London midday: Markets retreat from four-week high on US concerns
17th Oct 2013 11:33
UK markets pulled back from a four-week high on Thursday as investors gave a mixed reaction to an 11th-hour deal on Capitol Hill to increase the debt ceiling and reopen the US government. Nevertheless, losses were trimmed by midday after UK retail sales rose by a better-than-expected 0.6% in Septem
Read moreBarclays named most complained about firm, FCA data reveals
16th Oct 2013 14:18
Barclays has been named as the most complained about firm in the first half, according to data from the Financial Conduct Authority. It had 370,733 complaints in the first half, down 12% from the previous half. Lloyds TSB was the second most complained about financial services firm with 253,735 co
Read moreBarclays' Hector Sants takes stress-induced sick leave
16th Oct 2013 11:13
Sir Hector Sants, the man brought in to put scandal-hit Barclays back on the straight and narrow, has been forced to take time off due to 'exhaustion and stress', it was revealed Wednesday. The former investment banker, who used to head up the Financial Services Authority (FSA), has been signed of
Read moreSector movers: RBS leads banks lower after BofA downgrade
14th Oct 2013 16:00
UK-listed banks were out of favour on Monday as macro concerns weighed on investor appetite for risk; Royal Bank of Scotland was a heavy faller after being hit with a downgrade by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The US broker lowered its rating for RBS from 'neutral' to 'underperform', cutting its p
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Johnson Matthey tops leaders after upgrade
14th Oct 2013 14:37
The share price of chemicals group Johnson Matthey jumped on Monday after the stock was upgraded by JPMorgan Cazenove from 'neutral' to 'overweight'. The US bank hiked its target price for the shares from 2,800p to 4,000p, saying that it sees "major potential from a swathe of new global industrial c
Read moreLondon midday: Markets pause on US stalemate, mixed Chinese data
14th Oct 2013 11:28
Markets paused at a two-week high on Monday as investors refrained from building as concerns over the US debt ceiling and mixed data from China weighed on risk appetite. London's benchmark FTSE 100 was trading with small gains by midday after finishing Friday's session at 6,483.79, its highest clos
Read moreLondon open: Stocks flat as US political deadlock continues
14th Oct 2013 08:38
A political stalemate in Washington over the debt ceiling weighed on risk appetite on Monday morning, with the FTSE 100 holding steady in early trading after hitting two-week highs the previous session. London's benchmark index finished at 6,483.79 on Friday, its highest close since September 27th,
Read moreBarclays signs up to Help to Buy
11th Oct 2013 15:46
Barclays on Friday said it has signed up to the UK government's Help to Buy mortgage scheme. It leaves customer-owned Nationwide as the only major lender that is yet to sign up to the programme, which provides aid to aspiring home buyers. Details of when Barclays will launch offers under the sche
Read moreRBS sends records to regulator in FX probe
10th Oct 2013 12:23
UK banking group Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has sent copies of instant messages from a former currency trader to the Financial Conduct Authority as part of a probe into a possible manipulation of the foreign exchange (FX) markets. The news comes in the wake of the LIBOR rate-setting scandal that
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks rebound strongly from three-month low
10th Oct 2013 11:16
UK markets jumped strongly on Thursday morning following three straight days of losses as hopes build over a resolution to the political deadlock in Washington and the continuation of monetary stimulus by the Federal Reserve. After hitting a three-month low yesterday, the FTSE 100 rebounded strong
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise on hopes over US deal, taper delay
10th Oct 2013 08:22
Stocks gained strongly on Thursday morning as signs of progress in Washington and hopes over a continuation of US monetary stimulus prompted bargain hunters to step in following three straight days of losses. The FTSE 100 set a fresh three-month low of 6,337.91 on Wednesday afternoon, its worst lev
Read moreJohn Laing Chairman subscribes for shares in firm's largest ever raising
9th Oct 2013 16:20
John Laing Infrastructure Fund (JLIF) announced that two of its directors, Chairman Paul Lester and fellow board member Chris Spencer, had each subscribed for 20,000 newly issued shares in the group as part of its largest ever raising of new equity. The shares were priced at 111p, costing each of
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Vedanta hit by downgrade
9th Oct 2013 15:01
Vedanta Resources delivered record oil and gas production and a rise in the output of refined zinc, lead and silver in the second quarter. However, the stock was among the worst performers today after reportedly being downgraded by Morgan Stanley to 'underweight'. ARM Holdings also took a hit, trac
Read moreLondon midday: Markets pause at three-month low as UK data disappoints
9th Oct 2013 11:19
Disappointing UK production figures and the ongoing political deadlock in the US weighed on market sentiment on Wednesday morning, with the FTSE 100 subdued after hitting a three-month low the day before. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index was trading broadly flat by midday, erasing earlier losses,
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
9th Oct 2013 07:57
Air Partner: Liberum Capital initiates with a target price of 555p and a buy recommendation. Alent: Credit Suisse moves target price from 420p to 430p and keeps an outperform rating. AZ Electronic Materials: Credit Suisse revises target price from 350p to 330p, while staying with its neutral ratin
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