Aggreko non-exec opens wallet
20th Dec 2010 15:48
Ken Hanna, a non-executive director at Aggreko since October, has opened his account with the temporary power and temperature control specialist, taking a big chunk of shares. He took 10,000 shares at 1,500p a go, spending a total of £150,000. The purchase was announced on the same day Aggreko sai
Read moreLondon close: Highest finish for FTSE 100 since 2008
14th Dec 2010 16:38
London's leading share index finished at its highest closing level in more than two years as buoyancy in the US helped shake Footsie out of its early sluggishness. Better than expected retail sales in the world's biggest economy in November heartened traders. Here, it was company updates that sen
Read moreLondon afternoon: Shares clinging on after US open
14th Dec 2010 15:26
Shares have crept higher after a decent start on Wall Street, but the gains are modest amid a mixed reception for company updates. Whitbread, the company behind Costa Coffee and the Premier Inn hotel chain, posted another strong set of numbers though there were a few signs of weakness and the share
Read moreLondon midday: Shares little changed
14th Dec 2010 12:01
Company updates have given investors plenty to mull over today, but shares are little changed overall. Whitbread, the company behind Costa Coffee and the Premier Inn hotel chain, posted another strong set of numbers though there were a few signs of weakness and the shares have fallen. Another boo
Read moreLondon open: Flat start for blue chips
14th Dec 2010 08:50
A dull start for Footsie was predicted and that's how it has turned out with the weak ending on Wall Street keeping buyers quiet. The Dow Jones had been trading near two-year highs when London closed, but ended with a lead of just 18 points. In UK company news, Go-Ahead, the company that operates
Read moreDrax to beat forecasts
14th Dec 2010 07:59
Coal-fired power station Drax expects to beat market forecasts this year after a good performance during the recent cold spell. "Good operational performance has continued to allow us to take advantage of Drax Power Station's reliability and flexibility to maintain a high load factor and improve pr
Read moreDrax director buys
9th Dec 2010 16:17
Drax non-executive director Tony Thorne has bought £28,000 worth of shares in the power generator. He has paid 378.69p a share for 7,500 shares. Thorne was appointed to the board in June and these are the first shares he has bought. Thorne is a former chief executive of paper company DS Smith.
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Babcock, Drax, Asos...
10th Nov 2010 06:59
Babcock's hope is that its market rating, about 11 times next year's earnings per share, will edge forward to reflect its involvement in support services, where shares tend to sell on a multiple of nearer 14. This will take time, but the shares remain a strong hold says the Times. Coal-fired power
Read moreLondon close: Footsie adds gains as results impress
9th Nov 2010 16:58
Footsie added more gains Tuesday as a stream of company updates was mostly well-received. Fund manager Schroders muscled its way to the top of the Footsie leaderboard, seeing off competition from several other heavy hitters that have made trading updates today. Profits rocketed at Schroders during
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks come off the boil
9th Nov 2010 14:44
Investors creamed off a few profits over the lunchtime session pushing the Footsie back below 5900. Fund manager Schroders has muscled its way to the top of the Footsie leaderboard, seeing off competition from several other heavy hitters that have made trading updates today. Profits rocketed at Sc
Read moreDrax helped by long-tem deals
9th Nov 2010 08:09
Coal-fired power station Drax remains on track to meet forecasts this year with its large slug of forward contracts insulating it against low electricity prices. "Whilst the UK market continues to experience low dark green spreads, our exposure is mitigated by a strong forward contracted position.
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie hit by debt worries
29th Sep 2010 12:19
Footsie is now in the red after a bright start, with European debt issues again clouding the mood. Debt-stricken Ireland is the focus of attention again. The rating agency Standard & Poors says the price of bailing out nationalised bank Anglo Irish could exceed $47bn. Banks RBS, Lloyds and Barclays
Read moreLondon open: Transatlantic lift for Footsie
29th Sep 2010 08:51
London has opened handily ahead after the decent close on Wall Street overnight. In company news, British Airways has finally signed its well-flagged transatlantic ticketing and revenue share agreement with American Airlines and merger partner Iberia. It starts in October and is worth a combined $7
Read moreLondon close: Lower close as rally falters
15th Sep 2010 16:35
Footsie closed a few points in the red Wednesday as a rally brought about by an improvement on Wall Street lost momentum. The US had a weak start following poorly-received manufacturing figures but sentiment recovered as trading progressed. Here, BP was lower in line with weaker oil prices, with t
Read moreLondon afternoon: Retailers provide some cheer
15th Sep 2010 14:29
Resource stocks remain a weight around Footsie's neck and have been joined over the lunch time session by banks, which are lower as the market ponders the implications of the Basel III banking guidelines. BP is lower in line with weaker oil prices, with the oil giant suffering more than its peers
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