FTSE 100 movers: M&S tops the risers
6th Apr 2011 13:12
Retailers are providing a boost on Wednesday, with Marks & Spencer performing best among the blue chips. The group saw a sharp drop in like-for-like sales of clothes and other non-food items in the 13 weeks to 2 April, though the fall wasn't as severe as expected and overall sales growth was mainta
Read moreBroker tips: M&S, Burberry, Ashstead
6th Apr 2011 12:49
Peel Hunt upgrades retailing giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) to 'hold', from 'sell', after strong fourth quarter results beat market expectations in both divisions. "We see limited downside at this juncture - clearly there is a tough consumer backdrop environment for the year ahead - however, M&S also
Read moreBroker snap: Burberry momentum already priced in
6th Apr 2011 11:06
Nomura keeps its 'neutral' rating on luxury brand Burberry, as it thinks that strong momentum is already priced into the shares. The Japanese broker expects the trading update on 19 April to show a 36% increase in second half retail sales and a 4% rise in wholesale sales, "slower than the third qua
Read moreLondon open: Telecoms power forward on AT&T move
21st Mar 2011 08:50
Footsie has opened brightly with telecoms stocks powering ahead on the back of AT&T's huge $39bn bid for Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile USA. Vodafone is top riser as analysts have wasted little time working out what it means in value terms for Vodafone's 45% stake in current US market leader Verizon
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Financial dividend payers head decline
16th Mar 2011 13:11
Financials are heading the fallers in the Footsie today. The two biggest fallers in the FTSE 100 index have gone ex-dividend. HSBC has fallen by more than double its dividend of 7.66p a share. Standard Life has not declined quite as much as its final dividend payment of 8.65p a share. HSBC and S
Read moreLondon close: Heavy losses despite recovery
15th Mar 2011 16:42
The FTSE 100 closed deep in the red Tuesday amid continuing worries over the situation in Japan, though losses were more than halved following a slide in the morning as nerves calmed. A third explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan has raised concerns of a major radiation le
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks stabilise
15th Mar 2011 14:27
Leading shares remain deep in the red and the best that can be said is that the situation did not get materially worse over the lunch time session. A third explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan has raised concerns of a major radiation leak and sparked panic selling on the
Read moreBroker tips: Burberry, AMEC, Dignity
15th Mar 2011 13:13
RBS maintains its positive stance on luxury fashion group Burberry, despite shares taking a hit over the last few days on concerns of its exposure in Japan. While Japanese consumers have accounted for as much as 40-50% of domestic- and international-related luxury goods demand over the past decade,
Read moreBroker snap: Burberry's falling share price an over-reaction
15th Mar 2011 10:54
RBS maintains its positive stance on luxury fashion group Burberry, despite shares taking a hit over the last few days on concerns of its exposure in Japan. While Japanese consumers have accounted for as much as 40-50% of domestic- and international-related luxury goods demand over the past decade,
Read moreSector movers: Burberry leads personal goods lower on quake concerns
14th Mar 2011 14:30
Personal goods is the worst performing sector Monday with luxury fashion brand Burberry losing nearly 4%. The Japanese crisis is weighing down on the stock, which attributes a large chunk of its sales to the country. Personal care and beauty products group Creightons is also providing a drag with s
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: BG appoints new finance chief
14th Mar 2011 13:22
BG Group is higher following the appointment of Fabio Barbosa as its finance director. Barbosa was previously finance director of miner Vale and a director of the Brazilian stock exchange. Norwegian oil and gas producer DET NORSKE OLJESELSKAP is selling a 10% stake in the PL 522 licence, which i
Read moreLondon midday: Blue chips turn lower on volatile day
14th Mar 2011 12:21
London's blue chips have turned lower again as investors await the US markets' reaction to Japan's devastating earthquake. Miners Rio Tinto, Xstrata, African Barrick and ENRC are the pick of the mining sector. Also going well is temporary power solutions provider Aggreko, which may find its service
Read moreLondon close: Shares give up gains as Libya worries persist
7th Mar 2011 16:39
Shares closed in the red having spend most of the day in the blue after recovering from a weak start. Once again, the Libya turmoil has been casting a shadow. Oil prices are still an issue. Light crude rose to a 30-month high above $106 on Monday as fighting rages in Libya while reports that the un
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks consolidate gains
7th Mar 2011 14:18
Shares came off the top at the beginning of the afternoon before recovering some of their poise toward the end of the lunch time session as futures markets indicated a moderately firm start in store on Wall Street. Oil prices are still an issue. Light crude rose to a 30-month high above $106 on Mon
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Intertek's Moody buy
7th Mar 2011 12:59
Testing and inspections provider Intertek is the best performer on the Footise after paying £450m for Moody, a provider of quality and safety services to the global energy industry. The purchase of Haywards Heath-based Moody on a cash-free and debt-free basis will create "significant" benefits and
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