London midday: Gains trimmed after gloomy EU growth forecasts
23rd Feb 2012 11:56
- EC cuts GDP estimates across the board. - RBS, Capita lead risers after full-year results. - German IFO survey comes in at six-month high. After a strong start, gains for the Footsie were pared by lunchtime after the European Commission cut its forecasts for economic growth. The market reaction t
Read moreThursday broker round-up - UPDATE
23rd Feb 2012 08:31
Bodycote: Credit Suisse raises price target on Bodycote to 380p from 350p. Royal Bank of Scotland: Nomura keeps reduce rating and 26p target. British American Tobacco: Nomura maintains buy rating and 3,320p target. RSA Insurance: Nomura reiterates buy rating and 148p target. Anglo American: Alp
Read moreLondon open: RBS provides a boost early on
23rd Feb 2012 08:25
- RBS leads banks higher after results. - Capita rises strongly after bullish outlook. - EU expected to cut Eurozone GDP forecasts. The Footsie opened slightly higher on Thursday as the markets digested a host of results, with heavyweights such as Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Capita, Centrica, RSA
Read moreBATs grows revenues, worries over packaging
23rd Feb 2012 07:18
There was little sign of the world kicking the smoking habit in results from British American Tobacco (BATS), which continues to achieve top-line growth. The cigarettes maker says total revenues for 2011 were £15,399m, up 3% on 2010's £14,883m Adjusted profits were £5,519m, a rise of 11% on the
Read moreThursday preview: RBS, RSA, BATs, Capita, Centrica
22nd Feb 2012 18:43
The long awaited results from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) are due out on Thursday, but the editorialising over bankers' bonuses has already started, with reports emerging on Wednesday that the part-nationalised lender is planning on giving out massive pay-outs to members of its investment banking d
Read moreSector movers: Greek optimism and Chinese policy weaken defensives
20th Feb 2012 14:57
Greek optimism and a decision by the People's Bank of China to cut its legal reserve ratio requirement for large banks by half a percentage point combined to boost market sentiment, rendering defensive stocks unpopular as investors sought risker stocks. Shares in British American Tobacco and Imper
Read moreLondon close: Optimistic mood ahead of Eurogroup, but risks remain
17th Feb 2012 17:10
-Merkel optimistic about Eurogroup meeting. -Miners lead gains on Footsie. -Retailer rise on economic data. London's benchmark index finished the week strongly - up 53 points on last Friday's close of 5,852 - as markets expressed confidence that the next Greek bailout can be secured on Monday. Af
Read moreLondon close: Losses pared ahead of Greek meeting
7th Feb 2012 16:35
-Greek talks enter critical stage. -Shareholders raise questions over terms of Glencore/Xstrata merger. -Defensives in demand as investors flee from risk. Losses were trimmed by the end of trade on Tuesday with reports pointing to progress being made in Greece. Government leaders and international
Read moreSector movers: Miners fall as investors flee from risk
7th Feb 2012 16:01
With investors fleeing from risk on Tuesday as prolonged Greek talks took the spotlight, miners were widely sold off, with merger pals Xstrata and Glencore International being the worst performers on the FTSE 100 in late afternoon trade. Markets await this evening's meeting between the Greek Prime M
Read moreLondon close: Stocks down on Greek concerns
24th Jan 2012 16:41
- Banks sold off as Greek talks continue. - S&P downgrades three French banks. - IMF cuts world GDP growth forecast. UK stocks were off their intraday lows but still finished firmly in the red on Tuesday, with global markets in negative territory as European leaders continue to argue over Greece
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Big downdraft, Tobacco, Services
22nd Jan 2012 17:17
Newt Gingrich pulled off a sensational victory in the Republican presidential race on Saturday by taking the South Carolina primary, wrecking the carefully-laid plans of Mitt Romney and setting the stage for a protracted contest. Gingrich, trailing badly behind Romney just a week ago, won after stro
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie unchanged, RBS leads risers
20th Jan 2012 11:57
- Greek talks still in progress. - RBS taps ECB emergency facility. - Vodafone up on Indian tax ruling. The Footsie was rather flat at midday, after swinging between gains and losses in the mid-morning session. Neverthess, the blue chip index was trading within a narrow range with just 26 points se
Read moreFriday broker round-up -UPDATE
20th Jan 2012 09:17
Pearson: Credit Suisse raises target price to 1,210p from 1,175p. Polymetal: Credit Suisse downgrades to neutral from outperform; cuts target to 1,040p from 1,180p. William Hill: Credit Suisse raises target price to 227p from 214p. Man: Deutsche Bank upgrades to hold from sell. Petrofac: JP Mor
Read moreLondon close: Footsie up 0.7% as banks and IAG surge
19th Jan 2012 17:05
-Euro optimism drives gains. -Barclays, Lloyds, RBS leads the risers. -Essar falls 11.9%, still volatile after Indian tax ruling. A combination of better-than-expected earnings figures and economic data from the US, talks of progress between the Greek government and private creditors, and strong de
Read moreSector movers: Banks rise on euro optimism
19th Jan 2012 16:23
Banks rose by an average 4.98% on Thursday as euro optimism lifted sentiment across global markets. Barclays jumped 10%, closely following by Lloyds and RBS, with the buying mood bolstered by several different factors, including: better-than-expected results from Bank of America; talks of progress
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