London close: Shares fall as Libya crisis intensifies
21st Feb 2011 16:53
The top share index was nursing big losses at trading's close as worries over the turmoil in Libya sent the oil price soaring and continued high usage of the European Central Bank's marginal lending facility stoked nervousness over banks. Banks are granted the right to seek overnight loans from th
Read moreLondon afternoon: ECB emergency loans give banks jitters
21st Feb 2011 14:26
Concerns about rising oil prices should Libya descend into civil war are nagging away at investors, while continued high usage of the European Central Bank's marginal lending facility is making traders nervous about banks. Banks are granted the right to seek overnight loans from the European Centr
Read moreLondon midday: Banks hold back FTSE 100
21st Feb 2011 12:12
Shares are in the red as banking stocks fall back and the turmoil in the Arab world casts a shadow. Banks are the main drag, with RBS, Lloyds and Barclays nursing losses following gains last week. RBS and Lloyds are due to release results later this week. The oil price has topped $104 a barrel as
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks head lower
21st Feb 2011 11:58
RBS and Lloyds are lower ahead of their results later this week. On top of that, Lloyds has announced a voluntary agreement with the FSA about certain Halifax mortgage contracts. This relates to the wording of the mortgage contracts. Barclays is also lower. Invensys is higher because of press spec
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks move higher
17th Feb 2011 12:22
Banks head the risers. Positive comment from Nomura has boosted Lloyds. Even so, RBS, HSBC and Barclays are also higher. African Barrick Gold continues to rise after yesterday's figures. BAE Systems has fallen after warning that sales in 2011 will decline as cutbacks in government spending star
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: FSA, Mervyn King, oil price
17th Feb 2011 06:29
Sweeping new powers to ban financial products and publish details of pending investigations of institutions suspected of misconduct will be handed to the three bodies replacing the Financial Services Authority, the Treasury will announce today. In a series of reforms that could prove controversial i
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: BHP Billiton, Mervyn King, Farepak...
16th Feb 2011 06:32
Booming commodity prices spurred BHP Billiton to announce last night that it will return $10bn to shareholders and invest $80bn in new mines over the next five years. Profits at the global mining group beat expectations to hit a record $10.5bn in the first half of 2010, a 72% rise on the same perio
Read moreLondon afternoon: US retail sales setback
15th Feb 2011 14:30
Footsie moved into the red over the lunch time session after the release of disappointing US retail sales figures. US retail sales were up 0.3% in January, according to the Commerce Department, though they'd risen 0.5% the month before and were expected to do the same this time. Excluding autos,
Read moreBarclays proves it's good with numbers
15th Feb 2011 14:02
Barclays has increased profits by an impressive 32% and cut bonuses for all its staff, keeping analysts, shareholders, politicians and a banker-bashing public happy. The lender, helped through the financial crisis with Middle East cash rather than taxpayer's money, hit a five-month high Tuesday as
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Barclays leads risers
15th Feb 2011 13:57
There was a positive reaction to Barclays' results and Lloyds and RBS have risen in sympathy. The bank has cut its staff bonuses by 7% even though profits jumped by a better than expected 32% as bad debt charges tumbled everywhere except Spain. Real estate investment trust British Land grew underl
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 little changed
15th Feb 2011 12:09
Shares are still seeking direction in spite of some notable movements in both directions. Barclays has moved ahead after results. The bank has cut its staff bonuses by 7% even though profits jumped by a better than expected 32% as bad charges tumbled everywhere except Spain. Pre-tax profits in 2010
Read moreLondon open: Footsie marks time
15th Feb 2011 08:57
A limp performance in the US overnight and a tricky session in Asia this morning has resulted in London trading sideways in early dealings. Barclays has cut its staff bonuses by 7% even though profits jumped by a better than expected 32% as bad charges tumbled everywhere except Spain. Pre-tax profi
Read moreLondon pre-open: Footsie to pull back
15th Feb 2011 07:39
A limp performance in the US overnight and a tricky session in Asia this morning mean London is likely to slip back about a dozen points in early trade Tuesday. Barclays has cut its staff bonuses by 7% even though profits jumped by a better than expected 32% as bad charges tumbled everywhere except
Read moreBarclays tops £6bn as bonus payments fall
15th Feb 2011 07:04
Barclays cut its staff bonuses by 7% last year even though profits jumped by a better than expected 32% as bad charges tumbled everywhere except Spain. Pre-tax profits in 2010 rose to £6.1bn, up from £4.59bn, and well ahead of forecasts of about £5.5bn. The bank said the increase came despite "hist
Read moreTuesday newspaper round-up: China, Zynga, Barclays...
15th Feb 2011 06:35
Consumer prices in China rose 4.9% in January when compared with the same month a year earlier, the government reported Tuesday, as inflation remains a worry in the fast-growing major economy. The rise in prices was less than expected, but economists said that could have been a result of a move by
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