London open: Stocks rise ahead of ECB decision

3rd May 2012 08:34

- Mixed reception to barrage of blue-chip corporate updates - ECB expected to maintains rates - Kesa in demand after Darty development The FTSE 100 rose strongly on Thursday morning, rebounding after a sharp fall the day before, with investors looking ahead to an interest rate decision from the Eur

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Diageo serves up full measure

3rd May 2012 07:29

Alcoholic drinks maker Diageo's top line growth in the third quarter of its fiscal year was a shade ahead of some expectations, despite Europe proving something of a wet blanket. The group, which owns brands familiar to tipplers worldwide, such as Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Guinne

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Thursday preview: Smith and Nephew, Diageo, BG Group

2nd May 2012 16:18

The heads of day-traders could be in danger of exploding on Thursday morning as a welter of big names are set to update the market. First quarter results from medical devices maker Smith & Nephew are expected to be weak, largely because the company has said they would be. "We do not expect any sig

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Wednesday broker round-up - UPDATE

4th Apr 2012 08:16

BSkyB: Jefferies maintains hold recommendation and 700p target. BTG: Jefferies raises target from 345p to 410p, buy recommendation kept. Diageo: Nomura reiterates neutral rating and 1,520p target. International Power: Investec maintains buy recommendation. ITE Group: Investec keeps buy rating.

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London close: Stocks soar after ISM data

2nd Apr 2012 16:49

- Chinese, UK, US PMIs beat expectations in March - Eurozone PMI disappoints, jobless rate on the up - Pearson leads the rise on the Footsie, miners also in demand After initially paring gains early on, the Footsie surged in afternoon trade on Monday after some better-than-expected manufacturing d

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Sector movers: Diageo rises on Jose Cuervo speculation

2nd Apr 2012 15:10

Drinks giants Diageo and SABMiller were making decent gains on Monday afternoon, meaning that the beverages sector was at the top of the pile. Diageo is rumoured to be nearing the acquisition of a further stake in Mexican tequila maker Jose Cuervo. According to media reports, Diageo could be buying

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Monday newspaper round-up: RBS, LTROs, Indian tax law...

2nd Apr 2012 06:58

"RBS is working on plans to 'turn the tap back on' for a 350m-400m pounds dividend payment to preference shareholders as the bank addresses a clutch of hurdles in its quest to privatise the Government's 82 per cent stake. 'Paying a dividend is good market behaviour and is an important signal to debt

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Sunday newspaper round-up: Falklands, Spain, Horizon

1st Apr 2012 16:00

A group of British and American banks have been threatened with legal action by the Argentine government for advising and writing research reports about companies involved in the Falkland Islands' £1.6bn oil industry. Argentina has warned those banks - understood to include the Royal Bank of Scotlan

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Diageo gains approval for shares in Sichuan Chengdu

20th Mar 2012 16:00

Diageo, the FTSE 100 beverage firm, has gained regulatory approval to launch a mandatory tender offer for the outstanding shares in Sichuan Chengdu Quanxing Group from Chengdu Yingsheng Investment Holding. The acquisition of an additional 4% stake takes the firm's total current holding to 53%. T

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Friday broker round-up - UPDATE

16th Mar 2012 10:27

4imprint: Peel Hunt keeps buy rating and 345p target. Aegis: Nomura reiterates buy rating and 210p target; HB Markets upgrades from sell to hold. Antofagasta: Jefferies keeps hold and 1,214p target. Bunzl: Goldman Sachs downgrades from neutral to sell, target lifted from 940p to 988p. Diageo: Je

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London close: Bernanke comments fuel late sell-off

29th Feb 2012 16:27

- Stocks tumble on Bernanke comments. - Higher-than-expected LTRO take-up. - ITV surges on 'exceptional turnaround'. After trading within a narrow 20-point range for the majority of the day, the FTSE 100 plummeted late on as US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave some gloomy comments the e

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London midday: Stocks settle after ECB refinancing

29th Feb 2012 11:38

- Higher-than-expected LTRO take-up. - ITV surges on 'exceptional turnaround'. - Ludowici issues overshadow impressive 2011 for Weir. The initial celebration of the results of the European Central Bank's (ECB's) refinancing operation quickly faded in late morning trade, with the Footsie broadly fl

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London open: Stocks flat ahead of ECB refinancing operation

29th Feb 2012 08:31

- Investors await ECB's LTRO. - ITV jumps 7% after strong 2011. - Ludowici issues overshadow impressive 2011 for Weir. The Footsie lacked direction in the opening hour on Wednesday as investors hold out for the result of the European Central Bank's (ECB's) second longer term refinancing operation,

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Diageo's Menezes gets plum COO role

29th Feb 2012 07:20

The owner of Guinness and Baileys, Diageo, has announced the appointment of Ivan Menezes as Chief Operating Officer. Menezes is currently in charge of the American, Caribbean and Asia Pacific divisions. He will add Europe and Africa to his responsibilities and report directly the group's Chief Exe

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Diageo CEO offloads 90,000 shares

14th Feb 2012 16:15

Paul Walsh, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Diageo, the FTSE 100 beverage giant, has sold off a bumper-load of shares in the firm. Walsh, who disposed of 90,000 shares at 1,500.00p each, made the transaction on February 13th, just a few days after the company reported an 8% rise in net sales

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