London midday: Stocks jump after strong manufacturing data
2nd Sep 2013 11:19
Strong manufacturing data from both the UK and China helped lift stock markets on Monday morning while concerns over a potential military strike against Syria eased. London's FTSE 100 was registering triple-digit gains by lunchtime, with the index trading a level not since August 15th. Manufactur
Read moreBroker tips: RBS, Fresnillo, BT, National Grid
2nd Sep 2013 11:17
Citigroup has maintained its 'sell' rating for UK lender Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and has slashed its profit forecasts for the company citing weak earnings momentum. The broker said that RBS remains its least-preferred UK bank "based on the shareholder structure, ongoing political and regulator
Read moreMonday broker round-up UPDATE
2nd Sep 2013 08:57
Berkeley Group: Panmure Gordon raises target price from 2046p to 2150p and reiterates a hold recommendation. Betfair: Panmure Gordon increases target price from 1000p to 1317p and maintains a buy recommendation. BHP Billiton: WH Ireland downgrades to neutral. British Land: Exane ups target price
Read moreBroker snap: UBS downgrades Fresnillo after strong run
2nd Sep 2013 08:10
UBS has cut its recommendation for precious metals group Fresnillo from 'buy' to 'neutral' following the stock's recent strong performance. In August alone, the share price rose 27%, outperforming a 17% increase in the silver price and a 7% rise in gold. "When we initiated [coverage] on August 12t
Read moreLondon open: Stocks edge lower, Syria and Fed taper in focus
30th Aug 2013 08:33
The FTSE 100 opened slightly lower on Friday morning after yesterday's strong gains as investors continue to await further developments in Syria and speculate about the future of US stimulus. Cautiousness ahead of a three-day weekend in the States could also be having an effect on risk appetite thi
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rebound after recent falls, Vodafone jumps
29th Aug 2013 08:36
Strong gains from Vodafone, WPP and Melrose gave markets in London a boost this morning, as stocks rebounded after some recent falls. Markets have been under pressure this week on concerns about a potential Western military intervention in Syria in response to last week's alleged chemical weapons a
Read moreLondon close: Syrian crisis hits stocks despite upbeat economic data
27th Aug 2013 16:30
Data showing improving confidence in Germany and the States wasn't enough to lift markets on Tuesday as investor sentiment was rattled by escalating tensions between Syria and the West. Business confidence in Germany improved across the board in August as the Eurozone's largest economy continues to
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Fresnillo, Randgold, Petrofac
27th Aug 2013 13:49
Precious metal companies Fresnillo and Randgold Resources gained as the prices of gold, silver and copper surged. Petrofac advanced as analysts at Liberum Capital said the weakness in shares and the oilfield services company's upbeat outlook presented a good buying opportunity. Marks & Spencer ra
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks fall as Syrian crisis hits sentiment
27th Aug 2013 11:46
Escalating tensions in the Middle East dented investor sentiment on Tuesday morning as traders largely shook off some upbeat economic data closer to home. Business sentiment in Germany improved across the board in August as the Eurozone's largest economy continues to build momentum. The IFO report,
Read moreLondon open: Markets edge lower after long weekend
27th Aug 2013 08:12
Stocks fell on Tuesday morning after a three-day weekend as markets attempted to play catch-up following negative sessions in the US and Asia overnight. Concerns over Syria are likely to weigh on sentiment after US Secretary of State John Kerry said last night that Syria would be held accountable f
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks rise after UK GDP revision
23rd Aug 2013 12:00
Upwards revisions to UK economic growth in the second quarter gave stocks a bit of a boost on Friday morning, though gains were limited as investors scaled back risk appetite ahead of a long three-day weekend. UK gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the second quarter is now said to have been 0.7
Read moreLondon open: Markets pause after strong rise
23rd Aug 2013 08:39
It was a subdued start for equity markets in London on Friday with the FTSE 100 opening broadly flat as investors adopted a cautious approach going into the long weekend. Stocks were pausing for breath early on after a strong rise the day before on the back of improving economic data from across th
Read moreSector movers: Miners rise on improving data from China
22nd Aug 2013 14:51
Cyclical sectors were in demand on Thursday as better-than-expected data brightened the outlook for the global economy. Mining stocks were among the best performers after it was revealed that manufacturing activity in Asian powerhouse China unexpectedly returned to growth in August. The HSBC/Mark
Read moreLondon close: Taper concerns hit stocks ahead of Fed minutes
21st Aug 2013 16:50
London's benchmark index dropped one per cent on Wednesday as investors trimmed positions and took cover ahead of the risk event of the week, the minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting due out later this evening. The FTSE 100 ended 62.62 points lower on the day at 6,390.84, a f
Read moreLondon midday: Ex-div stocks drag FTSE 100 to six-week low
21st Aug 2013 11:33
Markets were sharply lower on Wednesday morning as risk appetite was scaled back ahead of this evening's release of the minutes of the latest Federal Reserve policy meeting. The FTSE 100 was trading as low as 6,400 today in London today; the last time it closed below this level was on July 5th when
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