Markets brace for Taiwan earthquake disruption; Disney reportedly wins board battle – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as investors await details of earthquake effects on chipmakers and tech suppliers

London’s FTSE 100 and Milan’s FTSE MIB are the biggest fallers of the main European stock market indices this morning. Both have lost 0.3%.

There are no major individual movers on the FTSE 100, however: the biggest faller is BT Group, down 1.7%.

EUROPE’S STOXX 600 UP 0.1%

FRANCE’S CAC 40 UP 0.2%, SPAIN’S IBEX UP 0.1%

EURO STOXX INDEX UP 0.2%; EURO ZONE BLUE CHIPS UP 0.3%

GERMANY’S DAX UP 0.2%

TSMC’s safety systems are operating normally. Preventive measures were initiated according to procedure and some fabs were evacuated. All personnel are safe, and those evacuated are beginning to return to their workplaces.

The company is currently confirming the details of the impact. Initial inspections show that construction sites are normal.

Enough votes had been cast as of Tuesday evening to put Disney’s board directors safely ahead of Trian’s two challengers.

10am BST: Euro area inflation rate flash reading (March; previous: 2.6% year-on-year; consensus: 2.6%)

10am BST: Euro area unemployment rate (February; prev.: 6.4%; cons.: 6.4%)

1:15pm BST: US ADP employment change (March; prev.: 140,000 jobs; cons.: 148,000)