UPDATE: Monday broker round-up
17th Oct 2011 09:31
Fresnillo: UBS cuts target to 1,700p from 2,000p, stays at neutral. Bunzl: Singer Capital Markets downgrades from buy to fair value, target cut from 891p to 710p. Kingfisher: Singer Capital Markets raises target from 260p to 270p. Jupiter Fund Management: RBS upgrades to hold from sell, raises ta
Read moreLondon close: Late surge propels Footsie 3.7% higher
6th Oct 2011 16:35
The Footsie finished at the highest level of the day, with just four stocks in the red, as gains were built on after the opening bell in New York, which saw stocks rise on the back of a better-than-expected unemployment claims report. It was a busy day on the macroeconomic front with policy rate de
Read moreLondon close: Financials soar on Eurozone bailout hopes
26th Sep 2011 17:15
In a battle between booming banks and melting miners, the banks emerged on top, as Footsie reversed early losses to finish in the blue. Hopes that Eurozone governments will get their act together and seriously bumnp up the Eurozone bailout fund, while pushing through more severe "haircuts" - reduc
Read moreSector movers: Insurers cheer enlarged European bailout rumours
26th Sep 2011 16:58
Insurers have enjoyed a good day as hopes rise that European leaders are drawing up a €3tn (£2.6tn) plan to save the euro by recapitalising banks, giving more firepower to a bailout fund and allowing Greece to default on its debts. There are also rumours that investors will be expected to take a f
Read moreBroker tips: Insurers, SABMiller, United Utilities
22nd Sep 2011 12:38
Credit Suisse has refreshed its views on the UK life insurance sector, staying positive with an outperform rating on Prudential, saying that it is a "structurally more attractive company given its geographic bias." Aviva is upgraded to outperform, as the broker thinks it has been oversold on Europe
Read moreBroker snap: Prudential, L&G and Aviva to outperform, says Credit Suisse
22nd Sep 2011 12:01
Credit Suisse has refreshed its views on the UK life insurance sector. "Our base case from a macro perspective is that economic growth stalls, interest rates stay low for an extended period and equity markets remain volatile. While this implies a challenging macro backdrop, we are constructive on t
Read moreUPDATE: Thursday broker round-up
22nd Sep 2011 09:55
Burberry: AlphaValue downgrades to sell, target cut from 1,297p to 1,302.5p. Anglo American: Societe Generale upgrades to buy, target cut from 3,250p to 3,000p. TUI Travel: Numis Securities downgrades to hold, target decreased from 180p to 160p. Aegis Group: Barclays downgrades to equal-weight, t
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks stuck lower ahead of Greek announcement
21st Sep 2011 12:02
The top share index remains a few points in the red, with all eyes on Greece ahead of the sticken Eurozone member's announcement of austerity measures. Greece's foreign minister Stavros Lambrinidis has assured that the country will stay in the euro and not default. "For the past year and a half I'
Read moreLondon open: Greek worries drag down market early on
21st Sep 2011 08:34
Markets opened lower on Wednesday morning on the back of ongoing concerns over the Eurozone, despite a Greek official assuring that the country will not default. Meanwhile, investors in London await the release of the policy rate decision from the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) du
Read moreSunday tips round-up: G4S, Gem Diamonds, Amec ...
21st Aug 2011 16:25
Security firm G4S has a good record of performing in tough times. In the last downturn, its top line growth never fell below 2%, and it has typically expanded at two percentage points above gross domestic product, notes James Ashton in the Sunday Times. Half-year results this week are expected to sh
Read moreSainsbury's finance boss heads to the till
8th Aug 2011 15:39
John Rogers, chief financial officer at J Sainsbury, has purchased 17,000 shares at 285.7p, at a total value of £48,569. The purchase increases his stake in the company from 175,342 to 192,342 shares. Rogers, who has worked for Sainsbury's since 2005, was appointed to the board in July last year
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks back in the red as Lloyds gives up gains
4th Aug 2011 12:05
Stocks are back in the red now after giving up this morning's partial recovery. Investors have turned sour on Lloyds Banking's results having earlier applauded them. The headline items are a £3.2bn provision for potential claims relating to the mis-selling of payment protection insurance, and under
Read moreLondon open: Lloyds and Unilever join fightback
4th Aug 2011 08:27
Stocks are staging a partial fightback following yesterday's slide, with second quarter results driving many stocks higher. Among those risers is Lloyds Banking. The headline items are a £3.2bn provision for potential claims relating to the mis-selling of payment protection insurance, and underlyin
Read moreAviva targeting the protection market
4th Aug 2011 08:24
The market gave the thumbs-up to interim figures from insurance giant Aviva, with the group boasting it is beating a number of its key targets. On an international financial reporting standards (IFRS) basis, operating profit before tax from continuing operations climbed by 10% to £1,146m in the fir
Read moreThursday preview: Lloyds Banking, Aviva, RSA, Unilever, BoE
3rd Aug 2011 15:33
The rash of banking results continues on Thursday with Lloyds Banking, and who better to comment on a part-nationalised fallen banking giant than RBS? "We expect Lloyds 1H11 [first half 2011] results to have relatively little impact on its share price as it presented a 2011 trading update as part o
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