsberg and Heineken are in place. Next will also be updating on progress. A busy Thursday has the likes of Punch Taverns, 3i, BT and Cable & Wireless to the fore. Some good opportuniities for profit out there, but still a time to ensure that risks are managed even more carefully than usual. Good hunting! Greystone Thanks, as always to Supermum and Kyoto for their invaluable input to the Traders Thread (Greystone is Alan English, City Editor at MoneyAM.)

Morning all. Friday\\\'s market reports:

Telegraph
The Times
The Times (Need to know)
FT
The Guardian
The Independent
This is Money

Meredith Whitney, the analyst who prompted a $369 billion (£177 billion) plunge in the value of US shares on Thursday by issuing a negative note on Citigroup, hit out at Wall Street’s culture of intimidation yesterday after receiving several death threats from investors in the bank.

Top US analyst hits back after death threats over Citigroup downgrade

As expected, the US Federal Reserve lowered interest rates to 4.5 per cent on Wednesday. But the Fed then pulled a surprise, stressing that with America\\\'s inflation risk \\\"on the upside\\\", rates wouldn\\\'t be lowered again. Having slashed borrowing costs twice in the wake of this summer\\\'s sub-prime debacle – a 50 basis point reduction in September, and last week\\\'s 25 point cut – the Fed was trying to regain its composure. Having bailed out Wall Street to the tune of tens of billions of dollars – again – the Fed wanted to rebuild the façade of independent central banking. But no one was convinced. Of course the Fed will cut rates again.

Fed will have to cut rates again

Investors and stock market traders are bracing themselves for another roller coaster week, as concerns about further banking turmoil, high oil prices and the weak dollar persist.

City sentiment \\\'still very fragile\\\'

Beleaguered investment bank Bear Stearns has moved to liquidate one of the feeder hedge funds that invested in its collapsed High-Grade Enhanced Leverage (Hegel) fund in an attempt to fend off a potential investor revolt.

Bear Sterns moves to fend off investor revolt

After the deluge . . . what, exactly? Members of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) are still very unsure. More than a month on from the unravelling of Northern Rock, and with money markets no longer in a state of permanent seizure, it ought to be easier for the MPC to make its decision on interest rates at its two-day meeting this week. But the signals are mixed and the outlook remains cloudy. There are plenty of reasons for the MPC to cut rates, but the deflationary international climate has passed and it is not as easy to cut rates as it was a few years back.

A rate cut must come but in troubled times it won’t be this side of Christmas

Shares in PetroChina, the largest oil and gas producer in China, will list in Shanghai today and are expected to double their initial public offering (IPO) price of 16.70 yuan (£1.07).

PetroChina shares could double in Shanghai IPO

The value of mainland China’s public offerings for this year hit a record $61bn (€42bn, £29bn) as PetroChina debuted in Shanghai, leaving New York, London and Hong Kong trailing in its wake. PetroChina shares nearly tripled as trading started in Shanghai Monday of the oil company which raised $8.9bn in mainland China’s largest initial public offering this year.

Petrochina gusher for Chinese IPO market

Good morning traders!

In Asia today, the Hang Seng ended the morning down 915.56 points at 29,552.78,
while the Nikkei dropped 1.7% to 16240.11.

Crude oil for December delivery lost as much as 99 cents at $94.94 a barrel, after
rising $2.44 to $95.93 a barrel on New York Mercantile Exchange.

Happy trading!

G.

OUTLOOK BoE to keep rates at 5.75 pct as UK economic growth remains firmOUTLOOK - UK companies results for 2 weeks to Nov 16OUTLOOK BoE to keep rates at 5.75 pct as UK economic growth remains firmOUTLOOK AstraZeneca CORONA study outcome not likely to be positiveAustralian shares close sharply lower as US subprime concerns resurface - UPDATETFN economic and business calendar to Friday Nov 16Australian shares close sharply lower as US subprime concerns resurfaceThomson Financial Europe AM at a glance share guide: Stocks, crude mixed

NIKKEI CLOSES DOWN 248.56 POINTS 16,268.92

Tokyo shares close lower on credit market concerns

TFN UK calendar and forecasts for today

The Monday Press RoundupThomson Financial UK at a glance share guide - weekend

Tokyo shares close lower on credit market concerns - UPDATE

London shares outlook - down ahead of UK rate decision Thursday; on credit woesThomson Financial UK at a glance share guide

BROKERWATCH BSkyB downgraded to 'neutral' from 'buy' at Merrill Lynch

UK smallcap opening - Infonic firms on MoD contract win

UK smallcap opening - Sagentia up on trading statement

UK smallcap opening - Core Business ticks up on confident statement

BROKERWATCH William Hill, Ladbrokes ratings and targets cut at Morgan Stanley

UK smallcap opening - Condor resources edges up on exploration updateLondon shares open lower, Sainsbury drops after Delta Two pulls out of takeover

UK smallcap opening - Greatfleet off after FY profits warning