Broker snap: Aviva to grow earnings in 2011
4th Mar 2011 10:12
Nomura continues to believe that insurance giant Aviva offers investors good growth prospects at an attractive price after an impressive 2010. The insurance group's cost reduction and focus on higher-margin product selection were the main drivers of a 26% increase in operating earnings. However,
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Cobham, Aviva, Amec...
4th Mar 2011 06:43
Yesterday's full-year figures from Cobham have much to recommend them. Underlying pre-tax profits were up by a healthy 4% to £306m, on revenues broadly flat at £1.9bn, thanks to an improvement in margins to 18.3%. Cobham is also working hard to insulate itself from the ructions over defence spendin
Read moreLondon close: Shares soar on Libya deal hopes
3rd Mar 2011 16:39
Reports that the Libyan situation might be resolved through mediation rather than violence sent UK shares sharply higher. The Arab League is said to be considering a proposal to end the fighting in Libya sending oil prices higher. Heavy oil users such as airline International Consolidated Airlines
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie cruises towards 6,000
3rd Mar 2011 14:13
Footsie has 6,000 within its sights once more as stocks bounce back strongly on hopes that the Libyan situation might be resolved. Reports that the Arab League is considering a proposal to end the fighting in Libya have boosted sentiment, and has sent the price of oil into reverse. Heavy oil users
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 approaches 6,000
3rd Mar 2011 12:03
A combination of pleasing company updates and optimism that the Libyan situation will be resolved has sent shares sharply higher. Reports that the Arab League is considering a proposal to end the fighting in Libya have boosted sentiment, but talk that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is also to try
Read moreLondon open: Strong start as updates impress
3rd Mar 2011 08:40
Shares are broadly higher after a good reception for most updates, while BSkyB moves ahead after the government gave News Corporation's acquisition of the satellite broadcaster the green light. The government has agreed to let Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp, the publisher of the Times and Sun, buy satel
Read moreLondon pre-open: Footsie heading higher
3rd Mar 2011 07:43
Blue chips are expected to get off to a pretty good start Thursday as oil prices ease back and Asian stocks post gains this morning. US light crude for April delivery is currently trading down $1.02 at $101.21 a barrel. Rebels seem to be having some success fighting off Colonel Gaddafi's forces in
Read moreAviva makes third more in 2010
3rd Mar 2011 07:01
Insurer Aviva ramped up profits by 35% in 2010, helped by cost cutting, and had a record year in the UK. The firm, which has 19m customers in Britain, posted a profit before tax of £2.44bn, up from £1.81bn in 2009. Operating earnings jumped 26% to £2.55bn. It was a record result for the UK life bu
Read moreThursday preview: Aviva, Balfour Beatty, Taylor Wimpey ...
2nd Mar 2011 17:18
Insurance giant Aviva is set to issue full year results on Thursday, and JP Morgan Cazenove thinks the figures are more likely to delight than disappoint. The blue-blooded broker is predicting operating earnings will have risen by almost a quarter in 2010 and forecasts a 12% year on year increase i
Read moreLondon close: Footsie lower as results disappoint
10th Feb 2011 16:29
Footsie staged a late rally to climb back over 6,000, but still ended the day lower amid a very mixed bag of company results. It was a day for corporates to keep their head down as even those companies posting good numbers got whacked. Miner Rio Tinto fell after record full-year profits, a $5bn sha
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie hovers around 6,000
10th Feb 2011 15:18
Footsie has slumped below 6,000 with insurers and miners featuring prominently among the laggards. Miner Rio Tinto is lower even though it had plenty to please shareholders, with record full-year profits, a $5bn share buyback and 20% increase in the dividend. The Anglo-Australian group made a net
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Bumper contract for Inmarsat
28th Jan 2011 14:09
Satellite operator Inmarsat is the best performer after it gained a contract worth $115m a year. Inmarsat has commenced phase 2 of its agreement with LightSquared which has led to an immediate payment to Inmarsat of $20.1m. The money is paid quarterly and the initial payment is a partial quarterly
Read moreLondon close: Footsie fades late
27th Jan 2011 16:32
Footsie closed lower after an afternoon rally, following a downgrade of Japan's credit weighting by ratings agency Standard & Poors, fizzled out. Life insurers moved to the top of the pile led by Old Mutual, Prudential and Aviva. Mining stocks did well after the US Federal Reserve indicated yesterd
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Invensys disappoints
20th Jan 2011 13:30
Engineer Invensys is leading the market lower even though it says it is "on track" during the third quarter. However, orders fell at the rail division and there was a "softening" in demand for controls which knocked its profit contribution. Operating profit before exceptional items was the same as
Read moreAviva brags about its balance sheet strength
20th Jan 2011 13:24
Insurance group Aviva saw its share price edge higher Thursday in an otherwise weak market after it talked up its balance sheet strength in a presentation to investors and analysts. "We have a clear strategy to grow our dividend and profits through increasing our geographic focus and in light of th
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