London open: Stocks flat as investors digest corporate earnings
31st Jul 2014 09:15
- Lloyds falls despite H1 profit beat - Shell, BG, BT and Diageo rise after results - Weir and Rolls-Royce disappoint - US data and Fed in focus techMARK 2,771.22 -0.29% FTSE 100 6,777.11 +0.05% FTSE 250 15,521.52 -0.69% Another wave of corporate earnings was keeping investors busy on Thursday mor
Read moreDiageo in line as China weakness offsets buoyant US spirits
31st Jul 2014 07:51
- Net sales up 0.8% in Q4, up 0.4% for FY - EPS down 7.4% with large FX hit - China and emerging markets remain weak An improvement in net sales in the fourth quarter helped drinks giant Diageo to limit the bottom-line decline for the full year, as weakness in China and foreign exchange rates unde
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Home Retail, strong pound, Lloyds Banking Group
27th Jul 2014 18:00
Home Retail Group is considering a sale of its £1.5bn Homebase DIY chain, the Mail on Sunday said. Home Retail wants to concentrate on its core Argos business under new group Chief Executive John Walden, who turned around Argos in the previous two years. Stronger sales and profitability at Homebase
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: ITV jumps as Liberty Global buys stake
17th Jul 2014 15:14
Shares in broadcaster ITV were up nearly 7% on Thursday afternoon after Liberty Global spent £481m buying a 6.4% stake in the group from BSkyB, sparking speculation that the US company could return with a bid for the whole company. While Liberty has said that the deal was "an opportunistic and attra
Read moreLondon midday: UK stocks sink as West imposes new sanctions on Russia
17th Jul 2014 12:10
- US imposes harsher sanctions on Russia, EU to follow suit - Sanctions to have "devastating consequeunces", says VTB boss - ITV shares surge on M&A hopes techMARK 2,791.26 -0.58% FTSE 100 6,739.98 -0.66% FTSE 250 15,516.69 -0.54% UK stocks pulled back sharply on Thursday morning as increased ten
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
17th Jul 2014 11:07
Antofagasta: Canaccord Genuity cuts target price from 870p to 835p and maintains a hold recommendation. African Minerals: Canaccord Genuity reduces target price from 230p to 170p and keeps a buy recommendation. Ashmore Group: Goldman Sachs downgrades to neutral with a target price of 430p. Barcla
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
16th Jul 2014 09:00
Alent: Liberum Capital initiates with a target price of 400p and a buy recommendation. APR Energy: Citi reduces target price from 1350p to 650p and downgrades to neutral. ARM Holdings: FinnCap upgrades from hold to buy with a target price of 1000p. Ashmore Group: Numis ups target price from 350p
Read moreDiageo takes majority of United Spirits at higher price than planned
2nd Jul 2014 11:48
Drinks giant Diageo has confirmed the purchase of a further 26% of United Spirits (USL) for £1.12bn, taking its share of India's largest liquor group to 54.78%. In 2012 Diageo said it planned to take a 53.4% stake in USL for £1.285bn, but the eventual price was 44% higher at £1.844bn after the FTS
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Chinese PMI drives mining sector higher
1st Jul 2014 16:35
A decent set of manufacturing figures from China helped drive the mining sector higher as investors turned bullish on the outlook for demand. The National Bureau of Statistics said that the official Chinese manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) edged higher from 50.8 in May to 51.0 last mo
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks rise as global manufacturing improves
1st Jul 2014 12:06
- China, UK manufacturing PMIs show improvement - Eurozone manufacturing PMI at seven-month low - Mining stocks rise strongly - St. Modwen impresses, Ocado disappoints techMARK 2,825.76 +0.30% FTSE 100 6,780.32 +0.54% FTSE 250 15,798.59 +0.48% Improving manufacturing activity in the UK and China g
Read moreLondon open: Upbeat China data gives markets a boost
1st Jul 2014 08:18
- Chinese manufacturing at six-month high - Global manufacturing PMIs in focus - Ukraine ends ceasefire with rebels techMARK 2,821.23 +0.13% FTSE 100 6,773.37 +0.44% FTSE 250 15,734.94 +0.07% UK equity markets rose strongly on Tuesday morning as upbeat manufacturing data from China gave the heavyw
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: easyJet hit by Bank of America target cut
30th Jun 2014 16:34
easyJet was a big faller after Bank of America cut its price target and lowered its outlook for the airline, blaming its decision on higher fuel costs and profit warnings amongst other stocks in the sector. Its peer, IAG was also flying lower, while Sports Direct was hot on its heels as investors
Read moreSector movers: Diageo-SAB tie-up rumours lift beverages
30th Jun 2014 15:08
A potential tie-up of the beverages sector's two-largest constituents gave the category a boost on Monday, on an otherwise subdued session in London with the wider market in search of direction. Shares in Diageo and SABMiller were on the rise today, up 1.8% and 0.2% respectively, after it was rumou
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks lack direction as investors digest data
30th Jun 2014 12:13
- UK mortgage approvals fall to 11-month low - Eurozone inflation remains subdued at 0.5% - Chicago PMI, US pending home sales ahead - Diageo rises on SABMiller merger reports techMARK 2,819.43 +0.06% FTSE 100 6,750.89 -0.10% FTSE 250 15,719.66 +0.24% London stocks had erased gains by Monday lunch
Read moreLondon open: Shire leads FTSE higher as investors eye Iraq
20th Jun 2014 08:43
- Shire jumps after £27bn AbbVie approach - Mining stocks rise - Obama sends 300 military advisers to Iraq techMARK 2,851.07 +1.31% FTSE 100 6,827.84 +0.29% FTSE 250 15,745.93 +0.40% A strong performance from mining stocks and more M&A activity in the pharmaceutical sector gave UK markets a boost
Read more