Tuesday preview: AB Foods, Carpetright
23rd Apr 2012 16:07
It is odd that for a company called Associated British Foods people who follow the stock seem to obsess about the group's clothes retailing operation Primark, but that has been where the growth has been in recent years. That may change with Tuesday's interim results, where the sugar side of the b
Read moreLondon midday: Essar, HSBC drag Footsie down 0.85pc
27th Feb 2012 12:04
- Essar, HSBC provide a drag in London. - G20 urges Europe to take action first - Vedanta among the few risers after consolidation plans. London's blue chip index sank to its lowest levels of the day by lunchtime, with banks and miners providing a drag, while Eurozone debt concerns continued to we
Read moreLondon close: Stocks finish lower on macro concerns
14th Feb 2012 16:24
-Banks, miners weigh on Footsie. -Markets digest sovereign downgrades from Moody's. -Investors await Eurogroup meeting tomorrow. UK stocks finished in the red on Tuesday as concerns over the state of the Eurozone continued to weigh on sentiment. Trade was volatile as mid-morning gains on the back o
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Mondi tops the charts
14th Feb 2012 14:08
Paper and packaging group Mondi raced into the top spot after saying underlying profit for the fourth quarter of 2011 is expected to be on a par with the corresponding quarter of 2010. Software group Misys was climbing amid reports that it has gained interest from various buyout groups. Speculato
Read moreLondon close: Footsie finishes up but gains pared after US data
31st Jan 2012 16:32
Early gains were trimmed by the end of trade on Tuesday after consumer confidence data in the US disappointed, sending US benchmarks into the red. The Footsie finished just 11 points higher at 5,682, well below the intraday high of 5,730 seen in the morning session. Meanwhile, Greek debt-swap talks
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Ocado delivers in 2011, shares jump
31st Jan 2012 15:27
Groceries delivery firm Ocado rose strongly after saying its sales growth in 2011 outdid others in the sector, while top-line growth in 2012 should accelerate once its sorts out its capacity constraints. The group reported today that gross sales, which include revenue plus value added tax and market
Read moreBroker tips: ARM, Afren, Heritage Oil...
31st Jan 2012 11:52
Nomura has maintained its neutral rating and 580p target price for chip designer ARM Holdings, but acknowledged that the group's fourth quarter results indicated a "strong beat". "ARM reported a very solid set of numbers this morning, beating the lowered market expectations. Revenues were particula
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks continue to climb after EU summit
31st Jan 2012 11:48
UK stocks had extending gains by lunchtime with results from ARM Holdings, British Sky Broadcasting and Vedanta Resources lifting the Footsie nearly 1% higher. Markets across Europe appear to have taken the agreements made by EU leaders yesterday well with the major benchmark indices rebounding from
Read moreBroker snap: Peel Hunt slashes forecasts for Carpetright
31st Jan 2012 10:45
Peel Hunt has maintained its hold rating and 400p target price on Carpetright but cut its forecasts following the carpet and flooring retailer's profit warning which sent the stock tumbling this morning. Carpetright has announced that full-year underlying pre-tax profit is expected to be below the
Read moreTuesday broker round-up - UPDATE
31st Jan 2012 09:32
ARM Holdings: Nomura keeps neutral rating and 580p target; Nomura maintains hold rating and 575p target; Peel Hunt keeps hold and 580p target. National Grid: Nomura reiterates buy rating and 700p target. British Sky Broadcasting: Nomura keeps buy recommendation and 1,000p target; Peel Hunt maintai
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise on EU fiscal compact
31st Jan 2012 08:19
UK stocks headed higher on Tuesday morning following last night's agreements made by European leaders at the EU summit. President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy revealed that the permanent rescue fund and 'fiscal compact' had been approved at the meeting in Brussels. "Today we have taken
Read moreCarpetright floored by profit warning
31st Jan 2012 07:26
Carpet and floor coverings retailer Carpetright has warned that full-year underlying pre-tax profit is expected to be below the lower end of forecasts "based on the current pace of sales and margin improvement". Group sales fell 3.8% in the 12 weeks ended January 21st (fiscal third quarter), more o
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie retreats ahead of early close
30th Dec 2011 11:38
London's top shares remained in the red in midday trading, with trading light on the ground ahead of Friday's earlier than usual lunchtime close. Oil giants BP and Royal Dutch Shell each fell 0.5% as crude oil prices eased. However BG Group broke the downward trend, rising 0.51% after it said one
Read moreLondon open: Subdued half day trading
30th Dec 2011 09:44
London's leading shares fell in light trading with financial and commodity plays under pressure in the year's final half-day trading session. Banks such as Barclays fell 0.9%, Royal Bank of Scotland lost 0.9% and Lloyds Banking Group dropped 0.8% in subdued pre New Year trading. Oil giants BP an
Read moreLondon close: Footsie hits nine-day high after economic data
22nd Dec 2011 16:25
The Footsie held on to gains by the close, helped by some helpful economic data at home and abroad. It seems as if the 'Santa rally' that many had put on their Christmas lists has finally started to bear fruit with London's blue chip index finished at the highest closing level since last Tuesday. B
Read more