London close: Gains wiped out
1st Aug 2011 16:57
After a late dive the top share index finished deep firmly in the red, reversing strong gains after some weak economic data from the US. The Institute of Supply Management´s (ISM) purchasing managers´ index for the manufacturing sector fell to 50.9 points in July, from 55.3 the month before. That d
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 adds more gains as HSBC impresses
1st Aug 2011 12:12
The leading share index is approaching triple-digit gains now with company updates driving shares higher. The FTSE 100 got off to a strong start and was boosted further by results from HSBC, which updated after the open. The banking giant unveiled a rise in profits and announced plans to cut up to
Read moreLondon open: 5,900 in sight as Footsie starts strongly
1st Aug 2011 08:32
Only four stocks were in the red on Monday morning as the blue chip index recovered from a week of losses on the back of the back-and-forth debt ceiling debates in the US. However, the saga is apparently close to its end after President Barack Obama and congressional leaders agreed on a deal to put
Read moreLondon close: Banks recover as Footsie gains 0.65%
19th Jul 2011 16:29
The banking sector was winning back investor confidence on Tuesday as shares sharply rebounded, lifting the top share index close to the 5,800 level. Lloyds, RBS and Barclays were in demand, following the sector sell-off yesterday on the back of concerns over the softness of last week's European ba
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks, miners drive Footsie higher
19th Jul 2011 16:10
Lloyds, RBS and Barclays were in demand, following the sector's sell-off yesterday on the back of concerns over the softness of last week's European banking stress tests. Lloyds was the high riser of the day, after announcing that it is aggregating the wholesale markets, treasury and trading, trans
Read moreLondon close: Thomas Cook leads the decline
14th Jul 2011 16:47
Stocks closed firmly in the red on a day that saw stocks moving sharply in both directions after a raft of updates. Investors had a keen appetite for shares in Premier Foods. The Hovis bread and Sharwood ready-meals maker unveiled industry veteran Mike Clarke as its new head honcho. Clarke, current
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks move lower
14th Jul 2011 12:10
Stocks are deep in the red following this morning's slide. Associated British Foods is bucking the downward trend. It said its outlook for the full year is in line with expectations as its food arm and budget clothing retail chain Primark continue to perform well. Silver producer Fresnillo is spa
Read moreLondon open: ABF and Fresnillo buck the downward trend
14th Jul 2011 08:29
Stocks have taken a dive following a swoon on Wall Street last night, with worries over the Eurozone crisis continuing to cast a shadow. In the latest twist in that saga, ratings agency Fitch lowered its rating on Greece's long-term debt to CCC. Turning to stocks, Associated British Foods is bucki
Read moreLondon close: Big gains after eventful day
13th Jul 2011 16:33
Stocks finished with good gains at the end of an eventful day. A raft of updates sent shares in both directions in early dealings, but the main drama came later in the day when Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation withdrew its bid for satellite broadcaster BSkyB. Stocks were boosted in afternoon tradi
Read moreLondon midday: Supergroup leads the climb
13th Jul 2011 12:12
Stocks are heading in both directions following a raft of updates, but the overall direction is higher, with trendy fashion retailer SuperGroup the standout stock. SuperGroup, famous for the Superdry brand, said full-year underlying pre-tax profit soared by 89% to £50.2m, from £26.5m previously, su
Read moreLondon open: Burberry, miners dominate the rise
13th Jul 2011 08:31
Burberry and the miners dominated the risers early on, as the Footsie attempted to recover from the previous day of losses. Iconic British luxury brand Burberry jumped higher early on after underlying sales soared by 34% in the first quarter, driven largely by strong retail growth in China. "We ar
Read moreSector movers: Miners lower as Vedanta falls
8th Jul 2011 15:30
The mining sector was among the worst performing sector on Friday, with India-focused mining giant Vedanta Resources firmly in the red. According to Reuters, the firm is unwanted over concerns that the government in India is considering a tax on the nation's miners "to provide welfare of people aff
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: BSkyB drops over takeover worries
8th Jul 2011 14:38
Satellite broadcaster BSkyB is unsurprisingly at the bottom of the pile. The recent turmoil at Rupert Murdoch's News International, which has closed down its Sunday tabloid the News of the World, has sparked fears concerning a delay, or worse, of its proposed takeover of the satellite broadcaster.
Read moreLondon close: Footsie hits two-month high
7th Jul 2011 16:28
The Footsie finished at levels not seen since early May on Thursday after the Bank of England rate decision and a strong start in the US buoyed sentiment in London. At midday, Bank of England policy makers left interest rates on hold at the record low of 0.5%. The lack of movement was largely expec
Read moreSector movers: Mining sector rises as metals prices increase
7th Jul 2011 16:05
The miners were making gains on Thursday, as metals prices headed higher. As of 16:10, copper futures were 2.11% higher at $442.65/lb, while silver was 1.25% up at $36.365 per troy ounce. FTSE 100 mining peers Antofagasta, Kazakhmys, Fresnillo, ENRC and Rio Tinto were all in demand. Sector peer B
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