Friday newspaper close: BAE, Gilts, BHP Billiton...
22nd Oct 2010 06:44
Taxpayers will have to pick up the £2.6bn bill for the controversial aircraft carrier that will never carry jets because Gordon Brown agreed an "unbreakable" contract designed to protect shipbuilding jobs in Scotland. Under a 15-year agreement signed with BAE Systems, the Labour Government guarant
Read moreLondon open: Flat start ahead of review
19th Oct 2010 08:50
London has recovered from an early blip as investors get ready for tomorrow's comprehensive spending review. Banks are largely responsible for the revival with Barclays, Standard Chartered and RBS all ahead. Autonomy is flat even though chief Mike Lynch said growth prospects for the data search so
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Old Mutual slides on abortive disposal
15th Oct 2010 14:30
Old Mutual has been hit by the news that HSBC is not going ahead with the purchase of a controlling stake in South African bank Nedbank from the insurer. Old Mutual, RSA Insurance and Standard Life have all been hit by downgrades from Citigroup. In contrast, banks are recovering after yesterday's
Read moreLondon open: Slow start for blue chips
15th Oct 2010 08:50
Footsie has made an unconvincing start to the day but has just about reversed the weaker trend seen at the death yesterday. Banks are going well and have recouped most of yesterday's losses. Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds are all in demand this morning. HSBC is ready to step away fro
Read moreLondon close: Weak end to dull day
14th Oct 2010 16:35
Leading shares closed lower on a poor day for the banks and a tumble for African Barrick. Fears that Standard Chartered's rights issue yesterday could be the start of a flood of cash calls unsettled Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays. Metal prices are back on the rise as the dollar heads
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie bottoms out
14th Oct 2010 14:17
Leading shares trod water over the lunchtime session, leaving Footsie still stranded in the red. Banks remain in the doldrums. Fears that Standard Chartered's rights issue yesterday could be the start of a flood of cash calls has unsettled Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays. Metal prices
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Cash call fears hit banks
14th Oct 2010 14:00
Banks are leading the Footsie lower as investors worry that they will follow the lead of Standard Chartered and ask for more cash. RBS is the worst performer but Barclays and Lloyds are close behind. Miners are on the rise, except for African Barrick Gold, as metals prices are firming. Rio Tin
Read moreLondon midday: Downward drift quickens
14th Oct 2010 11:56
US markets may be expected to open firmer but London is determined to go its own way today, heading lower, despite a buoyant mining sector. Metal prices are back on the rise as the dollar heads in the opposite direction. That is not enough to prevent gold miner African Barrick Gold taking a tumble,
Read morePPI point -of-sale ban confirmed
14th Oct 2010 10:34
Payment protection insurance (PPI) policies will not be allowed to be sold when a borrower takes out a loan, the Competition Commission confirmed today. The Commission was asked to look again at its decision to ban sales of PPI at the point-of-sale after Barclays objected to the ruling, arguing it
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: Banks, Lloyds, airlines
14th Oct 2010 06:25
Britain's biggest banks have admitted for the first time that there was a problem with lending to small businesses and that they should offer greater support. In a wide-ranging report published last night, the banks - Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC, Santander and Stand
Read moreLondon close: Strong gains for FTSE 100
13th Oct 2010 16:36
Footsie moved up gear following a strong start on Wall Street, and was nearly posting triple-digit gains at trading's close. US stocks are going well following strong results from processor group Intel and banking giant JP Morgan and strong indications from the Federal Reserve that further stimulus
Read moreLondon afternoon: Still up over 1%
13th Oct 2010 14:45
The leading index broke above 5,750 briefly ahead of the opening bell on Wall Street, its highest since the end of April, led by a powerful mining sector. US stocks have started well - the Dow Jones is up almost 70 points - following strong results from Intel and JP Morgan and strong indications fr
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners stimulated by US hopes
13th Oct 2010 13:31
Xstrata, Vedanta Resources, Anglo American and Rio Tinto are higher on hopes of a fiscal stimulus in the US. Oil services group Petrofac is upgraded to 'overweight' from 'equal-weight' by broker Morgan Stanley, which thinks business opportunities in Britain, Iraq and Algeria will boost the company
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie boards the Fed express
13th Oct 2010 12:05
Hints from the US Federal Reserve that it will resume its bond buying programme sooner rather than later galvanised the UK market in the morning session with mining stocks going particularly well. Xstrata, Anglo American, Rio Tinto and Antofagasta are the pick of a mining sector buoyed by the pros
Read moreLondon open: Wall St rally boosts Footsie
13th Oct 2010 08:48
Last night's recovery on Wall St following the Federal Reserve's hint at further stimulus measures has boosted London early on despite a big bank cash call. Standard Chartered, the emerging markets focused bank, is preparing for stricter capital requirements for banks with a £3.26bn cash call. The
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