Sector movers: M&A hopes lift telecoms as BT and Vodafone gain
26th Nov 2014 14:26
Continuing bid speculation pushed stocks in the telecoms sector higher on Wednesday with heavyweights BT and Vodafone both on the rise. BT, up 2.4% by late afternoon, was extending recent gains after it was confirmed that the fixed-line telecoms provider was in talks with at least two groups about b
Read moreBroker tips: BT, Sage, Compass, Thomas Cook
26th Nov 2014 12:26
UBS has speculated that if BT follows through with its current talks to buy O2 or EE it would become less aggressive in the forthcoming Premier League rights auction and produce a better outcome for Sky. "We think concerns about Sky losing the EPL rights are weighing on investor sentiment but we are
Read moreLondon midday: Mining stocks and telecoms M&A give FTSE a lift
26th Nov 2014 11:42
Decent gains from miners and M&A speculation in the telecoms sector gave UK stocks a boost on Wednesday, along with data which confirmed that the British economy expanded as expected in the third quarter. London's FTSE 100 was up 0.2% at 6,747 by midday, with resource shares leading the charge, rebo
Read moreUBS sees benefits for Sky if BT buys EE or O2
26th Nov 2014 11:36
UBS has speculated that Sky could benefit if rival BT follows through with its current talks to buy O2 or EE and is forced to become less aggressive in the forthcoming Premier League rights auction. The Swiss bank estimated that the auction, in the first quarter of 2015, will cost at least £1bn per
Read moreBT's takeover talks with EE confirmed by Orange and Deutsche Telekom
26th Nov 2014 11:32
Germany's Deutsche Telekom and France's Orange have confirmed they are in talks about selling their UK EE mobile phone network to BT. BT confirmed on Monday that it was in discussions to buy the O2 mobile network from Spain's Telefonica, as it looked to re-enter the mobile market, as well as a secon
Read moreLondon close: UK stocks finish flat as retailers fall, data comes in mixed
25th Nov 2014 16:33
London's FTSE 100 ended Tuesday's session more or less where it started with stocks in the retail sector limiting gains while investors digested a string of important economic data. A disappointing third-quarter update from Kingfisher saw shares in the DIY retailer slump, while the supermarket secto
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Kingfisher slides after French sales drag
25th Nov 2014 15:26
Shares in Kingfisher declined after the B&Q and Screwfix owner saw like-for-like (LFL) sales fall in the third quarter as decent growth in the UK and Ireland was offset by falling sales in its largest market, France. LFL sales declined 0.9%, compared with 1.8% growth in the first half. The supermark
Read moreLondon midday: UK stocks rise but gains limited by Kingfisher, resource stocks
25th Nov 2014 11:31
UK stocks edged higher on Tuesday, though gains were being limited by falls in the heavyweight resources sector and a drop in the share price of DIY retailer Kingfisher. The FTSE 100 trading 0.1% higher at 6,737 by midday, though was underperforming stocks across Europe with the STOXX Europe 600 ind
Read moreBT could offer £5bn to Telefonica for O2
25th Nov 2014 10:01
British telecom giant BT could offer almost £5bn to Spanish firm Telefonica to purchase O2 mobile network. On Tuesday, Spanish newspaper El Confidencial reported BT could offer at least €6bn (£4.76bn) on top of a 20% stake in its share capital for the company it originally spun off in 2001. Includi
Read moreLondon close: UK stocks retreat from two-month high as Petrofac, miners fall
24th Nov 2014 16:23
A wave of M&A news failed to give UK markets a boost on Monday as investors took profits after stocks hit their highest in two months the previous session. The FTSE 100 finished 0.3% lower at 6,730 with a massive drop in the share price of oilfield services firm Petrofac and weakness in the mining s
Read moreLondon midday: UK stocks treading water after recent gains, Petrofac shares tank
24th Nov 2014 11:32
After finishing the previous session at a two-month high, UK stocks were treading water on Monday as investors paused for breath. The FTSE 100 was down just six points, or 0.09%, at 6,744.94 by midday, with Petrofac providing a drag on the blue-chip index after a profit warning. Shares in the oilfie
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Aviva-Friends Life, Coutts, Quindell
23rd Nov 2014 18:15
Clive Cowdery, whose Resolution acquisition vehicle bought Friends Provident in 2009, will make about £160m from Aviva's takeover of Friends Life, the Sunday Times said. The roles of chairman, chief executive and finance director at the combined company will go to the Aviva incumbents, according to
Read moreTelecom group to launch attack on BT broadband 'monopoly'
23rd Nov 2014 16:00
A group of telecom firms have reportedly banded together to denounce the market "monopoly" held by BT. According to the Sunday Telegraph, the group has accused the regulator of supporting too many crowd-pleasing moves, and will this week launch an attack on BT's hierarchy over the business broadband
Read moreBT says Global Services division will not be sold
16th Nov 2014 16:57
Telecoms giant BT has decided against the potential disposal of its Global Services arm after shareholders voiced their concerns about such a move. The FTSE 100 group had been rumoured to be holding internal talks about the sale or spin-off of the division, but released a statement stating otherwise
Read moreFriday newspaper round-up: Asda, British American Tobacco, BT...
13th Nov 2014 17:29
Asda has accused its rivals of being "desperate" and misleading customers with price gimmicks, the Daily Telegraph reported on Friday. Barry Williams, one of the supermarket chain's most senior executives, said Asda's traditional rivals were feeling "chirpy, chirpy not cheap, cheap", as they vowed t
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