Sentiment hit as Firstgroup loses Scotrail, but analysts stay upbeat
8th Oct 2014 10:58
Firstgroup's share price was dented on Wednesday by the transport group's failure to secure the Scotrail franchise for next year, though analysts mostly retained their positive stance on the stock despite the negative news. Investec kept a 'buy' rating but placed its 151p target price for the shares
Read moreLondon open: Macro concerns hit stocks ahead of earnings, Fed minutes
8th Oct 2014 08:36
UK stocks fell for a second day on Wednesday as concerns about global growth and nervousness ahead of the start of US earnings season eroded risk appetite. Heavy falls from industrial stocks and travel companies saw the FTSE 100 fall 0.3% to 6,475 in early trading. European stocks fell on Tuesday a
Read moreLondon pre-open: FTSE to slide after heavy declines in Asia and US overnight
8th Oct 2014 07:43
Tracking the losses seen in both Asia and the States overnight, the FTSE will open Wednesday's session in the red, as markets digest the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) downgrade for global growth and notably poor data from Germany. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open around 27 points lo
Read moreFirstGroup loses Scotrail franchise "to Abellio" - UPDATE
8th Oct 2014 07:10
Bus and train operator FirstGroup has failed to keep its Scotrail franchise but said first half trading was in line with management's expectations and it was continuing to make progress with an overhaul of its bus business. FirstGroup said it "noted" the announcement by Transport Scotland that it ha
Read moreFirstgroup comments on McFarlane's departure to Barclays
12th Sep 2014 12:33
Firstgroup's chairman, John McFarlane, has announced that he plans to step down from the role in July next year as part of his move to Barclays. The group said it had begun the process of finding a "strong replacement". Shares in Firstgroup had fallen 0.61% to 122.45p by 12:44.
Read moreBAE Systems non-exec cashes in 50,000 shares
22nd Aug 2014 17:36
Paul Anderson, a non-executive director of aerospace, defence and securities giant BAE Systems, has cashed in 50,000 shares. The shares were sold at 442.2p each, giving the deal a total trade value of £221,100. The deal came just three weeks after the company posted lower half-year sales and pro
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Ex-divi stocks and Balfour lead index lower
20th Aug 2014 13:57
Berkeley Group, Fidessa Group and Taylor Wimpey all dropped into the red after going ex-dividend on Wednesday. Balfour Beatty was in negative territory after rejecting another merger offer from rival Carillion, saying such a move would not be in shareholders' best interest. Tuesday's offer was the
Read moreFirstGroup shortlisted for TransPennine Express franchise
19th Aug 2014 07:58
FirstGroup has confirmed it has been shortlisted to extend its operation of the TransPennine Express franchise in the north of England and cross-border services to Scotland, which it has run since 2004. The current First TransPennine Express franchise is due to end on 31 March 2015 and the company
Read moreLondon close: FTSE in red as housing data, Russia weigh
21st Jul 2014 16:59
- FTSE closes down 21 at 6,728.44 - Ukraine, Gaza driving losses - Housing sector weighs after data techMARK 2,801.01 -0.10% FTSE 100 6,728.44 -0.31% FTSE 250 15,486.10 -0.45% Global tensions and disappointing housing data weighed on sentiment in today's session, with the footsie falling early on
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Hochschild lifted by rating, Bellway falls
21st Jul 2014 15:32
Housebuilder Bellway was lower amid a wider sector decline after Rightmove published data that showed the average asking price for a UK home dropped 0.8% from £272,275 in June to £270,159 in July. The also had its 'hold' rating reiterated by Deutsche Bank. Oil stocks including Cairn Energy weake
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: Time Warner, Shire, BMW...
17th Jul 2014 06:47
21st Century Fox, the entertainment conglomerate run by Rupert Murdoch, may have to raise its audacious $80 billion bid for Time Warner to secure the biggest media takeover since the dot-com boom. 21st Century Fox offered $86 per share in cash and shares for its rival but the approach was rejected b
Read moreFirstGroup investors rebel against chief's pay package
16th Jul 2014 14:49
Investors at bus and train operator FirstGroup have rebelled against the award of an 86% pay rise to Chief Executive Tim O'Toole last year. Holders of almost a quarter of First's shares cast their votes against the company's remuneration report at its annual meeting. Investors cast 74.46% of vote
Read moreSunday share tips: Halfords, Sports Direct, Real Estate Investors
13th Jul 2014 13:26
Buy shares of Halfords to capitalise on the UK's retail recovery and the growing craze for cycling, Questor advised in the Sunday Telegraph. The shares have risen about 60% since Questor recommended them in early October 2013 but have gone sideways in the past month. The Tour de France has boosted c
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Experian, Sports Direct, Shire
13th Jul 2014 12:24
Sir John Peace will suffer his third shareholder rebellion in three months this week when investors in Experian revolt over pay and succession plans at the credit checking company, the Sunday Times said. Peace will then have suffered rebellions at each of the three FTSE 100 companies he chairs. At B
Read moreFirstGroup reports in-line trading as transformation progresses
10th Jul 2014 08:09
Trading since the start of April has been "in line" with its expectations, was the message from transport company FirstGroup on Thursday, which said it had continued to transform the business and was encouraged by its progress so far. The First Transit business delivered a "solid" performance in t
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