Thursday Preview: Diageo, Rio Tinto, Smith & Nephew
10th Feb 2010 17:19
With the results from the major oil companies behind us, focus tomorrow will be on the producer of a different kind of 'black stuff', Guinness owner Diageo. Nomura is expecting the half-year report to be positive in tone, with the drinks brands giant, which also owns a wide range of spirits, guidin
Read moreBroker tips: Retailers, tobaccos, drinks
6th Jan 2010 11:48
The market turned its back on Marks & Spencer on Wednesday after the clothes and food retailer’s trading update, but Hargreaves Lansdown sees reasons to be cheerful. ‘Quarterly sales have improved for the first time in over two years, whilst the online division posted sales which rose impressively
Read moreBroker snap: Nomura has a taste for spirits
6th Jan 2010 10:52
In a spirited note on the European liquor industry, Nomura has raised its target price on Diageo to 1,300p from 1,150p. Nomura has a 'neutral' rating on the drinks sector, but prefers spirits over beer on valuation grounds. 'Beer stocks outperformed spirits stocks in 2009 by a significant margin,
Read moreBeard increases Huntsworth stake
30th Dec 2009 14:32
Non-executive director Eugene Beard has added to his holding in marketing communications firm Huntsworth Group. He invested £31,200 in 50,000 Huntsworth shares. This takes his stake to 625,000 shares. Beard invested nearly £24,000 in June, when he added 61,376 shares to his shareholding. Beard is
Read moreFairpoint chairman raises interest
23rd Dec 2009 15:49
Fairpoint non-executive chairman Matthew Peacock has added to his interest in the debt management business formerly known as Debt Free Direct. Peacock is a partner in Hanover Investors Management and Hanover Investors Management (Cayman) has acquired 181,720 shares at 55p a share. This takes the t
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Financials push market higher
16th Dec 2009 15:54
Financials and miners have been pushing the FTSE 100 index higher, while investors appear to be deserting the good old solid companies and looking for riskier investments with more potential upside. Rentokil Initial led the way as Deutsche Bank increased its price target for the support services
Read moreGalliford Try chief exec builds up stake
11th Dec 2009 16:37
Greg Fitzgerald, chief executive of Galliford Try, has lifted his stake in the construction group. He took 13,490 shares at 296.5p a time, paying a total of about £40,000, and now has 585,008. Shares in the company have jumped by about 40% in the past year. Last week it announced its acquisitio
Read moreBroker tips: BT, Diageo, Segro
10th Dec 2009 11:52
Morgan Stanley has maintained its 'overweight' stance on BT and increased its price target to 190p from 175p previously. The broker says its rating is based on a clear path to £1.7bn Free Cash Flow To Equity (FCFE) before net pension top-ups by the 2012 full-year. "This is necessarily a "show me"
Read moreBroker snap: Diageo is second best at JPM
10th Dec 2009 11:24
JP Morgan has upped its price target on Diageo, but still prefers rival Pernod Ricard, which it thinks is better positioned in growth markets. The broker kept its 'neutral' rating on the UK spirits and Guinness group and lifted its target to 990p from 933p, but the French firm goes up to 'overweigh
Read moreLondon close: Footsie gleams on commodity strength
4th Nov 2009 16:18
A rush into miners, triple-digit rally on Wall Street and welcome numbers from two of Britain's largest retailers catapulted London higher Wednesday. Fresnillo took the blue chip risers' crown, up sharply as renewed dollar weakness benefited commodity prices. Kazakhmys, Xstrata and Rio Tinto also
Read moreLondon afternoon: Gains extended
4th Nov 2009 14:19
Expectations of a firmer start on Wall Street encouraged UK blue-chip prices to kick on over the lunch-time session, with miners and stores still leading the way, In the head to head battle between M&S and Next, shares in the latter are performing slightly better after the fashion chain upped its g
Read moreLondon midday: London enjoys retail therapy
4th Nov 2009 12:05
Retail news dominated the morning trading session with well received results from two major retailers plus a cautiously upbeat trading update from shopping centre owner Liberty. High street giant Marks & Spencer produced interim results right at the top of expectations, with underlying profits risi
Read moreLondon open: Retailers brighten the mood
4th Nov 2009 08:51
Good news from two major retailers has boosted sentiment with a late rally on Wall Street also helping the mood. High street giant Marks & Spencer produced interim results right at the top of expectations, with underlying profits rising slightly as food sales improved for a fourth quarter in a row
Read moreDiageo in bond issue
4th Nov 2009 07:22
Guinness owner Diageo is tapping the bond market to raise half a billion dollars. The company’s subsidiary, Diageo Finance BV, issued a $500m fixed rate dollar denominated bond, due to be redeemed on 15 January 2015. The company, whose brands include Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker whisky, said
Read moreLondon pre-open: Marks sparks rally
4th Nov 2009 06:57
The firmer trend of yesterday afternoon is expected to continue at the outset today, with good news from two major retailers also boosting sentiment. Traders expect the FTSE 100 to open some 33 points higher at 5,070. High street giant Marks & Spencer produced interim results right at the top of
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