FTSE 250 movers: FirstGroup plunges after DfT decision
3rd Oct 2012 15:59
Shares in transport firm FirstGroup took a hammering today after the Department for Transport (DfT) dropped the competition to award it the West Coast franchise. Following a legal challenge from current operator Virgin Rail, the DfT said it had found "significant technical flaws in the way the franc
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks flat as economic data disappoints
3rd Oct 2012 11:21
- Gloomy Chinese, UK and Eurozone data - Rajoy denies bailout - FirstGroup sinks after West Coast disappointment. The FTSE 100 was trading broadly flat by midday on Wednesday as investors remained cautious after a raft of disappointing economic data. China's non-manufacturing purchasing managers'
Read moreWednesday broker round-up - UPDATE
3rd Oct 2012 09:06
African Barrick Gold: Westhouse Secuirites raises target from 464p to 495p. AG Barr: Panmure Gordon keeps hold rating and 440p target. AstraZeneca: Panmure Gordon downgrades from buy to hold, target cut from 3,100p to 3,000p. Barclays: UBS downgrades from buy to neutral, 235p target unchanged. B
Read moreLondon open: Sentiment dampened by Spain, Chinese data
3rd Oct 2012 08:27
- Rajoy denies Spanish bailout request - Chinese data disappoints - Tesco and Sainsbury's fall after updates - FirstGroup sinks after West Coast failure Stocks in the UK slipped in early trading on Wednesday as concerns about a Spanish bailout and weak economic data from China spooked investors. S
Read moreeasyJet ups full year profit forecast -UPDATE
3rd Oct 2012 07:55
Budget airline easyJet said a surge in business at the end of the summer and a benign operating environment meant it was upping its full year profit forecasts. The firm now expects pre-tax profits for the year to the end of September 2012 to be between £310m and £320m. This compares with the previ
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Xstrata, Heathrow, RBS
9th Sep 2012 16:49
Shareholders have warned directors at Xstrata, the FTSE 100 mining company, that they risk being removed if they block the 56bn pound merger with Glencore. Glencore's final offer ? increased in dramatic circumstances last week after the intervention of Tony Blair, the former prime minister ? will go
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Glencore/Xstrata, easyJet
7th Sep 2012 06:58
The Lex column in the Financial Times has cast its eye over the eagerly anticipated shareholder vote to decide on Friday to decide the fate of the merger between Xstrata and Glencore. The tie-up, as the paper explains, was hailed for its operational and financial logic by both group chief executives
Read moreLondon close: Markets celebrate ECB bond-buying plan
6th Sep 2012 16:41
- ECB unveils bond-buying details - Stocks surge in afternoon trade, helped by US data - BoE maintains rates and QE Global stocks markets rocketed higher on Thursday afternoon after European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi revealed details of the bank's bond-buying plan. London's Footsie
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Lonmin leads miners higher
6th Sep 2012 15:51
South Africa-focused platinum miner Lonmin rose strongly on Thursday on reports that it has reached a 'peace accord' with its striking miners following a wave of protests over the last few weeks. ?? The mining sector as a whole was firmly higher today on hopes over the global economy after the Euro
Read moreLondon midday: All eyes turn to Draghi as BoE holds rates
6th Sep 2012 11:33
- All eyes on the ECB and Draghi - BoE keeps rates and QE unchanged - Economic data from the US also in focus Just a handful of stocks on London's Footsie were in the red by Thursday lunchtime as markets geared up to a pivotal policy announcement by the European Central Bank (ECB). The UK's Moneta
Read moreThursday broker round-up - UPDATE
6th Sep 2012 09:00
Abcam: Canaccord Genuity keeps hold rating and 370p target. AG Barr: Societe Generale upgrades ot hold, target lifted from 370p to 440p. ASOS: Nomura ups target from 1,660p to 1,700p, neutral rating kept. Barclays: Credit Suisse downgrades to neutral, target cut from 215p to 200p. BG Group: Gold
Read moreLondon open: Stocks gain on ECB optimism
6th Sep 2012 08:34
- Crucial day for Europe, ECB decision eyed - Bank of England expected to hold fire - Whitbread, Morrisons and miners lead risers Some strong gains from Whitbread, Morrisons and host of miners assured that the Footsie got off to a decent start on Thursday morning, as markets awaited a pivotal polic
Read moreeasyJet passenger numbers rise in August
6th Sep 2012 07:48
No frills airline easyJet said it carried 5.87m passengers in August, up six per cent from a year earlier. The August load factor fell to 91.7 per cent from 92.2 per cent in the same month a year earlier. For the rolling 12 months it rose to 88.8 per cent from 87.2% during the same month in 2011.
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Britvic, AG Barr surge on merger speculation
5th Sep 2012 15:56
Investors of Britvic and AG Barr today celebrated the news that the companies are in discussions about an all-share merger which would create 'one of the leading soft drinks companies in Europe'. "The combination would have compelling industrial logic and represents an opportunity for both companie
Read moreBroker tips: Carnival, Home Retail, easyJet
5th Sep 2012 12:04
Galvan Research and Trading recommends to 'sell' shares of cruise operator Carnival, saying that recent prices cuts are putting pressure on margins. "Although Carnival shares and the firm's reputation have rebounded to some degree since the Costa Concordia disaster, the cruise operator has had to c
Read more