FTSE 100 movers: Friends talks boost shares
10th Aug 2009 11:17
Life insurer Friends Provident is leading the risers after saying it is now is close to agreeing a takeover by Resolution after the terms of the original offer were improved. In a statement, Friends Provident confirmed it had received a new offer of 0.9 Resolution shares for each Friends Provident
Read moreSunday tips round-up: Morgan Crucible, BAE, Tate & Lyle
2nd Aug 2009 12:04
Industrial material specialist Morgan Crucible's markets have been hit hard by the downturn. Last week's first-half results were reassuring and though the company does have a significant amount of debt - and there had been worries that a rights issue would be needed to shore up its balance sheet -
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: UK banks, National Express, William Hill
2nd Aug 2009 10:43
Treasury minister Lord Myners' radical plans for changes to financial regulation are "dangerous" and could result in a further loss of confidence in the market, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the Sunday Telegraph reports. Lord Myners' idea for a two-tier shareholder registe
Read moreReed Elsevier's new chairman takes a stake
31st Jul 2009 16:06
Reed Elsevier's new chairman Anthony Habgood has signalled his commitment to the specialist publisher with the purchase of £218,000 in shares. He paid 436p a time for 50,000, his first stake in the firm, whose stable of publications includes Farmers' Weekly and New Scientist. His purchase comes af
Read moreLondon close: Blue chips surge continues
30th Jul 2009 16:42
Corporate newsflow and resurgent miners sent Footsie to within a whisker of its highest close this year. Investors piled into blue chips after a string of household names reported earnings this morning. Triple-digit gains for the Dow added to the upward momentum in the afternoon. Telecoms giant
Read moreTechnical Analysis Snap: BAe drops a bombshell
30th Jul 2009 15:28
On Thursday morning BAE Systems announced a loss of £70m on the six month period to the end of June, compared to a profit of £599m last year. It did however up its dividend and announced that it expects good growth for the full year. This announcement sent the share price crashing lower towards 5
Read moreLondon afternoon: Miners push Footsie higher
30th Jul 2009 14:48
Corporate news-flow and resurgent miners are driving Footsie higher today, with the benchmark index adding to its gains over the lunch-time session. Telecoms giant BT racked up a double-digit percentage gain in the morning after quarterly figures that were not as bad as feared. EBITDA (earnings b
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: BT surges on results
30th Jul 2009 14:46
Telecoms giant BT leads the FTSE 100 higher after investors shrugged off a 45% drop in first quarter profits and a jump in its pension deficit of £3bn. Investors were also buoyed by the adjusted EBITDA falling only 3% to £1.37bn, which was ahead of analyst's expectations. But pre-tax profits slid
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie tops 4600
30th Jul 2009 11:54
Footsie has broken through the 4,600 barrier, helped by well received results from index heavyweight BT and strong demand for miners. Telecoms giant BT racked up a double-digit percentage gain in the morning after quarterly figures that were not as bad as feared. EBITDA (earnings before interest, t
Read moreLondon open: Positive start to busy day
30th Jul 2009 08:16
Investors have a batch of results to consider this morning, with BT currently leading London's blue chips higher after publishing quarterly figures. Telecoms giant BT saw adjusted EBITDA fall 3% in the first quarter, held back by BT Global Services. It saw adjusted EBITDA come in at £1.3bn against
Read moreLondon pre-open: Company updates to lift Footsie
30th Jul 2009 07:51
A strong start is expected from FTSE 100 as the results stream continues. Royal Dutch Shell said its second quarter results were affected by the weak global economy as net profit slumped 70%. Second quarter earnings, on a current cost of supplies (CCS) basis, came in at $2.3bn, which was in line wi
Read moreBAE swings to loss, ups divi
30th Jul 2009 07:02
BAE Systems has swung to a half-year loss, but upped its dividend and said it expects good growth for the full year. The defence firm also announced that its pension fund deficit grew by £900m due to a re-evaluation of its assets. Overall, the group made a loss of £70m in the six month ended 30 Jun
Read moreThursday preview: Shell, BAE, Rolls-Royce, BSkyB, Reed
29th Jul 2009 16:50
With BP and BG Group already having given second quarter updates this week Thursday sees Royal Dutch Shell step up to the plate. The oil giant is expected to declare net income on a current cost of supply (CCS) basis of $2.4bn. The company is expected to maintain its quarterly dividend of 42 cents
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: Tesco may bid for Northern Rock
1st Jul 2009 06:19
Tesco has emerged as a potential bidder for Northern Rock as the Government races to sell the state-owned lender before a general election, The Times has learnt. The supermarket chain has shown provisional interest in buying the bank nationalised as the credit crisis brought the financial system wi
Read moreBAE Systems' Havenstein steps down
22nd Jun 2009 13:44
BAE Systems announced that Walt Havenstein will step down as President and Chief Executive of BAE Systems, Inc., the defence company's US subsidiary, on 26 June. Havenstein has also resigned as a director of the company with immediate effect. General Anthony Zinni, currently a member of the BAE Sy
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