UK Retail Sales show signs of improvement

Retail sales in the UK rose by 0.6% in October compared to the expected 0.5% increase and previous 1.5% decline as British consumers managed to recover slightly despite rising inflation and the ongoing cost of living crisis. While this may appear to be a positive sign, there is still a long way to go before the economic picture begins to look brighter, particularly after yesterday's statement from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt referring to a recession. The pound is starting Friday's session attempting to hold onto some gains with GBPUSD pair testing the 1.19 area after pulling back to 1.175 yesterday. Meanwhile, the FTSE100 remains in the 7370 points area and it remains to be seen if it will be able to extend the upward move or fall further as investors continue to be uncertain.

Twitter saga continues as offices close 

Twitter's turbulent story continues after Elon Musk's company just announced the closing of its offices effective immediately until next week. The decision came as a surprise to many, including the employees who were told to comply with company policy. This adds further uncertainty and skepticism as to how the new owner intends to transform the business that took months to acquire while continuing to be a controversial figure. While Twitter stock is no longer available on the market, this is certainly an interesting situation as it could have ramifications and effects on the market as a whole with many holding varying opinions on the matter. In either case, it seems that Elon Musk is willing to take chances and act in unexpected ways if it means achieving his vision for Twitter even if it costs him employees.