London close: Shares in late dive
7th Apr 2011 16:43
Shares were little changed for much of the day as central banks in London and Frankfurt acted as expected, but another earthquake in Japan sent jitters through markets ahead of the close. The Bank of England kept its key lending rate unchanged. The European Central Bank, however, stuck to its scrip
Read moreLondon afternoon: FTSE 250 stocks take a bashing
7th Apr 2011 15:12
The blue-chip index moved into positive territory over the lunch time trading session as the Bank of England removed all doubt about its current focus on the health of the economy, rather than the inflation risk, and kept its key lending rate unchanged. The European Central Bank, however, stuck to
Read moreLondon midday: Shares unchanged after Bank holds rates
7th Apr 2011 12:21
Shares are little changed after the Bank of England kept interest rates unchanged at 0.5%. The decision was expected, while the ECB is expected to raise interest rates for the first time since they were slashed in the wake of the financial crisis. Turning to stocks, the retail sector has come back
Read moreLondon open: Nervous start ahead of rate decisions
7th Apr 2011 08:27
Shares are in nervous mode this morning ahead of rate decisions from the Bank of England (BoE) and the European Central Bank(ECB) later today. The BoE is expected to keep rates unchanged at a record low of 0.5%, but the ECB is expected to press ahead with its first rate rise since they were slashed
Read moreElectrocomponents ups profit forecast as full year sales top £1bn
7th Apr 2011 07:51
Electronics and maintenance products supplier Electrocomponents expects pre-tax profits for the year to 31 March to be marginally above previous expectations after strong international sales helped drive sales above £1bn for the first time in the group's history. The company, which distributes 500,
Read moreSunday tips round-up: Shell, Tesco bonds, Electrocomponents
6th Feb 2011 13:07
Shell missed consensus forecasts because of production issues and delays to its US Arctic drilling programme. The group strategy for a return to growth is sound, though, Shell remains the oil share to own for income seekers. Buy says the Telegraph. Tesco's banking arm, Tesco Bank, is raising betw
Read moreLondon close: No US jobs lift for FTSE 100
4th Feb 2011 16:40
The top share index finished the week just below 6,000 points after a sluggish day's trading. Traders were unsure how to react to US jobs data. Nonfarm payrolls rose just 36,000 last month, the Labor Department said Friday, well below forecasts of at least 140,000. On the bright side, December's nu
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie recovers from US jobs jolt
4th Feb 2011 14:40
The Footsie kept its head above 6,000 over the lunchtime period despite a negative reaction to US jobless figures at 1:30. Nonfarm payrolls rose just 36,000 last month, the Labor Department said Friday, well below forecasts of at least 140,000. On the bright side, December's number was revised up t
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 in the blue
4th Feb 2011 12:23
The FTSE 100 is still hovering a few points in positive territory on a fairly quiet day on the company news front. Utilities are one bright spot, with United Utilities, Severn Trent and International Power all higher. Wm Morrison has been upgraded to 'buy' from 'neutral' by UBS, which suggests th
Read moreLondon open: Quiet start for blue chips
4th Feb 2011 08:47
Footsie is subdued with the company results schedule a bit threadbare and January non-farm payrolls data from the US due out this afternoon. Utilities are one bright spot, with United Utilities, Severn Trent and International Power all higher. Wm Morrison has been upgraded to 'buy' from 'neutral
Read moreLondon pre-open: Footsie to have another crack at 6,000
4th Feb 2011 07:31
The Footsie looks set to make another assault on the 6,000 barrier, with City traders predicting the blue-chip index will open on or around 6,000, having closed at 5,983 last night. Trade might be subdued, however, with the company results schedule a bit threadbare and with investors waiting on the
Read moreOverseas demand drives Electrocomponents
4th Feb 2011 07:16
Sales continue to surge ahead at component distributor Electrocomponents with an improvement of nearly a fifth over the past four months. Overall, sales grew by 19% in the period to January, as the International business grew by around 23% and the UK by around 11%. The US drove the sales in the
Read moreFriday preview: Dairy Crest, Electrocomponents, US jobs
3rd Feb 2011 16:48
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) index of food prices rose to a new record last month, underlining concerns about soaring food costs. Those costs are a worry to Cathedral cheese and Country Life butter producer Dairy Crest, as a rise in input prices will put pressure on margins, unless t
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Morgan Crucible, Rolls-Royce, Ted Baker
18th Nov 2010 06:53
Morgan Crucible gets three fifths of its revenues from the manufacture of high-specification ceramics. These go into areas such as defence, aerospace and medical markets. Profits for the current year will be at the top end of market forecasts, putting the shares on 13 times' this year's earnings, f
Read moreLondon close: Footsie rallies to narrow losses
12th Nov 2010 16:47
Footsie recovered from an early slump to close just a few points lower as well-received company updates nearly cancelled out losses in the mining sector. Miners were big fallers on disappointment with the outcome at the G20 meeting and the possibility of a currency free-for-all. Talk that China is
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