Broker snap: Booker has resilient Q1, says Investec
18th Jul 2012 11:40
Investec has maintained its positive stance on food and drink wholesale group Booker after its first-quarter trading statement showed the firm 'shining despite the rain'. "Booker's Q1 IMS shows its non-tobacco growth is proving resilient, despite the bad weather which has proved challenging to the
Read moreWednesday broker round-up
18th Jul 2012 09:21
Ashmore: Goldman Sachs upgrades to buy. Ashtead: Jefferies reiterates buy rating and 320p target. Booker: Investec maintains buy rating and 98p target. British Land: BarCap downgrades to equal weight. Capital Shopping Centres: BarCap upgrades to overweight. Chariot Oil & Gas: Merchant Securitie
Read moreLondon open: Stocks edge higher ahead of BoE minutes
18th Jul 2012 08:37
- MPC minutes due out shortly - Markets still digesting Bernanke comments - Fresnillo, Ashmore, Schroders lead the risers on the Footsie The FTSE 100 edged higher on Wednesday morning ahead of the Bank of England minutes due out shortly. Meanwhile, a well-received earnings report from Swiss banking
Read moreBooker on track for year
18th Jul 2012 07:57
Food and drink wholesaler Booker posted a 1.7 per cent increase in total sales for the 12 weeks to 22 June 2012 and said it remains on course to meet expectations for the year ending 29 March 2013. Non-tobacco sales rose by 3.9%, or 3.8% on a like-for-like basis, while tobacco sales fell by 1.7% af
Read moreWednesday preview: BoE minutes, BHP, Booker, Fuller's
17th Jul 2012 15:56
The big event on Wednesday is the release of the minutes from the July meeting of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee. The major point of interest will be the vote on the decision to beef up the bank's asset purchase programme, and whether it was unanimous. The minutes are due for relea
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Electrocomponents rises after table quarter
13th Jul 2012 13:28
Electronics and maintenance products distributor Electrocomponents was higher after saying that sales in the three months to the end of June were at a similar level to the previous financial year. Avocet Mining was also heading higher as metals prices firmed on the improved outlook for China. Boo
Read moreLondon midday: Markets shrug off Italian downgrade after Chinese GDP
13th Jul 2012 11:21
- Chinese GDP beats forecasts - Moody's downgrades Italian rating - US stock futures edge higher on China European markets were trading broadly higher and US stock futures were pointing to a positive start by Friday lunchtime after Chinese economic growth data came in better than expectations. Chi
Read moreFriday broker round-up
13th Jul 2012 09:11
Aegis: Exane BNP Paribas downgrades to neutral, target upped from 220p to 240p; UBS downgrades to neutral, target upped from 195p to 240p; HSBC downgrades to underweight, target upped from 180p to 240p. Anglo American: Liberum Capital downgrades to hold. Ashmore: Singer Capital Markets downgrades
Read moreBroker tips: Petropavlovsk, Ladbrokes, Retailers
6th Jun 2012 11:14
UBS has upgraded its rating for Russia-focused gold group Petropavlovsk from neutral to buy on the back of the recent share-price underperformance and weakness in the rouble. However, UBS has cut its target price from 650p to 630p after lowering its 2012 earnings per share (EPS) forecast by 22% to
Read moreBroker snap: Forecasts for retailers have 'moved from the nadir'
6th Jun 2012 11:04
Peel Hunt has named its top picks and top risks as part of its review of the general retail sector, saying that while the category has enjoyed a strong start to 2012, the recovery is likely to be a long haul. "Outperformance across the retail sector continues to be earnings- driven and stock-specif
Read moreLondon close: Stocks drop on Spanish worries
30th May 2012 16:32
- Spain in focus, bond yields surge - Eurozone economic sentiment slips - Miners fall on euro, Chinese concerns London's blue-chip index closed near its intraday low on Wednesday as ongoing concerns over the Eurozone, and particularly Spain, sank global equity markets. "Spain has taken centre sta
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Essar and Booker lead gains
30th May 2012 15:04
Essar Energy, the India-focused energy company, has said it is not in a position to confirm that its coal block at Mahan in Madhya Pradesh state is among those to have been provisionally approved by officials for stage one forest clearance. Responding to media reports, it said that it believed the
Read moreLondon midday: Surging Eurozone bond yields dent stocks
30th May 2012 11:31
- Bankia and Spain continue to weigh on sentiment - ECB denies interference - Chinese stimulus hopes fade Rising bond yields in the Eurozone periphery and fading hopes of further Chinese stimulus were weighing heavily on European stock markets on Wednesday; resources stocks and banks were heavy fal
Read moreLondon open: Stocks slip on concerns over China and Spain
30th May 2012 08:32
- Ex-div stocks, miners provide a drag - Hopes over Chinese stimulus fade - ECB rejects Spain's plan for Bankia After rumours of additional Chinese stimulus measures were quashed yesterday, the FTSE 100 sank in early trading on Wednesday, with resource companies among the worst performers; ex-divid
Read moreBooker grabs Makro UK in cash and carry purchase
30th May 2012 07:21
Booker Group, the FTSE 250 food wholesaler, is to buy Makro UK, a subsidiary of the huge German retailer Metro, in a combined share and cash deal. Makro is also a wholesale business, which even Metro describes as "challenging". Nevertheless, Booker says the transaction will enable it to become the
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