London pre-open: US debt ceiling shadow looms
27th Jul 2011 07:40
The shadow of the US debt ceiling negotiations continues to loom over European markets, including London, where the Footsie is expected to open around 20 points lower. Cigarettes maker British American Tobacco saw interim adjusted diluted earnings per share improve by 10% to 96.1p from 87.1p the ye
Read moreBATs set for 'very good year'
27th Jul 2011 07:39
Interim figures from cigarettes maker British American Tobacco (BATs) were slightly ahead of expectations, as higher prices offset volume weakness. Revenue in the first half of 2011 rose 2% to £7,438m from £7,298m the year before. Organic revenue at constant rates of exchange grew by 7%. Adjusted
Read moreWednesday preview: BATs, Autonomy, ITV ...
26th Jul 2011 17:35
Like an addicted smoker stubbing out one cigarette and going straight on to another, the market is bracing itself for interim results from tobacco giant British American Tobacco (BATs) just one day after its perennial rival, IMPs, issued a so-so trading update. Broker Charles Stanley thinks the Luc
Read moreSector movers: Johnson Matthey provides a catalyst for chemicals sector
19th Jul 2011 16:21
Johnson Matthey rose strongly on the FTSE 100 on Tuesday, driving the chemicals sector to the top of the pile. The company, focused in catalysis, precious metals, fine chemicals and process technology, saw sales and profits both register double-digit percentage gains in the first quarter, "benefiti
Read moreSunday tips round-up: Brewin Dolphin, Electrocomponents, IMPs, Telecom Plus, SVG
17th Jul 2011 09:17
Private client investment manager Brewin Dolphin can trace its roots to the mid-18th Century and was a founding member of the London Stock Exchange, writes Midas in the Mail On Sunday. It has more than 100,000 clients, and since the turn of the century the proportion of clients who are taking the f
Read moreTed Baker finance boss trousers £2m
4th Jul 2011 16:21
Ted Baker's finance boss Lindsay Page has slashed his holding in the fashion retailer, pocketing £2m in the process. He offloaded 250,000 shares at 800p a pop, but still has nearly 44,000, or about 0.1% of the company. Ted Baker has been doing well despite the tough economic climate; the shares ha
Read moreLondon close: Footsie finishes close to daily highs
14th Jun 2011 16:29
London was given an extra lift in the afternoon as markets on Wall Street opened strongly. Also helping sentiment was some reassuring economic figures from China. Chinese industrial production rose by 13.3% in May, assuaging some observers' fears that economic expansion in the fast-growing country c
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Hamworthy, BATS, Phoenix IT...
8th Jun 2011 06:48
The speed of the revival in the Hamworthy's fortunes is probably best shown by the growth in the order book, up from £142m a year before to £258m at the end of March. The shares, 13% ahead at 634½p last night after those upgrades, are up by almost 50% since the start of the year and sell on around 2
Read moreLondon close: FTSE 100 edges higher again
26th May 2011 16:51
The FTSE 100's hesitant performance since Monday's dive has continued, with the top share index closing just a few points higher. Among the risers was Man Group whose adjusted profit before tax rose to $599m in the year to 31 March from $560m the year before, ahead of company guidance. Statutory pr
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks clinging on despite mixed updates
26th May 2011 12:15
Stocks are holding onto their modest early morning gains, after a mixed reception for company updates. Among the risers is Man Group whose adjusted profit before tax rose to $599m in the year to 31 March from $560m the year before, ahead of company guidance. Statutory profit before tax tumbled to $
Read moreLondon open: Stocks move higher
26th May 2011 08:29
Shares have edged higher following an improvement on Wall Street after London closed yesterday. Among the risers is Man Group whose adjusted profit before tax rose to $599m in the year to 31 March from $560m the year before, ahead of company guidance. Statutory profit before tax tumbled to $324m fr
Read moreLondon pre-open FTSE 100 to post gains
26th May 2011 07:48
The top share index is seen posting gains following a fightback on Wall Street last night. In company news this morning, strong sales of non-clothing items such as leather handbags helped the luxury fashion group Burberry to a sharp rise in sales in the year to 31 March. Adjusted pre-tax profit ros
Read moreBATs buys Colombian firm
26th May 2011 07:27
British American Tobacco is buying Colombia's second biggest cigarette company for $452m (£279m). The acquisition of Productora Tabacalera de Colombia (Protabaco) will elevate the Lucky Strike firm from third to second place in the cigarette market in Colombia, where 17bn cigarettes are sold a year
Read moreBerendsen non-exec spends £75,000
20th May 2011 17:14
Berendsen non-executive director Iain Ferguson has spent £75,000 on shares in the textile service business formerly known as Davis Service Group. He bought 15,000 shares at 496p a time and now has 40,000. Ferguson, a former chief executive of the sugar firm Tate & Lyle, joined Berendsen last year.
Read moreBroker tips: BG, BATS, Land Securities
18th May 2011 12:57
UBS upgrades oil and gas firm BG Group to a 'buy', from 'neutral', following the group's recent share price weakness since its disappointing first quarter results. Share are 7% lower since the its first quarter figures were announced last week, and are 15% off highs in April as oil prices have cons
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