Sector movers: Pharmaceuticals fall, GKN drives autos higher
24th Nov 2011 15:44
Pharmaceutical companies, typically defensive stocks, were the worst performers of the day on Thursday. With an increase in risk appetite benefiting the banking and mining sectors today - after some well-received growth data from Britain and Germany - stocks such as Shire, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmit
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners recover, Vedanta tops the risers
24th Nov 2011 13:41
With metals prices recovering on Thursday after yesterday's falls - on the back of ongoing worries in the Eurozone and some disappointing Chinese manufacturing data - the miners were in demand. Vedanta Resources, Fresnillo, Kazakhmys and Xstrata were all performing well. The sector was making an av
Read moreLondon close: Stocks stop at resistance again, despite Italy news
8th Nov 2011 18:08
UK stocks finished higher on Tuesday, but off their best levels off the day, as investors attempt to digest the potentially extremely serious implications of the 'soap-opera' that Euroland has become of late. In today's episode Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has lost his absolute major
Read moreSector movers: SuperGroup priced for disastrous results
8th Nov 2011 15:44
Trendy fashion chain SuperGroup is set to announce results tomorrow. According to Peel Hunt, "the critical part of Wednesday's IMS [interim management statement] is not the trading update itself, rather whether management can demonstrate that its warehouse problems have been circumvented or solved,
Read moreFTSE 100 Movers: Lloyds rises despite £3.9bn loss
8th Nov 2011 12:46
Shares in Lloyds Banking Group surged this morning despite the firm reporting a £3.9bn loss for the first nine months of 2011. Much of the loss - £3.2bn - was down to the bank setting money aside for the mis-selling of payment protection insurance, but its total income for the period also fell 15%
Read moreLondon midday: Lloyds leads the way
8th Nov 2011 12:32
There has been no shortage of company announcements to keep investor occupied while they await the outcome of the keenly awaited vote in the Italian parliament this afternoon, which could determine whether Silvio Berlusconi continues his charmed life as Italian Prime Minister. PUNTERS BACK THE BLAC
Read moreTuesday broker update: IAG, HSBC, Essar -UPDATE
8th Nov 2011 09:38
Tate&Lyle: J.P.Morgan downgrades to underweight from neutral. IAG: Credit Suisse cuts target too 152p from 164p. HSBC: Credit Suisse cuts target too 610p from 640p. Essar: Credit Suisse cuts target too 435p from 566p. Weir: Credit Suisse raises target to 2050p from 1850p. Astra Zeneca: Panmure
Read moreLondon open: Thumbs-up for Lloyds
8th Nov 2011 08:44
It has been a hectic morning for big company announcements, busy enough to distract traders from events in the Eurozone. Eight of the FTSE 100 companies have made trading updates already, while insurance giant Prudential is set to weigh in with his third quarter update at 9:00am. Part-nationalised
Read moreDepressing drug result for Astra
8th Nov 2011 07:40
An anti-depressant product made by Anglo-Swedish drugs titan AstraZeneca and US partner Targacept has failed to meet its initial target. The product, known as as TC-5214, is intended to be used as an adjunct therapy to an anti-depressant in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), who do not
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Astra, Croda, Clinton Cards...
28th Oct 2011 06:52
AstraZeneca faces an upcoming threat in the form of generic copies of Pfizer's Lipitor cholesterol treatment in the US, notes the Investment Column in the Independent. This will present a challenge for Astra's Crestor cholesterol drug, which has been selling well. Yesterday's results showed its sale
Read moreLondon close: Big gains on Euro hopes
27th Oct 2011 16:43
Stocks posted big gains amid optimism following the agreements reached on the Eurozone situation last night. Banks in particular are on the attack, with Barclays and RBS posting double-digit gains. EUROZONE AGREEMENT BOOSTS THE MARKETS Working into the early hours of the morning, Eurozone official
Read moreLondon midday: Double-digit gains for Barclays, RBS
27th Oct 2011 12:04
Stocks are posting big gains amid optimism following the agreements reached on the Eurozone situation last night. Banks in particular are on the attack, with Barclays and RBS posting double-digit gains. EUROZONE AGREEMENT BOOSTS THE MARKETS Working into the early hours of the morning, Eurozone off
Read moreUPDATE: Thursday broker round-up
27th Oct 2011 09:09
Smith&Nephew: Citi reiterates sell. Anglo American: Citi maintains at buy. Invensys: UBS raises to neutral-short term buy from neutral. Lowers target to 225p from 250p. Bellway: UBS keeps at buy, raises target price to 825p from 793p. Lloyds: Credit Suisse cuts target to 31p from 40p, keeps at
Read moreLondon open: Markets celebrate euro agreements
27th Oct 2011 08:30
Just one stock was in the red on the FTSE 100 in the opening minutes of Thursday, as markets turned bullish on the back of a three-prongued deal in the Eurozone last night. The blue chip index in London jumped 1.85% early on, joining all major benchmarks across the continent this morning, with indic
Read moreAstraZeneca sees revenues down in Q3 -UPDATE
27th Oct 2011 07:21
AstraZeneca, the FTSE 100 pharmaceuticals giant, has seen revenues fall 2% at constant exchange rates to $8,213m (Consensus: $8,187m) in the third quarter compared to the same period of 2010. On the back of these revenues, core operating profit was also down 2% at $3,177m (Consensus: $3,099m), with
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