FTSE 100 movers: AMEC leads fallers
27th Aug 2009 16:02
Engineer and project manager AMEC is on the slide. It reported a slight fall in pre-tax profits due to one-off items but said trading remained robust in a tough trading environment. In the six months to June 30, pre-tax profits fell 4% to £88.4m, as revenues edged up slightly to £1.260bn from £1.255
Read moreLondon afternoon: Back in the blue
27th Aug 2009 14:27
The London stock market continues its see-saw day, moving back into positive territory over the lunch-time session. Some encouragement was drawn from the CBI's distributive trades survey which found that the balance of retailers expecting a deterioration in their general business situation over the
Read moreSector movers: Drinks firms lack fizz
27th Aug 2009 12:35
The beverages sector is helping to pour cold water on the recent market rally after spirits giant Diageo cut its growth targets. The group, which owns the Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Guinness brands, said pre-tax profit fell £78m to £2.015bn in the year ended 30 June on underlying sales little cha
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie sinks into the red
27th Aug 2009 12:08
Having enjoyed a brief sojourn above the 4900 level Footsie is now in negative territory, weighed down by poor performing financial stocks. Banks, insurers and properties are all being given the cold shoulder though Royal Bank of Scotland is an exception after Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted its pri
Read moreLondon open: Diageo a sour note
27th Aug 2009 08:48
The FTSE 100 has limped into positive territory in early trading despite a disappointing set of results from drinks giant and index constituent Diageo. A 4% drop in full-year profit at Diageo was pretty much in line with expectations, but the alcoholic drinks giant has cut current year growth targ
Read moreLondon pre-open: Flat started expected
27th Aug 2009 07:50
Footsie is predicted to open little changed following a choppy session on Wall Street overnight. A 4% drop in full-year profit at Diageo was pretty much in line with expectations, but the alcoholic drinks giant has cut current year growth targets. The group, responsible for the Smirnoff, Captain M
Read moreDiageo profits 'in line', target lowered
27th Aug 2009 07:07
A 4% drop in full-year profit at Diageo was pretty much in line with expectations, but the alcoholic drinks giant has cut current year growth targets. The group, which owns the Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Guinness brands, said pre-tax profit fell £78m to £2.015bn in the year ended 30 June on under
Read moreThursday preview: Diageo, Hikma, IMI
26th Aug 2009 14:48
Alcoholic drinks group Diageo's trading update is expected to report an improvement in full-year pre-tax profits on Thursday, with the market consensus hovering around £2.bn, compared to £2.09bn last year. This is despite an anticipated decline in revenue to around £9.25bn from £10.64bn in the year
Read moreLondon close: Fed optimism bolsters Footsie gains
21st Aug 2009 16:31
Footsie finished with strong gains going into the weekend after US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said prospects for a return to global growth look good. 'After contracting sharply over the past year, economic activity appears to be levelling out, both in the United States and abroad, and th
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie bursts through 4800
21st Aug 2009 14:15
Trading remains very thin in London but that has not stopped the Footsie from moving above the 4,800 level for the first time since October of last year. Insurance companies, with their huge investment portfolios, are naturally big beneficiaries of the continued market revival and they lead today
Read moreWeek Ahead: Bunzl, G4S, Diageo
21st Aug 2009 12:18
A busier week than last week is in store with FTSE 100 stocks Bunzl, G4S, Admiral, Serco, WPP Group, Cairn Energy, Kazakhmys and Diageo all due to make trading announcements. Distribution and outsource specialist Bunzl gets the show on the road on Monday with its interim results. The company has al
Read moreLondon midday: London's streak continues
21st Aug 2009 12:04
The wobble by global stock markets on Monday following last Friday's dismal US consumer sentiment figures seems a long time ago now as London looks well set to advance for the fourth day in a row. Insurance companies lead the advance in the wake of yesterday's surge by fallen US insurance giant AI
Read moreSunday's newspaper round-up: BAT, bonus culture, Pearl
16th Aug 2009 14:04
Richard Burrows, a former governor of the Bank of Ireland, is to take on one of the most powerful roles in British business. He is to become chairman of British American Tobacco, says the Sunday Times. The scale of the resurgent bonus culture at Britain's banks has been laid bare by Office of Natio
Read morePensions deficits soar despite rally
5th Aug 2009 11:31
The collective pension deficit of FTSE 100 companies has soared to £96bn, its highest ever, and Footsie would need to climb to over 7,000 to wipe it out, a new survey estimates. Pension consultants Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP) said last month's £96bn deficit is more than double the £41bn deficit in t
Read moreLondon close: Footsie equals winning streak
27th Jul 2009 16:59
Though it was a close run thing the Footsie ended the day in the blue, equalling its record run of 11 successive days of rises. The blue-chip index was supported by a strong performance from miners and the part-nationalised banks. Lonmin was wanted after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock to "neutr
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