London pre-open: FTSE to slump at opening bell
14th Jan 2014 07:02
- Drop of 37 points expected early on - S&P 500 registers worst performance in two months - Focus on UK inflation City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open 37 points below yesterday's close of 6,757.15, tracking declines seen in the US overnight, which saw the S&P 500 register its poorest perform
Read moreCountrywide sees annual results at top end of hopes
14th Jan 2014 06:48
Estate agent chain Countrywide forecast annual results at the top end of hopes after boosting income by 25 per cent in the last three months of 2013. Countrywide, which runs brands such as Bairstow Eves, Bridgfords and Hamptons, said total income in the three months to December 31st lifted a quarte
Read moreLondon close: Markets close higher in shortened session, Debenhams sinks
31st Dec 2013 12:48
- Real estate, housing stocks buoy markets - Debenhams drops after gloomy Christmas update - FTSE 100 up 14.4 per cent in 2013 - US data in focus later on techMARK 2,781.28 -0.02% FTSE 100 6,749.09 +0.26% FTSE 250 15,935.35 +0.22% Stocks finished moderately higher in a shortened session on Tuesday
Read moreLondon midday: Markets hold on to gains but Debenhams drops
31st Dec 2013 11:36
- Real estate, housing stocks buoy markets - Debenhams drops after gloomy Christmas update - US data in focus later on techMARK 2,781.38 -0.02% FTSE 100 6,750.03 +0.28% FTSE 250 15,900.19 -0.00% The FTSE 100 held on to gains on Tuesday morning despite a trading update from Debenhams dampening sent
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: SSE, Company flotations, Yellen
14th Nov 2013 07:22
Energy giant SSE has piled more pressure on UK ministers to rethink their policy on "green taxes" by vowing to scale back its planned price hike if the controversial levies were overhauled. The pledge came as the Perth-based group, which trades as Scottish Hydro north of the Border, said its retail
Read moreCountrywide's Chairman steps down for 'personal reasons'
8th Nov 2013 09:07
Countrywide Chairman Bob Davies is stepping down from his role for "personal reasons", the property group announced on Friday. David Watson, independent Non-Executive Director of the company and Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee, will act as interim Chairman with immediate effect. Davies le
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
31st Oct 2013 08:52
African Barrick Gold: Deutsche Bank ups target price from 145p to 190p and retains its hold recommendation. HSBC takes target price from 170p to 200p keeping a neutral rating. JP Morgan raises target price from 140p to 180p and reiterates a neutral rating. Balfour Beatty: Berenberg increases target
Read moreCountrywide profit expectations head higher
31st Oct 2013 07:52
Countrywide underlined that it was set to benefit from the Government's measures to kick start the housing market as it reported a 12 per cent rise in third quarter income. The FTSE 250 estate agency said the continuation of recent trends in the housing market as well as the implementation of the
Read moreMore property firm IPOs are expected in 2014
2nd Oct 2013 14:50
The number of initial public offerings (IPOs) by European property firms will hit a post-financial crisis high this year, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) wrote on Wednesday. It comes as European companies begin to emulate their American rivals by turning to capital markets for funding. A stock marke
Read moreBroker tips: UK banks, Housebuilders, Countrywide
30th Sep 2013 12:00
Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML) said that the top-line recovery across the European banking sector should be the most striking in the UK, helped by the ongoing improvement in the macro-economic picture. "Helping explain the preference for the UK banks is the economy recovery underway currently
Read moreBroker snap: Countrywide a 'key beneficiary' of housing recovery, says Credit Suisse
30th Sep 2013 10:49
Credit Suisse has reiterated its 'outperform' rating for housebuilder Countrywide, saying that an earlier-than-expected start to 'Help to Buy' should give the company a boost. The government has announced this weekend that it will launch the second phase of the 'Help to Buy' scheme next week, two m
Read moreLondon close: Stocks sink to three-week low on policy uncertainty
27th Sep 2013 16:32
A cautious start turned into a market-wide sell-off by the close of trade on Friday as nervous investors booked profits ahead of the weekend. The UK's benchmark FTSE 100 index finished 52.93 points lower at 6,512.66, its worst closing level in three weeks. The last time it closed lower was on Septe
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
26th Sep 2013 08:22
African Barrick Gold: Deutsche Bank ups target price from 137p to 145p and maintains a hold recommendation. African Minerals: Macquarie reduces target price from 307p to 280p and reiterates an outperform rating. Deutsche Bank cuts target price from 450p to 423p, while its buy recommendation is kept
Read moreCountrywide acquires property consultancy
26th Sep 2013 07:54
Britiain's biggest estate agent Countrywide said it was buying commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) for 34.1m pounds. LSH, a 241 year business, was bought in a management buyout from WS Atkins in 2007 which left it saddled with debt and resulted in it struggling to meet it de
Read moreZoopla said to be eyeing a London listing
9th Sep 2013 18:26
Zoopla is said to be considering a stock-market flotation that could value the online property website at up to 1.3bn pounds, the latest in a string of recent listings by property firms looking to take advantage of the current 'boom' in the UK housing market. Government stimulus measures such as th
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