United Utilities extends upgrade contract
6th Jul 2009 07:38
Utility company United Utilities has extended the AMP4 framework contract with a joint-venture comprising Costain, Atkins and Galliford Try to cover the next upgrade phase for the water industry. The extension for the AMP5 framework will run from 2010 to 2015 and consists of £400m of capital works
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Costain, Diageo, Menzies
26th Jun 2009 06:44
Costain shares are pricey and each time the contractor puts out one of its impressive updates, the share price increases by a little less than last time. The truth is that everyone expects Costain to keep churning out the good results and the stock has become stymied. The Independent, though, argue
Read moreLondon close: Late rally not enough
25th Jun 2009 17:01
A late rally by UK equities was not enough to prevent the blue-chip index closing in negative territory, largely as a result of weak miners, which were weighted down by softer metals prices. Lonmin, Vedanta, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton were all stuck in the red. Elsewhere in the sector, Anglo Americ
Read moreLondon afternoon: Banks and miners retreat
25th Jun 2009 14:27
Leading equities drift lower in the afternoon session, led by banks and miners. Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered eases back, despite enjoying record income and operating profit in the first five months of this year. Some of this success has been offset by weakness in consumer banking, however,
Read moreLondon midday: Prices drift lower
25th Jun 2009 12:13
Shares continue to drift lower despite expectations of a firm start on Wall Street. Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered eases back, despite enjoying record income and operating profit in the first five months of this year. Some of this success has been offset by weakness in consumer banking, howe
Read moreSector movers: Construction stocks move ahead
25th Jun 2009 11:13
Support services group Northern Bear is one of the companies leading the construction and materials sector higher, but with three other companies reporting, the sector is mixed. Northern Bear, up 11%, posted a rise in profits despite tough trading, helped by its exposure to specialist businesses su
Read moreLondon open: Miners drop early on
25th Jun 2009 08:10
London's top stocks are lower in early dealings Thursday following a weak finish in the US last night, with miners among the main fallers. Lonmin, Antofagasta and Eurasian Natural Resources are all stuck in the red. Elsewhere in the sector, the Times is reporting that Xstrata has stepped up its cam
Read moreLondon pre-open: Early dip on the cards
25th Jun 2009 07:40
A weak finish in the US last night will send London around 10 points lower in early deals, according to futures prices. BP has appointed Carl-Henric Svanberg, currently chief executive officer of Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson, to replace Peter Sutherland as chairman. Svanberg, who is
Read moreCostain order book picks up
25th Jun 2009 07:03
Engineering and construction group Costain said trading has continued in line with expectations, helped by some large contracts with blue chip and public sector customers. It said its forward order book stands at a record £2.4bn, up by 20% compared with 30 June last year, including £900m of work se
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