London midday: Good morning for blue chips
28th Oct 2010 12:06
London has enjoyed a strong morning with gains widespread following Shell's reassuring figures. The Anglo-Dutch grew earnings by 18% in the third quarter compared with a year ago, while the underlyng figure rocketed 88% to $4.93bn, well ahead of market forecasts. Earnings, on a current cost of sup
Read moreSector movers: Telecoms in demand
28th Oct 2010 11:27
Mobile Telecommunications has had a good reception Thursday, with heavyweight Vodafone, ably supported by Inmarsat and minnow Mobile Streams. Big gun AstraZeneca is dragging down Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology. Earlier today it reported a bigger than expected 4% drop in third quarter sales to $7.9
Read moreLondon open: Footsie looks to end losing streak
28th Oct 2010 08:15
Stocks have taken their cue from Wall Street, which recovered in late trade Wednesday, and are helped by a fight back at ARM Holdings and buoyant miners. Royal Dutch Shell grew earnings by 18% in the third quarter compared with a year ago, while the figure excluding big one-off items rocketed 88% t
Read moreLondon pre-open: Shell shines
28th Oct 2010 07:42
London looks set to bounce back at the outset after two days of falls, encouraged by Wall Street's late surge yesterday. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open up 38 points from previous close of 5,646. Royal Dutch Shell grew earnings by 18% in the third quarter compared with a year ago, while
Read moreAstra's underlying profit dips 10%
28th Oct 2010 07:05
Third quarter sales for drugs giant AstraZeneca were much as the market had anticipated, with competition from generic alternatives to its drugs denting sales in the US. Revenue in the third quarter eased 4%, or 2% using constant exchange rates (CER), to $7,898m from $8,200m a year earlier. Repor
Read moreThursday preview: Shell, Astra, Croda
27th Oct 2010 16:23
Royal Dutch Shell kept its head down while long time rival BP was being pilloried for the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, but it is due to take centre stage on Thursday when it announces its third quarter figures and kicks off the oil company reporting season. Charles Stanley has pencilled in $4.5bn f
Read moreWeek ahead: Shell, AstraZeneca, British Airways...
22nd Oct 2010 12:48
After all of the spending review excitement of the past week it's back to the bread and butter of company announcements with some big names rolling out numbers. If the much stronger-than expected US earnings season is a guide, there could be pleasing news on the way especially among manufacturers a
Read moreLondon close: Footsie limps higher
11th Oct 2010 16:38
Footsie closed just a few points higher Monday after a sluggish day's trading that saw the leading share index fluctuating in a narrow range just above the zero mark. Oil services group Petrofac firmed on the back of a lucrative contract win. The government of Sharjah has appointed the company t
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks tread water
11th Oct 2010 14:34
The blue-chip index trod water over the lunchtime session with the majority of leading stocks consolidating the morning's gains. Oil services group Petrofac is firmer on the back of a lucrative contract win. The government of Sharjah has appointed the company to take over operational responsibilit
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie crawls higher
11th Oct 2010 12:06
Footsie traded in a narrow range throughout the morning session and started the afternoon in marginally in positive territory, boosted by expectations of a moderately firm opening on Wall Street. Oil services group Petrofac is leading the market's far from vigorous advance. The government of Sharja
Read moreLondon open: Bright start fizzles out
11th Oct 2010 08:46
Early gains for Footsie have quickly fizzled out and the index is almost back where it started. Builders merchant and Wickes' owner Travis Perkins is on track as sales improved again in the third quarter. Turnover for the nine months to end of September rose 6%, driven by the merchants businesses a
Read moreLondon pre-open: Positive start likely
11th Oct 2010 07:36
Friday's rally above 11,000 on Wall Street looks enough to convince City traders to start buying this morning. The futures market points to a 20-point gain for the FTSE 100 Monday following gains in the US on hopes of additional stimulus government stimulus after weak monthly jobs numbers. In comp
Read moreAstra and Pozen's Vimovo gets EU approval
11th Oct 2010 07:08
Drugs companies AstraZeneca and Pozen said their jointly developed pain reliever Vimovo has received positive agreement for approval across 23 EU countries. Vimovo has been developed for the symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis in patients who ar
Read moreLondon close: Late slip sends Footsie lower
27th Sep 2010 16:43
After a sluggish day that saw shares mostly hovering around the zero mark, Footsie finished lower, in line with weakness in other markets. Worries over the Eurozone debt situation were at the fore again, sending shares in mainland Europe and the US lower, after the rating agency Moody's downgraded
Read moreLondon afternoon: Back to square one
27th Sep 2010 14:20
The market really can't make up its mind today, with the Footsie now back at Friday's closing level after opening firmer and then turning lower this morning. Unilever is the best performer. The household products group is paying $3.7bn (£2.3bn) in cash for America's Alberto Culver, adding the TRESe
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