Saint Helena Pounds

European stocks were set to achieve their longest weekly winning streak for more than three years on Friday as M&A activity added to an advance on the back of a busy earnings season.

Britain’s sluggish economy looks set for more weak growth stretching out over the next five years, according to official forecasts announced by finance minister Philip Hammond on Tuesday as the country heads for Brexit.

European shares rose on Thursday, reversing initial losses after the ECB said interest rates would stay at record lows at least through the summer of 2019.

Britain’s services sector gathered steam in April and Q1 GDP growth was revised up, raising hopes of a pick-up after a sluggish start to 2018 that has kept BOE interest rates on hold.