Sector movers: Centrica powers utilities gains
15th Mar 2010 14:42
Centrica is fuelling gains in the utilities sector. Expectations of strong growth in the UK and the US have prompted Nomura to raise its rating on the British Gas owner to 370p from 340p. The broker, which has a 'buy' rating on the stock, notes that Centrica is already the largest energy provider
Read moreBroker tips: Centrica, Standard Life, Aveva
15th Mar 2010 13:04
Expectations of strong growth in the UK and the US have prompted Nomura to raise its rating on British Gas owner Centrica to 370p from 340p. The broker notes that Centrica is already the largest energy provider in the UK with 16m accounts and is adding customers due to its competitive prices and an
Read moreBroker snap: UK and US to fuel Centrica growth
15th Mar 2010 10:24
Expectations of strong growth in the UK and the US have prompted Nomura to raise its rating on British Gas owner Centrica to 370p from 340p. The broker notes that Centrica is already the largest energy provider in the UK with 16m accounts and is adding customers due to its competitive prices and an
Read moreChairman's wife buys Redrow shares
2nd Mar 2010 16:33
Redrow chairman Steve Morgan's wife has bought 100,000 shares in the housebuilder taking their combined stake to 29.95%. Fiona Morgan paid 131.5p a share for the 100,000 shares. The total cost was £131,500. Morgan founded Redrow in 1974 and floated the company 20 years later. He also owns Wolver
Read moreLondon close: Overseas concerns sink Footsie
25th Feb 2010 16:28
Blue chips closed sharply lower as fears about Greece resurfaced and US dole claimant figures were worse than expected. On a busy day for big company results RBS hogged the headlines. The part-nationalised bank saw its net attributable loss narrow markedly in 2009 with fourth quarter impairments 5%
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie heads south
25th Feb 2010 14:23
The Footsie sank below last night's closing level over the lunch time session, weighed down by weak miners. On a busy day for big company results RBS continues to hog the headlines. Though off the top, the share price is still sharply higher after the part-nationalised bank saw its net attributable
Read moreBroker tips: RSA, Centrica, Hays
25th Feb 2010 13:40
RSA beat Panmure Gordon's forecast for profit at both the operating and pre-tax level and impressed the broker with a 7% hike in the final dividend. The insurer said operating profit fell 10% to £777m and pre-tax income dived 27% to £554m, but Panmure expected worse and likes 5% growth in UK motor
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie flatlines
25th Feb 2010 11:45
London's top stocks have retreated from the gains sparked by Royal Bank of Scotland's numbers. RBS shares are up by more than 6% after the part-nationalised bank saw its net attributable loss narrow markedly in 2009 with fourth quarter impairments 5% lower than the third quarter. Net attributabl
Read moreBroker snap: Centrica among Ambrian's favourites
25th Feb 2010 11:33
Investors have warmed to British Gas-owner Centrica following a good set of full-year results and indications that 2010 has started well. An 18% fall in pre-tax profits to £1.64bn reflected a change in the operating profit mix, with a shift from upstream to downstream, while the lower tax rate on d
Read moreLondon open: Miners offset RBS rally
25th Feb 2010 08:12
London's top stocks opened lower despite a set of despite figures from RBS suggesting there is light at the end of the tunnel for the bank. The drop comes even though Royal Bank of Scotland's shares jumped by more than 6% after the open. The part-nationalised bank saw its net attributable loss na
Read moreLondon pre-open: Stocks set to slide
25th Feb 2010 07:43
London is set to open lower despite a set of figures from RBS which suggested there is light at the end of the tunnel for the bank. City traders expect the blue-chip index to open around 26 points lower at 5,316. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) saw its net attributable loss narrow markedly in 2009 to
Read moreCentrica breaks through billion pound profit barrier
25th Feb 2010 07:01
British Gas owner Centrica bounced back through the billion pound profit barrier and announced a 5% dividend rise. Profit on a continuing basis was up 15% to £1.104bn in the year ended 31 December (2008: £964m). The increase resulted primarily from a lower tax charge of £531m (2008: £1.026bn). Reve
Read moreThursday preview: RBS, BATS, Capita
24th Feb 2010 16:23
It seems like the London stock market has been treading water all week waiting for results from the part-nationalised banks Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking. RBS is first out of the traps on Thursday and although investment analysts' opinions vary wildly on the likely scale of the c
Read moreBroker tips: Income stocks, AB Foods, Reed Elsevier
22nd Feb 2010 13:11
Barclays Capital is advising its clients to buy 'high quality dividend stocks' as dividend yields trade close to historical highs relative to bond yields. Barclays Capital (BarCap) has identified 20 European high quality dividend stocks, a list that includes UK stocks Cable & Wireless, RSA, BP, Ast
Read moreBroker snap: Divi stocks back in vogue
22nd Feb 2010 13:06
Barclays Capital is advising its clients to buy 'high quality dividend stocks' as dividend yields trade close to historical highs relative to bond yields. 'After the 60% rally since March 2009 led by financials and cyclicals, we have seen a reversal in style in the market over the last four weeks.
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