London close: Stocks finish higher as US inflation tops forecasts
10th Apr 2024 15:00
(Sharecast News) - London's stock markets closed positively on Wednesday, as investors processed a higher-than-anticipated inflation report from the US, while Tesco paced the gains following favourable results.
Read moreDirect Line replaces CFO with another Aviva exec
10th Apr 2024 07:27
(Sharecast News) - Motor insurance group Direct Line has poached the head of finance from Aviva's general insurance unit to be its new chief financial officer, replacing its CFO of three years just weeks after a failed takeover offer from Ageas.
Read moreLondon close: Stocks manage gains ahead of US payrolls report
4th Apr 2024 15:58
(Sharecast News) - London markets closed higher on Thursday, driven by a robust showing from the mining sector and as investors contemplated the UK services sector's latest figures.
Read moreLondon close: Stocks slip back after last week's peak
25th Mar 2024 15:49
(Sharecast News) - London markets finished in the red on Monday, having traded below the waterline through the session after reaching a peak at the end of last week.
Read moreDirect Line confident in standalone prospects as Ageas abandons pursuit
25th Mar 2024 07:16
(Sharecast News) - Direct Line said on Monday that it was confident in its standalone prospects after Belgium's Ageas announced it would not be making an offer for the insurer following two failed attempts at engaging with the board.
Read moreLondon close: Stocks rise as BoE keeps rates on hold
21st Mar 2024 16:33
(Sharecast News) - London markets closed higher on Thursday, sustaining gains after the Bank of England adhered to expectations by maintaining interest rates at a 16-year high.
Read moreDirect Line reinstates dividend, announces new cost-savings plan
21st Mar 2024 08:08
(Sharecast News) - Direct Line posted a widening of its full-year losses on Thursday as it announced a new £100m cost-savings plan and declared a 4p a share dividend.
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Nationwide, Direct Line, Rolls-Royce
17th Mar 2024 22:57
(Sharecast News) - Nationwide's bid to create the UK's second-largest savings and loans group by taking over Virgin Money may be derailed if its members get a say on whether the deal goes through or not. It would take just 500 Nationwide members depositing £50 each one to convene a special meeting and ask for a vote on the deal. Furthermore, preparations for a vote would keep Nationwide from meeting the 4 April deadline for making a binding offer under Takeover Panel rules. However, the society says that its existing legal advice is that no vote is required. - Financial Mail on Sunday
Read moreAgeas facing opposition from top shareholder over Direct Line pursuit - report
14th Mar 2024 11:55
(Sharecast News) - Belgian insurer Ageas is reportedly facing opposition from one of its leading shareholders to a potential takeover of London-listed rival Direct Line.
Read moreLondon close: Stocks mixed as UK economy returns to growth
13th Mar 2024 15:00
(Sharecast News) - London markets finished with a mixed performance on Wednesday, following a surge on Tuesday, with investors buoyed by news of the UK economy's return to growth in January.
Read moreDirect Line rejects second takeover approach from Ageas, shares tumble
13th Mar 2024 10:42
(Sharecast News) - Direct Line tumbled on Wednesday after saying it had received and rejected a second takeover approach from Belgian rival Ageas as it continues to undervalue the group.
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: EasyJet, Direct Line, Cairo
3rd Mar 2024 15:16
(Sharecast News) - EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji.Ioannou has called time on his long-running feud with the "scoundrels" running the carrier. Haji-Ioannou has admitted that his war with easyJet boss Johan Lundgren was motivated by his fear that it would not get through Covid-19. His latest remarks come as the company is preparing to re-enter the ranks of the FTSE 100. They also come after attempts by easyJet to fill the gap in the market left by the collapse of Monarch and Thomas Cook, with Lundgren and chairman Stephen Hester having tried to shift focus towards selling holidays instead of just flights. - The Sunday Times
Read moreAgeas would need to offer 270p to 300p a share for Direct Line, says Jefferies
29th Feb 2024 09:36
(Sharecast News) - Belgium's Ageas would need to make an offer of 270p to 300p a share for UK insurer Direct Line for it to be more likely to be accepted, Jefferies said in a note on Thursday.
Read moreDirect Line rejects £3.1bn takeover approach from Belgium's Ageas
28th Feb 2024 15:19
(Sharecast News) - Direct Line confirmed on Wednesday that it had rejected a £3.1bn takeover approach from Belgium's Ageas, as it significantly undervalued the group.
Read moreLondon close: Stocks slip as US GDP growth decelerates
28th Feb 2024 15:01
(Sharecast News) - London's equity markets experienced a downturn by the close on Wednesday, largely influenced by underperforming stocks such as St James's Place and Reckitt Benckiser, following disappointing financial results.
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