London pre-open: Stocks to slide again
21st May 2010 07:29
London's top stocks are expected to add to yesterday's 84 points drop, with analysts forecasting another 25 point drop. British Airways reported a record pre-tax loss of £531m as the carrier was hit by strike action, bad winter weather disruption and the impact from the global recession. The pre-ta
Read moreClose Brothers hails good third quarter
21st May 2010 06:59
Merchant bank Close Brothers remains confident of delivering a solid overall result for the 2010 financial year after a good third quarter performance. The group's Banking and Securities divisions both put in good shifts in the February to April quarter – the group's third quarter – while the outco
Read moreLookers boss adds to stake
19th Mar 2010 16:49
Peter Jones, the chief executive of motor dealer Lookers, has added to his stake in the company. He has bought 300,000 shares at 59p each. Jones now owns 2.281m shares in Lookers, which is equivalent to 0.59% of the company. Jones bought 1.42m shares at 40p each in the company's placing and open
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Debenhams, Gem Diamonds, James Fisher
17th Mar 2010 06:43
Don't expect Debenhams to set the world alight, but like its reborn Principles brand, it has legs, suggests the Independent. The department store group sees potential to grow beyond 200 stores on home soil, and its shares - which have fallen from a 12-month high of nearly £1 - now look good value,
Read moreLondon close: Pension deal boosts BA
16th Mar 2010 17:03
After threatening to hit a new intra-day high the FTSE 100 index saw its advance checked in the final hour of trading as profit takers moved in ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates later today. Airline British Airways made a late surge to the top of the Footsie leaderboard as i
Read moreLondon afternoon: G4S locked out of market rally
16th Mar 2010 14:49
The Footsie stopped just short of dipping into negative territory over the lunchtime session before buyers moved back in just before 2pm. Banks and miners continue to provide many of the bright spots, with the latter benefitting from higher metal prices. In banking, Royal Bank of Scotland is want
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Gem Diamonds lacks sparkle after results
16th Mar 2010 13:01
Cost cutting measures helped Gem Diamonds move into profit in the year to December 31 even as revenues slumped on lower diamond prices, but the shares are looking a bit lacklustre. Wellstream, which designs and manufactures flexible risers and flowlines for the oil and gas industry, also slips, aft
Read moreLondon midday: Early gains trimmed
16th Mar 2010 12:03
The FTSE 100 was clinging on to positive territory at the start of the lunchtime session after share prices went into a late morning swoon. Banks and miners continue to provide most of the bright spots, with the latter benefitting from higher metal prices. In banking, Royal Bank of Scotland is wa
Read moreLondon open: US gives Footsie a lift
16th Mar 2010 08:53
Footsie opened higher on the back of a strong performance from US shares late yesterday and strong gains for Royal Bank of Scotland. RBS is mulling a buy back of at least £10bn (€11bn) of the bank's £28bn of debt at a premium to current prices according to the FT. It is one of the best performers t
Read moreLondon pre-open: Strong start expected
16th Mar 2010 07:34
Footsie is expected to open higher on the back of a strong performance from US shares late yesterday. Department store Debenhams said it saw a strong performance in the six months to 27 February as it continues its strategy of lifting margins and expanding market share. Gross transaction value was
Read moreClose Brothers posts 50% jump in profits
16th Mar 2010 07:11
Merchant bank Close Brothers reported a 50% jump in half year profits thanks to a strong performance in its Banking and Securities divisions. Operating profit before tax from continuing operations rose to £62.3m in the six month ended 31 January from £41.5m last time. Broker Numis Securities foreca
Read moreTuesday preview: G4S, Close Brothers, Wellstream
15th Mar 2010 09:28
International security firm G4S brings out full year results on Tuesday. Market expectations are for underlying profit before tax to climb to £366m from £336m the year before. Revenue is tipped to smash through the seven billion barrier to £7.06bn, up from £5.94bn in 2008. UBS is forecasting an 18
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks slide as Brown sides with Obama
22nd Jan 2010 14:43
Barely more than a dozen FTSE 100 constituents are showing rises as the market looks set to slide for the third day in succession, after dipping sharply following comments from Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman that appeared to lend support to President Obama's hard line stance against excessi
Read moreLondon midday: Banks and shops drag Footsie lower
22nd Jan 2010 12:15
Footsie has turned down sharply with retailers joining banks in the doldrums after some subdued sales data from December. Retail sales volumes rose by much less than expected in December, as price rises kept the UK consumer away from the shops over the Christmas period. Sales were up by 0.3% from
Read moreLondon open: Banks in early drop
22nd Jan 2010 08:11
Banking shares are dragging London's top stocks lower in early dealings on Friday, after President Obama revealed tough new measures to curb risk-taking among the big Wall Street banks. Obama proposed rules to limit bank mergers and consolidation, while also restricting involvement in hedge funds,
Read more