Liberum picks prime targets as UK M&A plays catch up
9th Jul 2014 16:00
UK mergers and acquisitions activity is stubbornly subdued, but broker Liberum says this is not expected to persist and has polled its sector analysts to qualitatively identify the most likely targets. Global M&A hit a post crisis record at $945bn in the second quarter of the year, showing that co
Read moreWoodford reveals top 10 holdings dominated by pharma and tobacco
8th Jul 2014 13:21
Highly influential fund manager Neil Woodford has revealed the top 10 stocks in his new £1.6bn Woodford Equity Income fund, including new favourites Imperial Innovations and Rolls-Royce. The university technology spin-out group and the aircraft engine-maker did not feature in the manager's previous
Read moreLondon close: FTSE ends lower as investors await Fed Reserve minutes
7th Jul 2014 16:59
- FTSE closes down 42.54 at 6,823.51 - Oil, housing stocks fall - Investors await Fed Reserve meeting techMARK 2,843.77 -0.42% FTSE 100 6,823.51 -0.62% FTSE 250 15,892.30 -0.98% As had been widely anticipated, the UK market headed lower in today's session, tracking a fairly steady downwards path t
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Weir rises after broker upgrade
7th Jul 2014 15:57
Drugs giant AstraZeneca rose strongly in today's session on reports investor Neil Woodford has selected the group "as the single biggest investment for his new fund", according to The Daily Telegraph, which said 8.2% of the £1.6bn fund had been put towards the group. Engineering group Weir was a h
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: National Grid, London property, Sports Direct...
2nd Jul 2014 07:57
Billions of pounds of subsidies could be wasted, according to government-appointed experts who have accused National Grid of exaggerating the risk of blackouts. The energy group this week unveiled new subsidies for power stations to be kept on standby to keep Britain's lights on. These "retainer" pa
Read moreAstraZeneca Chief buys round of shares worth £2m
1st Jul 2014 16:28
AstraZeneca's Chief Executive Officer, Pascal Soriot, has spent £2m on shares, the drugs giant announced on Tuesday. The director, who has held his role since October 2012, paid 4,345p for each of the 46,200 shares. It follows another large purchase made by a member of the Astra board last week,
Read moreAstraZeneca CFO adds £868,000-worth of shares
26th Jun 2014 16:06
The Chief Financial Officer of drug maker AstraZeneca has shown his faith in the group following a setback on Thursday, which saw an advisory committee to the US Food and Drug Association vote against the accelerated approval of its ovarian cancer treatment. Marc Dunoyer, who joined the company in
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: LSE and housebuilders lead as Barclays slumps
26th Jun 2014 15:53
LSE is spending $2.7bn in cash on buying Frank Russell Company in a deal that will combine the group's Russell and FTSE index businesses. Investors seemingly gave a thumbs up to the acquisition with shares rising strongly despite the announcement that it will be part-financed by a $1.6bn rights issu
Read moreAstrazeneca's olaparib drug voted against by FDA advisory committee - UPDATE
26th Jun 2014 07:08
It was disappointing news for AstraZeneca after an advisory committee to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted 11 to two that there was not enough evidence to support an accelerated approval for the use of olaparib as a maintenance treatment for women with a specific type of ovarian cancer
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Tesco, AstraZeneca, Asos
22nd Jun 2014 13:02
Some of Tesco's biggest shareholders have complained to the retailer's senior independent director (Sid) about its strategy and management, the Sunday Times said. An unidentified top 10 shareholder said it expressed its concerns with the Sid, Patrick Cescau, and not Tesco's Chairman, Sir Richard Bro
Read moreSector movers: Shire soars as M&A fever boosts pharma, health stocks
20th Jun 2014 13:56
News that Shire has rejected a £27bn approach by AbbVie sent shares in the pharmaceutical and healthcare equipment sectors higher on Friday as yet more M&A continued to give sentiment a boost. "A bit of M&A excitement has been just the ticket to enliven trading on what may otherwise have been somet
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks rise as M&A boosts Shire, TSB jumps on debut
20th Jun 2014 11:39
- FTSE 100 at one-week high - Shire jumps after rejecting £27bn AbbVie proposal - TSB rises strongly after IPO - Iran still in the spotlight as Obama sends advisers techMARK 2,849.46 +1.26% FTSE 100 6,827.82 +0.29% FTSE 250 15,761.52 +0.49% UK stocks were making gains on Friday as yet more M&A fev
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks erase gains on Iraq concerns, mixed UK data
17th Jun 2014 11:20
- M&A and deals lift a number of blue chips - UK inflation drops to four-and-a-half year low - UK house prices surge 9.9% - Iraq concerns still weighing on risk appetite techMARK 2,794.67 -0.09% FTSE 100 6,755.68 +0.02% FTSE 250 15,660.55 -0.29% London stocks fluctuated at a seven-week low on Tues
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rebound from seven-week low, but Iraq still in focus
17th Jun 2014 08:20
- FTSE 100 rebounds from lowest since April 28th - Iraq tensions continue, US deploys troops - UK inflation data in focus - Shire gains on M&A hopes, Astra also in spotlight techMARK 2,802.94 +0.21% FTSE 100 6,762.27 +0.11% FTSE 250 15,730.40 +0.15% UK stocks rose slightly on Tuesday morning, boun
Read moreAstraZeneca looking at ways of boosting shareholder value
17th Jun 2014 08:14
Drugs giant AstraZeneca is on the lookout for new potential acquisitions and partnerships in an effort to improve shareholder value, according to reports. Following the company's rejection of Pfizer's bid last month, Chief Executive Pascal Soriot is said to have sought advice from investment bank C
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