UK stocks edged higher to a seven-month high on Friday morning, though gains were likely to be limited in a shortened trading session ahead of the New Year's break.
As scheduled corporate results begin to die down ahead of the festive break, much of Thursday's focus will be on economic data from the US, as markets continue to watch indicators closely for any hints at what the future holds for monetary policy.
Investors' focus over the next to last trading week of 2023 will shift to Asia, with the Bank of Japan and People's Bank of China both scheduled to announce policy decisions.
Before we publish our Xmas tips for 2024, it’s time to take stock of the festive picks from 2023 s contest and hail our new champion. This time last year,.