Thursday tips round-up: Sainsbury's, Aviva, Hikma Pharmaceuticals
10th Jan 2013 07:10
Sainsbury's update yesterday revealed that Christmas same-store sales rose at the lowest rate seen in eight years. However, Questor thinks there was a lot to be optimistic about in the announcement. The company's like-for-like sales met expectations and its higher-margin (but cheaper) own-label good
Read moreLondon close: Index closes at highest level since 2008
9th Jan 2013 16:33
UK markets closed significantly higher on Wednesday, up 45 points equal to 11.41bn pounds, with the index closing at its highest level since May 22nd 2008. The gains were led by banking stocks after UBS hiked its targets for the Lloyds, Barclays and RBS, saying 'the UK is over its experiment of co
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks soar on UBS upgrade
9th Jan 2013 14:53
Banks were leading the risers on Wednesday after UBS hiked its targets for the Lloyds, Barclays and RBS, saying 'the UK is over its experiment of combining fiscal and monetary austerity'. The broker revised its price target on Lloyds to 60p (from 50p), for Barclays to 315p (from 255p) and RBS to 410
Read moreBroker snap: Investec reviews insurance sector after Retail Distribution Review
7th Jan 2013 10:56
Investec has labelled St James's Place and Standard Life as its top 'buys' as part of its review the insurance sector. Meanwhile, it has upgraded its rating for Legal & General (L&G) from 'sell' to 'hold' and downgraded RSA from 'hold' to 'sell'. "The outlook in the UK is clouded by the introduct
Read moreLondon close: Investors take profits ahead of Christmas
21st Dec 2012 16:31
- Cancelled 'Plan B' vote results in sell-off - Boehner pledges to continue negotiations - Miners and financials in the red While stocks managed to stage a small comeback in afternoon trade, the UK market finished the week on a dull note, with 'fiscal cliff' fears dampening the festive cheer ahead
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners and financials in the red
21st Dec 2012 15:07
Miners and financial stocks were bearing the brunt of the bearish mood on markets on Friday as investors cut positions in riskier assets on concerns over the US economy. However, Randgold Resources was bucking the trend as gold prices advanced following heavy losses this week. Banks were under th
Read moreLondon midday: Risk appetite scaled back on 'fiscal cliff' fears
21st Dec 2012 11:20
On the last full day of trading before the Christmas holiday, there was little evidence of a 'Santa Rally' on the FTSE 100 with worries about the 'fiscal cliff' Stateside providing a drag on the market. "This week will likely be remembered for the US fiscal cliff hanging over the markets and invest
Read moreAviva sells US operations
21st Dec 2012 10:06
British multinational insurance company Aviva is selling its US operations for 1.8 billion dollars, the firm announced Friday. The FTSE 100 company said it has agreed to hand over Aviva USA Corporation - its life, annuities and asset management business - to life insurance holding company Athene H
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Wood Group falls as update comes in mixed
13th Dec 2012 15:48
Energy services giant Wood Group fell after it reported mixed trading in its Upstream division and despite saying it expects to deliver good growth this year, with overall conditions in energy markets remaining 'favourable'. AstraZeneca fell after revealing that its experimental drug for rheumatoi
Read moreBankia to take charge to settle Aviva claim
10th Dec 2012 10:55
Bankia announced that it plans to take a 900m-euro charge this year in order to eventually compensate British insurance group Aviva for damages after breaking the conditions established in their alliance in the insurance business. Spanish daily El Economista reports that the British company demande
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Johnson Matthey dives as divi disappoints
21st Nov 2012 15:15
Shares in platinum refiner Johnson Matthey tumbled after it reported a six per cent drop in profits in the first half, while warning that it doesn't expect things to pick up in the latter part of the fiscal year and announcing a lower-than-expected dividend increase. Chief Executive Neil Carson sa
Read moreAviva appoints new CEO who admits there is 'substantial work to do'
20th Nov 2012 14:31
Life assurer Aviva's brand new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mark Wilson, has admitted to investors that there is 'substantial work to do', but promised he will listen to stakeholders. Wilson, who is to join the board on December 1st and become CEO exactly one month later, was previously the CEO
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Gaza, BP, Banks
18th Nov 2012 20:34
President Obama has increased the pressure on Israel and Hamas to agree a truce before a ground war breaks out in Gaza and pushes any prospect of peace "way off in the future". Talks brokered by Egypt were continuing through the fifth day of violence, and Palestinian sources have claimed that a deal
Read moreSunday share tips: Aviva, Staffline, G4S
11th Nov 2012 16:34
Shares in Aviva, the UK's largest insurer, have underperformed as investors demanded more action to get the business back on track. This long-awaited process now appears to have arrived. The group's third-quarter results were in line with market expectations. The company is currently w
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Admiral shares top the risers after upgrade
9th Nov 2012 16:02
Car insurance giant Admiral was the highest riser of the day today after Bank of America hiked its rating on the stock by two notches from 'underperform' to 'buy'. Analyst William Hardcastle said: "We are shifting our focus away from the PE growth multiple (close to historical low at 10.7 times) t
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