London close: Flat finish after busy day
15th Jul 2011 16:57
The top share index finished flat but it was an unusually busy day on the corporate news front with big movements in both directions. BHP Billiton fell after the company, best known as a miner, said it is increasing its oil and gas activities with the $12.1bn (£7.5bn) purchase of Texas and Louisian
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks move both ways after updates
15th Jul 2011 12:04
Stocks are moving in both directions on a surprisingly busy company news day for a Friday. The FTSE 100 is flat. BHP Billiton falls after the company, best known as a miner, said it is increasing its oil and gas activities with the $12.1bn (£7.5bn) purchase of Texas and Louisiana-focused firm Petro
Read moreLondon open: More losses as Europe worries continue
15th Jul 2011 08:46
Stocks have fallen back in early dealings with nerves on edge over Europe again, this time as traders await banking stress test results. In stocks news, BHP Billiton is the heaviest faller in the FTSE 100. The company, best known as a miner, is increasing its oil and gas activities with the $12.1bn
Read moreElectrocomponents growing fast
15th Jul 2011 08:19
Electrocomponents, the FTSE 250 firm which supplies electronic products and provides maintenance services, saw revenue rise 14% in its first reporting quarter. Between April and June the International business grew by 17% and the UK by 8%. The management claims it is taking market share from small
Read moreMedusa bosses buy on weakness
23rd Jun 2011 16:05
Directors at Philippines-focused gold producer Medusa Mining have upped their stakes amid a weak spell for the company's shares. Managing director Peter Hepburn-Brown took 15,00 shares at A$6.85 (449p) a time, paying a total of just over £67,000. He previously had no shares in the company. Non-ex
Read moreSunday tips round-up: Electrocomponents, Innovation, G4S
29th May 2011 16:34
"Electrocomponents, the electrical component distributor, has a clear strategy of expanding its product range, selling more of its products online and increasing its international footprint. (...) The company's international business now accounts for 70pc of sales - and it is showing sales growth of
Read moreLondon close: Stocks hold on to gains
27th May 2011 16:46
Stocks held on to gains going into a long weekend, as Wall Street opened up higher. After a sharp rise in early trading, the Footsie maintained its level around the 5,930-40 mark for the rest of the day, helped by strong showings from the miners and the banks. Just seven stocks finished in the red.
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Miners track metals prices higher
27th May 2011 14:37
Russia-focused gold miner Petropavlovsk and Finland-focused nickel and zinc miner Talvivaara Mining Company are tracking metals prices higher. They are among the best performing stocks on the FTSE 250 on Friday afternoon. The consumer confidence index for the UK unexpectedly jumped in May, accordin
Read moreBroker tips: Aveva, Electrocomponents, Northern Petroleum
27th May 2011 12:54
Singer Capital Markets has upgraded its rating on engineering software firm Aveva Group after a strong end to the year and a confident outlook for the current year. The group's full-year results were ahead in terms of revenue performance but were in line on an adjusted pre-tax profit and earnings p
Read moreBroker snap: Confident outlook at Electrocomponents
27th May 2011 12:32
Full-year results at Electrocomponents were in line, according to Peel Hunt, who raises its target price from 295p to 315p to reflect a confident outlook and expectation of continuing outperformance. The electronics and maintenance products supplier reported headline pre-tax profit ahead of the bro
Read moreLondon open: Miners and banks head a strong start
27th May 2011 08:28
The Footsie has started strongly, rising over 1% as the index climbs above the 5,900 level. The miners are in demand, with Lonmin, Rio Tinto, Xstrata and Kazakhmys heading higher. The latter announced this morning that it's proposed listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange will not involve the issu
Read moreLondon pre-open: London to enjoy Wall St. tailwinds
27th May 2011 07:43
Encouraged by yesterday's strong finish on Wall Street. London's leading stocks are set to open higher, with City traders predicting the Footsie will start the day some 44 points higher at 5,925. Sales and profits were slightly ahead of expectations at electronics and maintenance products supplier
Read moreElectrocomponents beats expectations
27th May 2011 07:14
Sales and profits were slightly ahead of expectations at electronics and maintenance products supplier Electrocomponents, on the back of strong sales growth in all geographic regions and online. Headline profit before tax in the year to 31 March was £114.0m, up from £74.4m the year before and ahead
Read moreFriday preview: Tate and Lyle, Electrocomponents
26th May 2011 17:57
We have become used to companies grumbling about rising raw material prices, but those grumbles are often music to the ears of food ingredients firm Tate & Lyle. In a trading update at the end of March the company said that operating performance over the company's full year had been in line with
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Victrex, Balfour Beatty, Armour
8th Apr 2011 06:29
Victrex does nothing but polyether ether ketone, helpfully shortened to Peek. The group's factory near Blackpool produces the hard-wearing polymer in a vast array of shapes, sizes and varieties for use in everything from aircraft and electronics to artificial hip joints and vertebrae. Victrex has ba
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