London pre-open: Footsie closing in on 6,000
23rd Dec 2010 07:44
It's looking touch and go whether the Footsie index will open above 6,000 this morning with City traders suggesting the blue-chip index will open around 16 points higher, just 1 point short of the 6,000 level. Rio Tinto has increased its offer for Riversdale Mining to A$16 a share in cash, securing
Read moreCapita announces two bolt-on acquisitions
23rd Dec 2010 07:07
Outsourcing giant Capita Group has been waving its cheque book about, announcing two acquisitions two days before Christmas. The company has acquired BSI Holdings for £42.5m on a cash-free, debt-free basis. BSI is a hotel booking and meetings management agency with clients in both the public and
Read moreLondon close: Flat finish
16th Dec 2010 16:33
It was hard going for the leading index Thursday, with gains among some of the more unfashionable blue chip names just about cancelling losses at BP and heavyweight miners. The FTSE 100 struck a new 2½-year intraday high early in the session, but that was as good as it got, and only a sudden improv
Read moreLondon afternoon: No US lift for FTSE 100
16th Dec 2010 14:54
Footsie is still looking for direction following a mixed start on Wall Street. Oil giant BP is under pressure after news last night that the US government is to sue over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill It filed a civil lawsuit against BP and eight other companies over the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exp
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie off highs as BP declines
16th Dec 2010 12:05
Footsie remains below the 5,900 point mark having earlier surpassed that level to hit 2½-year highs, with BP still holding the leading share index back. The oil giant is under pressure after news last night that the US government is to sue BP over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill It filed a civil lawsu
Read moreLondon open: Sluggish spell continues
16th Dec 2010 08:31
Shares are in indecisive mode again this morning though company updates have sparked investor interest. News last night the US government is to sue BP over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has sent shares in the oil giant lower, though not drastically. It filed a civil lawsuit against BP and eight othe
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Betfair, Go-Ahead, Imagination Technologies...
15th Dec 2010 06:46
After racing to the front of the pack with its autumn flotation, Betfair was all but pulled up lame yesterday. The betting exchange's shares took a hammering as its first set of a results as a quoted company missed City forecasts. Broker concern about the decline in horse-racing revenues in the sec
Read moreCapita makes IT acquisition
14th Dec 2010 14:20
Outsourced services provider Capita is acquiring McKeown software, which provides financial accounting software to the NHS and local government agencies, for £23m. McKeown trades as iSoft Business Solutions. It made an operating profit of £3.2m in the year to June 30 on turnover of £17.7m. Capita
Read moreCapita boss takes more shares
6th Dec 2010 15:16
Paul Pindar, chairman of the provider of outsourced services to the government, Capita, has spent nearly £1m on shares in the group. He bought 150,000 shares at 640p a time and now has about 1.7m shares or 0.3% of the company, which operates the Criminal Records Bureau and collects the TV licence a
Read moreLondon close: Late blow for Footsie
30th Nov 2010 16:28
Blue chips climbed out of the red late afternoon as losses across the Atlantic narrowed, but a late sell-off took the leading index back into negative territory and a new two-month low. A better than expected read on US consumer confidence helped trim the deficit on Wall Street, although fears abou
Read moreLondon afternoon: Vedanta falls after yanking flotation
30th Nov 2010 15:02
Though the majority of its constituents are lower, the FTSE 100 index is little changed on the day. Financials remain unnerved by worries over the future of the eurozone but otherwise the picture remains mixed, as it has been for most of the day. In a mixed mining sector Vedanta heads lower after i
Read moreLondon midday: Shares hesitant as nervousness continues
30th Nov 2010 12:05
Shares are still seeking direction having given up their early lead amid nervousness over the European debt situation. The US could provide a lead. Investors are gearing up for a report on US consumer sentiment at 3pm UK time and the S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values, due out an hour earlie
Read moreLondon open: Modest early gains
30th Nov 2010 08:52
Footsie has recovered some of yesterday's losses in early dealings after Wall Street perked up near the end of the US trading day. Trading is subdued even so, with travelling disrupted by the weather and little company news about. Miners African Barrick and Rio Tinto are still in demand after yest
Read moreLondon pre-open: Shares to win back some losses
30th Nov 2010 07:34
Footsie is expected to recover some of yesterday's losses in early dealings. In company news, Birmingham City Council has extended and expanded its existing contract with outsourcing titan Capita in a deal worth about £300m to Capita. The original contract to provide ICT (information and communicat
Read moreBirmingham fattens up Capita contract
30th Nov 2010 07:04
Birmingham City Council has extended and expanded its existing contract with Capita in a deal worth about £300m to the outsourcing titan. The original contract to provide ICT (information and communication technology) and contact centre services has been extended by five years to March 2021. Addit
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