On Thursday, the London stock market remains flat, thanks to a dip in UK consumer confidence. The British Retail Consortium reported that consumers are feeling a bit gloomy about their wallets and the economy. Expectations for personal finances over the next three months dropped to minus 4 in January from minus 3 in December. Meanwhile, the outlook for the economy took a nosedive to minus 34 from minus 27.

Several companies reported significant updates. Associated British Foods revealed a 2.2% revenue drop for the first quarter. Primark, their fashion-forward offspring, managed to eke out a 2% sales increase, but the Christmas quarter was more "bah humbug" than "ho ho ho," leading to a downgrade in annual sales guidance. Meanwhile, IG Group was popping champagne with a 30% rise in first-half profit, thanks to clients who apparently love a good market rollercoaster. CMC Markets is confidently strutting towards its annual financial goals, while Shell is playing musical chairs in the boardroom, with Huibert Vigeveno stepping down after three decades and Machteld de Haan stepping up to the plate.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is on a mission to streamline legal challenges against big infrastructure projects, hoping to avoid the dreaded delays and cost overruns. It's all part of a grand plan to boost growth and infrastructure development.

On the international front, the EU is hinting at letting the UK join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention, which would facilitate tariff-free trade across Europe and parts of North Africa and the Levant. The UK government is busy consulting businesses to see if this is a match made in trade heaven.

Meanwhile, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, former US President Donald Trump was set to make a cameo via live video, sharing his thoughts on economic policies and their impact on global trade and regulation.

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