Capita makes bolt-on acquisition
15th Apr 2011 07:52
Outsourcing giant Capita has made a small bolt-on acquisition, snapping up a document consultancy and managed print services firm. Capita is paying £30m plus a deferred consideration of up to £10m for Document Solutions Holdings, a firm with a range of public and private sector clients. Clients i
Read moreLondon pre-open: Modest recovery expected
15th Apr 2011 06:52
Stocks are set to open modestly higher with City traders predicting the FTSE 100 index will start around 17 points higher at 5,980. Betting shops and casinos operator Ladbrokes says the potential marriage with online gaming firm 888 is off. The two parties had been engaged in preliminary merger dis
Read moreLondon close: Flat finish despite banks' advance
11th Apr 2011 16:54
The top share index was seeking direction all day Monday even as banks advanced following the publication of changes proposed for the sector by the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB). While Lloyds Banking had a grumble about the ICB's recommendation that it should have to sell more than 600 br
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks firmer after ICB report
11th Apr 2011 15:02
The banking sector is performing well today after a report from the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB). The ICB stopped short of recommending that banks that have investment banking arms should demerge those operations. Instead, it has recommended that banks' retail operations should be protec
Read moreLondon afternoon: Burberry eases after third quake
11th Apr 2011 14:15
The Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) has issued its interim report on changes proposed for the sector, and while Lloyds Banking has had a grumble about the ICB's recommendation that it should have to sell more than 600 branches, the market's reaction is that the report looks favourable for th
Read moreCapita buys Tribal divisions
11th Apr 2011 10:43
Outsourcing giant Capita has conditionally agreed to acquire public sector service provider Tribal's health and government divisions for £15.8m. Capita says the acquisition, which must be approved by Tribal's shareholders, will add new capabilities to its health and consulting businesses. "The gov
Read moreLondon close: Shares in late dive
31st Mar 2011 17:19
A late dive sent London's top share index firmly into the red ahead of the close having been flat all day ahead of Ireland's banking stress test. Ireland's central bank said the ailing economy's banks need €24bn (£21bn) to stay afloat. Gold miner Randgold Resources was the star performer in the m
Read moreLondon afternoon: Weak retailers offset strong miners
31st Mar 2011 14:41
Footsie is stuck in neutral, though the flat performance is largely down to strong demand for mining stocks. Gold miner Randgold Resrouces is the star performer in the mining sector after reporting a 55 increase in its attributable mineral resources and reserves for the year to December 2010. T
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie turns red
4th Mar 2011 15:19
A weak start on Wall Street has sent London to an intra-day low, with miners turning tail. US monthly non-farm payrolls were better than expected, but not by much. Investors don't look keen to open up any new positions ahead of the weekend. Mining heavyweights Rio Tinto, Anglo American and Kazakh
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Talis purchase boosts Capita
4th Mar 2011 13:27
Outsourcing firm Capita Group has acquired Talis Information, a provider of management software and managed services to the academic sector. Fellow outsourcing group Serco is also higher after Bank of America Merrill Lynch raised its recommendation from neutral to buy. Advertising giant WPP made
Read moreLondon midday: Shares move cautiously higher
4th Mar 2011 12:06
The top share index is moderately higher today following big gains yesterday. Traders will be looking ahead to US job figures due at 1.30pm London time. The US non-farm payroll numbers at lunchtime will get the day traders excited, but may also show that the US economy's recovery is at last startin
Read moreCapita broadens academic offering
4th Mar 2011 07:11
Outsourcing firm Capita Group has acquired Talis Information, a provider of management software and managed services to the academic sector. Capita is paying £18.5m upfront for Talis, with an additional £2.5m due, depending on Talis's performance in the year to 31 March. "The acquisition will add
Read moreLondon close: Shares in late dive as Mideast worries resurface
1st Mar 2011 16:43
The spectre of higher oil prices sent a chill down traders' spines late in the afternoon, sending shares plummeting into the red. The turmoil in the Arab World is behind the spike in crude, with a barrel for April delivery rallying towards $100 in New York. Worries over the possibility of protests
Read moreLondon afternoon: Hard going for Footsie
1st Mar 2011 14:53
It's proving a struggle in London with not long to go until the close, as Wall Street fails to inject much excitement and miners either see gains trimmed or disappear completely. Aerospace and vehicles engineer GKN has few friends. It bounced back into the black last year as all divisions bar aeros
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Capita rises on Zurich talks
1st Mar 2011 13:39
Capita is the best performer in the footsie after the outsourcer revealed that it is in talks with insurer Zurich about performing some administrative tasks. The talks cover the UK and as well as some of Zurich's European administrative operations. Mexican miner Fresnillo is investing $800m in it
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