London pre-open: Limited gains expected on FTSE
25th Sep 2012 07:26
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open up four points from yesterday's close of 5,839, edging higher on the back of hopes for an improvement in economic data out from China and Brussels. However, gains are limited by a downbeat performance in yesterday's session in the US, hit by ongoing conc
Read moreClose Brothers lift full year profit
25th Sep 2012 07:07
Finance house Close Bros reported a mixed set of results for the full year with strong growth in its banking division while difficult trading conditions hurt securities. The banking division posted a 27% increase in adjusted operating profit to £135m. Close Brothers said its loan book increased 20
Read moreTuesday preview: DMGT, Euromoney, Close Brothers ...
24th Sep 2012 18:18
Publisher and exhibitions organiser Daily Mail & General Trust (DMGT) issues a pre-close statement on Tuesday, and Peel Hunt thinks the resilience of the business-to-business (B2B) side will balance the more volatile consumer markets side. "We anticipate a mixed performance from Consumer, with Asso
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Beazley back in the black
20th Jul 2012 15:54
Non-life insurer Beazley soared into the black in the first half of 2012, delivering a return on equity of 18 per cent and a combined ratio of 91 per cent. During the six months the firm generated a profit of $112.9m, compared to a loss of $24.2m the previous year, while gross written premiums ros
Read moreLondon open: Footsie pulls back as Resolution tanks
20th Jul 2012 08:43
- Resolution drops after cancelling capital return - Footsie edges back from two-month high - Eurogroup to discuss Spanish assistance The FTSE 100 opened firmly in the red on Friday morning, tracking US and Asian markets lower overnight; Resolution and Vodafone were among the worst performers in Lo
Read moreLondon pre-open: Asian stocks to drag FTSE lower
20th Jul 2012 07:34
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open down 13 points from yesterday's close of 5,714, tracking declines seen in Asian stocks after the Chinese government announced that it wants local authorities to keep property price control policies tight. A third set of gains in the US is not thought to be
Read moreClose Bros weighed down by Winterflood business
20th Jul 2012 07:01
Banking, securities and asset management firm Close Brothers Group has admitted that difficult trading conditions in the Winterflood division continued to affect its overall performance during the five months ended June 30th, but said the Banking division delivered another strong performance in the
Read moreFriday preview: Italy set to drag down Vodafone
19th Jul 2012 16:54
Friday's big corporate announcement is from Vodafone, which will give an update covering the first quarter of its financial year. Broker Nomura is expecting organic growth of 0.7%, down from year-on-year growth of 2.3% in the preceding quarter. Stripping out the impact of an additional day in the r
Read moreClose Brothers' banking shines as securities struggle
17th May 2012 07:16
Banking, securities and asset management firm Close Bros said it has delivered a solid performance overall as strong growth in the banking division outweighed difficult market conditions at its securities division, particularly in April. Banking benefited from continued favourable market conditio
Read moreWednesday broker round-up
14th Mar 2012 10:02
Antofagasta: Fox-Davies upgrades from sell to hold, target lifted from 1,121p to 1,197p. AZ Electronic Materials: Goldman Sachs upgrades from buy to conviction buy, target raised from 380p to 440p. Close Brothers: UBS raises target from 690p to 750p, neutral rating kept. Computacenter: UBS raises
Read moreClose Brothers profits up despite securities headache
13th Mar 2012 07:26
Close Brothers, the banking, securities and asset management firm, saw profits rise after its banking division compensated for a big fall in its securities business. The firm reported pre-tax profits of £66.8m in the six months to the end of January, up from £58.3m the year before. Its banking div
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Kentz Corp drops after CEO change
20th Jan 2012 14:25
Engineering and construction group Kentz Corporation became the third biggest faller despite revealing that revenues and profits were "marginally" ahead of consensus expectations in 2011. The firm did reveal however that long-standing Chief Executive Hugh O'Donnell is to be replaced by Chief Opera
Read moreLondon open: Footsie flat, Vodafone rises on Indian tax ruling
20th Jan 2012 08:28
The Footsie opened flat on Friday morning, with a rise in the banking sector being offset by resource stocks. The blue chip index nudged just a few points lower to 5,738 in early trading, following yesterday's 0.7% rise on the back of strong macro data and an improving outlook in the Eurozone. In o
Read moreLondon pre-open: FTSE 100 holding on to yesterday's gains
20th Jan 2012 07:23
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open up 4 points from yesterday's close of 5,741, holding on to yesterday's last minute gains which came after investors got a boost on news of better-than-expected economic data from the US, talks of progress between the Greek government and private creditors,
Read moreMarket conditions remain tough. Close Brothers laments
20th Jan 2012 07:05
The Banking division did much of the heavy lifting at financial services and investment management firm Close Brothers in the second half of 2011, while its Securities division coped with tough market conditions. In a statement covering the final five months of 2011, the group said its Banking divi
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