London close: Markets spring leak as oil prices tumble
4th Nov 2014 16:13
The falling price of crude oil and precious metals left markets struggling to get a grip on Tuesday. The price of a barrel of US light crude fell nearly 3% to about $76.5 a barrel and Brent crude dipped below the $83 mark, dragging the FTSE 100 Index down 34 points at 6453.97. World gold prices are
Read moreSector movers: Oil stocks tank as crude prices drop to three-year low
4th Nov 2014 13:26
Sinking crude prices were pressuring oil producers and oil services stocks lower on Tuesday, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropping to a three-year low. Oil dropped sharply after the world's largest exporter, Saudi Arabia, lowered prices for crude exports to US customers in an attempt to suppor
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks erase gains after UK construction data, Eurozone growth forecasts
4th Nov 2014 11:25
A slowdown in UK construction expansion and downgrades to Eurozone growth forecasts hit UK stocks on Tuesday morning, with the FTSE 100 having erased early gains by lunchtime. Well-received results from Imperial Tobacco, Associated British Foods and Legal & General weren't enough to prop up the benc
Read moreLondon open: FTSE rises as earnings impress, but oil stocks fall
4th Nov 2014 08:31
The UK stock market opened tentatively on Tuesday, with declines in the energy sector offsetting some well-received results from blue chips Legal & General, Associated British Foods and Imperial Tobacco. The FTSE 100 was up 0.2% at 6,503 in early deals. However, upside was being limited by falls fr
Read moreSector movers: Mining, oil stocks track commodities lower as dollar gains
30th Oct 2014 13:24
Mining and oil stocks took a hit on Thursday as a hawkish statement by the Federal Reserve and better-than-expected US growth bolstered the dollar and dampened commodity prices. Gold dropped to its lowest in three weeks, while silver, platinum and crude prices all declined, as the dollar rose to a t
Read moreOPEC sees price falls curbing US shale oil industry
29th Oct 2014 19:12
Speaking from the London Oil&Money conference OPEC Secretary General Abdalla Salem el-Badri signalled the cartel does not have the intention of cutting its output anytime soon. OPEC also seems to expect that the decline in prices will force the US shale oil industry to reduce its pace of investments
Read moreLondon close: Markets stabilise ahead of Fed meeting
28th Oct 2014 16:35
UK stocks ended Tuesday's session on an upbeat note thanks to a strong performance by the mining sector and a level of stability not seen on markets for several weeks. The FTSE rose early on, dipped around 10:30, but recovered to deliver a steady performance throughout the afternoon, ultimately endi
Read moreThe Share Centre rates BP as a 'buy' despite profit decline
28th Oct 2014 11:06
Investors willing to take on a little risk should consider shares of BP, according to The Share Centre, which recommended the stock as a 'buy' on Tuesday following the oil major's third-quarter results. BP reported that profits fell by almost a fifth in the third quarter, but it still beat the marke
Read moreLondon open: UK stocks rise, but Lloyds and StanChart fall
28th Oct 2014 08:54
Despite some heavy falls from banking heavyweights Lloyds and Standard Chartered, UK stocks advanced on Tuesday morning as the FTSE 100 rebounded from a one-week low. London's benchmark index was up 0.6% at 6,404 in early deals, helped by decent gains from oil major BP. The Footsie closed at 6,363.
Read moreLondon pre-open: Calm session expected ahead of Wednesday's FOMC decision
28th Oct 2014 07:42
London's blue chips are set for a reversal of Monday's losses, with a degree of calmness expected in markets ahead of Wednesday's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open around 32 points higher than Monday's close of 6,363.46. "It's been a very calm
Read moreBP's shares rise as Q3 profit decline less than feared - UPDATE
28th Oct 2014 06:58
BP saw shares gain on Tuesday after the oil major reported a less-than-expected decline in profits in the third quarter and said it was "well on track" to hit its targets this year. Underlying replacement cost (RC) profit, adjusted for non-operating items and fair value accounting effects, totalled
Read moreFriday newspaper round-up: SFO, EU, BP
23rd Oct 2014 18:49
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been forced to ask the government for an additional £26.5m because of ongoing fraud investigations into Barclays, Rolls-Royce and Libor rigging, the Guardian reported on Friday. SFO chief David Green said that the agency was handling the "most demanding caseload th
Read moreLondon midday: ECB stimulus hopes lift stocks, but earnings reports mixed
21st Oct 2014 11:38
Decent gains in the financial, energy and retail sectors helped the FTSE 100 rise strongly on Tuesday, despite some mixed blue-chip earnings and economic data from China. Also helping sentiment were reports that the European Central Bank is considering buying corporate bonds on the secondary market.
Read moreLondon midday: Oil stocks lead UK markets lower
20th Oct 2014 11:49
Anyone hoping for a positive start to the week on the stock market following the recent volatility would have been disappointed on Monday as UK equities suffered more steep falls. London's FTSE 100 was trading 0.8% lower at 6,259 by midday with energy stocks leading the fallers as oil prices weakene
Read moreLondon midday: Oil stocks boost markets as sentiment recovers, Rolls-Royce drops
17th Oct 2014 11:41
UK stocks staged a partial recovery on Friday following a turnaround in sentiment on Wall Street, with oil producers leading the upside after a bounce in oil prices from their recent lows. The FTSE 100 was up 0.8% at 6,245 by midday. On the face of it, a 0.8% gain on the FTSE 100 would otherwise be
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