London close: US and Eurozone uncertainty keeps stocks flat
4th Dec 2012 16:50
- Democrats, Republicans wrangle over 'fiscal cliff' - Europe talks about bank supervisor - Defensives gain, resources fall The FTSE 100 swung between gains and losses for most of Tuesday's session to finish the day broadly flat as ongoing concerns about the US budget and developments in the Euroz
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Shire leads defensive stocks higher
4th Dec 2012 15:34
Shire was leading the defensive stocks after investors exercised caution as budget uncertainty in the US continues to weigh on sentiment. British Gas owner Centrica rose after partner EDF Energy announced that it has extended the life of two UK power stations by seven years. Tesco was on investo
Read moreLondon midday: Tullow drops as Footsie edges higher
4th Dec 2012 11:38
UK stocks were making small gains by Tuesday lunchtime on the back of developments in the Eurozone, though the mood was cautious as budget uncertainty in the US continues to weigh on sentiment. The Ecofin is meeting today to agree to proposals on bank supervision and take stock of negotiations with
Read moreLondon open: Stocks flat on US budget uncertainty
4th Dec 2012 08:32
UK stock markets opened tentatively on Tuesday morning with concerns over the US economy back in the spotlight following yesterday's disappointing manufacturing data and increasing worries about the 'fiscal cliff'. The FTSE 100 finished broadly flat yesterday after the US Institute for Supply Manag
Read moreEDF Energy extends life of two UK power plants to 2023
4th Dec 2012 07:45
British Gas owner Centrica has welcomed the announcement by French power giant EDF Energy to extend the life of two UK power stations by seven years. Hinkley Point B power station in Somerset and Hunterston B in North Ayrshire will continue to generate until 2023, instead of 2016, EDF announced on
Read moreMonday broker round-up UPDATE
3rd Dec 2012 07:16
ARM Holdings: Exane BNP Paribas upgrades from neutral to buy. Ashtead Group: Bank of America starts with a target price of 460p and a buy recommendation. AstraZaneca: Berenberg raises target price from 3080p to 3100p; hold recommendation kept. Balfour Beatty: Investec reduces target price from 21
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Gaza, BP, Banks
18th Nov 2012 20:34
President Obama has increased the pressure on Israel and Hamas to agree a truce before a ground war breaks out in Gaza and pushes any prospect of peace "way off in the future". Talks brokered by Egypt were continuing through the fifth day of violence, and Palestinian sources have claimed that a deal
Read moreFriday broker round-up -UPDATE
16th Nov 2012 07:22
Anglo American: Deutsche Bank cuts target price from 2600p to 2520p and reiterates a buy rating. Atkins: JP Morgan Cazenove reduces target price from 862p to 859p, overweight rating maintained. Bodycote: Investec raises target price from 400p to 410p, buy recommendation remains unchanged. Brammer
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks slump on global economic concerns
15th Nov 2012 11:49
US budget talks, Eurozone debt concerns and violence in the Middle East combined to pressure stocks lower on Thursday, pushing the Footsie to levels not seen since early September. The FTSE 100 hit an intraday low of 5,687 early on, before recovering to around the 5,700 mark by lunchtime. The last
Read moreLondon open: Footsie drops to 10-week low on US and Eurozone fears
15th Nov 2012 08:50
The FTSE 100 sunk to a 10-week low in intraday trade on Thursday morning as worries about the US budget and uncertainty in the Eurozone continues to dampen stocks. The last time the Footsie closed lower was on September 5th when it finished at 5,658. Market chatter still abounds on the danger of t
Read moreLondon pre-open: FTSE set to track US stocks lower, again
15th Nov 2012 07:27
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open down 40 points from yesterday's close of 5,722, tracking losses in the US overnight. The Dow Jones tumbled 185 points as disappointing economic data, worries about the impending 'fiscal cliff' and the prospect of heightened tensions in the Middle East al
Read moreCentrica's customers hit the gas
15th Nov 2012 07:02
Centrica, the utilities company which trades under the British Gas and Scottish Gas name, is on track to achieve earnings growth in line with expectations, provided the weather and commodity prices play ball. Average UK residential gas consumption for the first ten months of 2012 was 9% higher than
Read moreLondon close: Footsie drops over one per cent after Rehn comments
14th Nov 2012 16:32
- Olli Rehn says Spain has taken 'effective action' - UK data mixed; BoE cuts growth forecast - Mining and oil stocks sold off The Footsie lost nearly one per cent on Wednesday as risk appetite waned after comments from Olli Rehn on Spain and concerns about the global economy brought out the bears.
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: AMEC rises to top spot as Evraz dives
14th Nov 2012 16:05
Engineering consultancy AMEC gained after saying it was trading in line with expectations despite ongoing economic uncertainty. The firm said mining activity was slowing, but conventional oil and gas activity remained strong, particularly in the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Shares in Centrica ros
Read moreLondon close: Stocks stage late rally but sentiment still fragile
13th Nov 2012 16:57
- Greece granted two more years to meet target - German sentiment worsens in November - ITV soars nine per cent after third-quarter figures A positive start on Wall Street prompted a rally for equity markets this side of the Atlantic on Tuesday afternoon, as investors temporarily shrugged off conce
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