London afternoon: Sleepwalking lower
26th Mar 2010 14:05
It's been a good week for the Footsie but it looks set to end with a whimper rather than a bang. With corporate news thin on the ground broker commentary is driving much of the action. Unilever is downgraded to neutral from 'overweight' by HSBC on sales volumes concerns. Hi-tech weapons group Qi
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie drifts lower
26th Mar 2010 12:19
Footsie is bumbling along a tad directionless as investors consider the Greek bail-out, Budget fall-out and the prospects of more air and rail strikes. Property companies are among the best performers, with Hammerson, Segro, British Land and Liberty the four highest risers so far. In economic news
Read moreLondon open: Footsie makes dull start
26th Mar 2010 08:52
London has made a subdued opening with company news thin on the ground and a weak close in the US overnight. Property companies are the best performers, with Hammerson, Segro, British Land and Liberty the four highest risers so far. Cable & Wireless's demerger is bound to cause some confusion this
Read moreLondon pre-open: Slow start expected
26th Mar 2010 07:51
London looks set for a subdued opening with company news thin on the ground. Dealers expect the FTSE 100 will open around 9 points down from Thursday's close. Temporary power and heating specialist Aggreko has won a €35m contract to help alleviate the Côte d'Ivoire's problems with power cuts. Aggre
Read moreDe La Rue to raise £78m from lottery stake
26th Mar 2010 07:17
Banknote printer De La Rue has confirmed that it is selling its stake in UK Lottery operator Camelot Group as well as Camelot's sister company, Camelot Global Services. Press reports indicate that Premier Lotteries UK Limited, a company controlled by Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP), has agree
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Strong trading cheers Greene King
27th Jan 2010 14:17
Investors have raised a glass to brewer Greene King. Trading over the last nine weeks has remained 'relatively strong' despite the freezing weather, with food sales going well and Scottish arm Belhaven again the star turn. Elswhere in beverage-related stocks, shares in soft drinks group Britvic are
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Severn Trent, De La Rue, Gulfsands
27th Jan 2010 06:56
Severn Trent's chief executive, Tony Wray, has now confirmed the water utility has no plans for a rights issue, although it is cutting the dividend by 10%. The Independent generally is bearish about the water sector, but Severn Trent, which trades at about 1.5 times next year's earnings and yield mo
Read moreLondon close: Footsie snaps 4-day losing streak
26th Jan 2010 16:25
Top stocks staged a recovery late afternoon as Wall Street reacted well to US consumer confidence at a 16-month high. Standard Chartered was a bright spot after Nomura said the recent share price fall represents a buying opportunity. The Japanese broker upgraded the Far East focused bank to 'buy'
Read moreLondon afternoon: Losses pared
26th Jan 2010 14:19
Leading shares cut back their losses over the lunch time session but resource stocks remain under the cosh on fears that the Chinese authorities will step up its campaign to cool down its overheating economy and lift interest rates. Fresnillo, Xstrata and Kazakhmys lead the mining sector lower, wh
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: De La Rue update fails to impress
26th Jan 2010 14:18
Banknote group De La Rue may have a license to print money, but the shares are lower even though it posted strong trading in recent months. The cash processing solutions division has continued to experience difficult trading conditions, it said. Bookies William Hill and Ladbrokes are benefitting f
Read moreBroker tips: BSkyB, Sage, De La Rue
26th Jan 2010 12:42
Satellite TV firm BSkyB is due an uplift into Thursday's interim results after being impacted by numerous factors recently, thinks Nomura. The company has been weighed by the impending final decision from the OFCOM pay TV review, greater appetite for cyclical companies, BT's £20 pricing for fibre a
Read moreLondon midday: GDP figures no comfort
26th Jan 2010 12:03
News that the UK economy limped out of recession in the fourth quarter has failed to cheer equities, which remain more concerned about China and the possibility its government will slam the economic brakes on. The UK economy grew just 0.1% in the fourth quarter, far less than expected. Economists h
Read moreBroker snap: De La Rue outlook 'excellent'
26th Jan 2010 10:24
Banknote printer De La Rue today reported strong trading in its third quarter and analysts at Ambrian feel the dynamics driving the outlook remain 'excellent'. The broker, which rates the shares a 'buy', points to a combination of market position, reputation, customer relationships and intellectual
Read moreLondon open: Blue chips struggle
26th Jan 2010 08:49
Footsie has fallen again in early dealing with miners again under pressure on worries about overheating in China and the possibility its government will slam the economic brakes on. The big mining names are all lower this morning. Rio Tinto, Anglo American and Lonmin are the worst affected, but fal
Read moreLondon pre-open: More losses expected
26th Jan 2010 07:35
Footsie is expected to continue the decline that began last week in early dealings. The decline in consumption by non-residential customers tailed off in the fourth quarter, water company Severn Trent said. The company, which said it has been trading in line with expectations since 1 October, estim
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