Wednesday broker round-up - UDPATE
21st Dec 2011 08:51
HSBC: Investec reiterates buy with 800p target. Barclays: Investec reiterates buy with 330p target. Tesco: Nomura maintains buy rating and 500p target. AstraZeneca: Nomura keeps reduce recommendation and 2,400p target. Thorntons: Investec puts 35p target under review, hold rating kept; Merchant
Read moreLondon open: Wall Street tailwinds lift London
21st Dec 2011 08:34
Following last night's strong showing on Wall Street, UK shares are heading higher this morning, although in more leisurely fashion than their US counterparts did yesterday. Investors do not seem to be too fazed by credit ratings agency Moody's saying Britain's cherished triple-AAA credit rating co
Read moreAstraZeneca and Hutchison seal cancer drug deal
21st Dec 2011 07:42
FTSE 100 pharmaceuticals firm AstraZeneca and Hutchison MediPharma (HMP), a research and development company majority-owned by Chi-Med, have entered into a global licensing, co-development, and commercialisation agreement for a cancer treatment drug. Volitinib (also known as HMPL-504), which was d
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Smith & Nephew, AstraZeneca
21st Dec 2011 06:52
The Times's Tempus column looks at medical supplies firm Smith and Nephew which was once a perennial takeover target. After a re-organisation by its new Chief Executive the group is now focused on growth in the developing markets of China and India. A key metric for the firm though is how much ele
Read moreLondon close: Footsie jumps late on
20th Dec 2011 16:32
A successful Spanish bond auction and some uplifting confidence data helped lift sentiment and boost the Footsie to its highest level of the day by the close. After trading within a narrow range for the majority of the day, the blue chip index rocketed in afternoon trading, tracking US markets highe
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Aggreko extends gains, pharmas fall
20th Dec 2011 15:29
Temporary power supplier Aggreko was leading the gains on the FTSE 100 on Tuesday, as investors continue to celebrate yesterday's news that full-year profits should come in slightly ahead of previous guidance. Media stocks were also on the rise with advertising giant WPP among the best performers i
Read moreSector movers: Astra, Glaxo drag down pharmas
20th Dec 2011 12:52
The pharmaceuticals were on the decline today, dragged lower by sector giant AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca warned this morning that earnings will come in at the lower end of expectations after it took a $381.5m hit from failed drug tests. The company has stopped development of its ovarian cancer treat
Read moreLondon midday: Banks and pharmas drag Footsie lower
20th Dec 2011 11:54
London's blue chip index was slightly down at midday, despite a temporary stint in the blue, with heavyweight banking and pharmaceuticals stocks providing a drag. The Footsie nevertheless has been trading within a narrow range, with just 33 points separating the intraday low and high. The European
Read moreLondon open: Footsie dragged down by pharmas and oils
20th Dec 2011 08:52
Though the Eurozone debt crisis rumbles on in the background, UK investors look to be already in holiday mood, with the market drifting lower at the outset in light trading. The European Union (EU) member states announced late last night their plan to increase the International Monetary Fund's (IM
Read moreLondon pre-open: Stocks still lacking direction
20th Dec 2011 07:16
After yesterday's aimless trading session, London's blue-chips are seeking direction again today, with City traders tipping the FTSE 100 will open down 14 points from yesterday's close of 5,365. Pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca said full year core earnings per share (EPS) are set to be in the low
Read moreFailed drug tests hit AstraZeneca earnings
20th Dec 2011 07:08
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has warned earnings will come in at the lower end of expectations after it took a $381.5m hit from failed drug tests. The company has stopped development of its ovarian cancer treatment olaparib and also said its antidepressant compound TC-5214 had not met targets.
Read moreBroker tips: AstraZeneca, Standard Chartered, CSR
12th Dec 2011 12:32
Analysts at Credit Suisse have issued a rather downbeat research note on pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca this morning. While they believe that the company's share price already reflects "the material patent expiry burden facing AstraZeneca," they are not so sure that the same can be said of the p
Read moreBroker snap: Credit Suisse reiterates underperform on AstraZeneca
12th Dec 2011 09:36
Analysts at Credit Suisse have issued a rather downbeat research note on pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca this morning. While they believe that the company's share price already reflects "the material patent expiry burden facing AstraZeneca," they are not so sure that the same can be said of the pos
Read moreMonday broker round-up - UPDATE
12th Dec 2011 09:30
Xstrata: UBS cuts target from 1,550p to 1,450p, buy rating unchanged AstraZeneca: Credit Suisse reiterates underperform rating and 2,600p target. Standard Chartered: Investec reduces target from 1,650p to 1,550p, hold rating maintained. British American Tobacco: Investec raises target from 3,100p
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Tesco, AstraZeneca, Standard Chartered
9th Dec 2011 06:46
The Telegraph's Questor column takes a look at a familiar name, Tesco, the UK's largest retailer. Yesterday it revealed the fourth quarter of reduced like-for-like sales in the UK. Its new boss Philip Clarke admits this isn't good enough and the Big Price Drop strategy was an attempt to tempt in ne
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