London open: Stocks flat as markets nervously await US jobs data
7th Jun 2013 08:24
After falling to its worst level in over six weeks, London's FTSE 100 opened broadly flat on Friday morning with investors refraining from building positions ahead of the all-important US jobs report due out this afternoon. The Footsie finished 1.3% lower on Thursday at 6,336, its lowest level sinc
Read moreLondon open: Markets pause ahead of BoE and ECB decisions
6th Jun 2013 08:34
Markets opened broadly flat on Thursday morning as traders paused for breath following the heavy sell-off the day before, with all eyes on the Bank of England (BoE) and European Central Bank (ECB) as they prepare to announce their latest monetary policy decisions this afternoon. The FTSE 100 lost 2
Read moreLondon midday: Markets drop ahead of key US data
5th Jun 2013 11:18
It was another volatile morning for financial markets on Wednesday as ongoing worries about stimulus measures in the US and a heavy economic data schedule dominated market sentiment. The FTSE 100 hit intraday low of 6,453 this morning, the index's lowest level since the start of May. Concerns abo
Read moreLondon close: Stocks end higher
30th May 2013 17:30
The FTSE 100 finished the day higher, although sentiment remained fragile following the sell-off the day before, with investors taking caution ahead of some key economic indicators due out Stateside, which in the end all came in slightly worse than expectations. Such figures may help a little to c
Read moreLondon midday: Miners buoy markets ahead of US GDP
30th May 2013 11:21
The FTSE 100 was making meagre gains on Thursday morning as sentiment remained fragile following the sell-off the day before, with investors taking caution ahead of some key economic indicators. Global economic concerns sent London's top-tier index down 2.0% on Wednesday after the OECD slashed its
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise after heavy sell-off
30th May 2013 08:27
Markets opened slightly higher on Thursday morning after falling to a two-week low the day before as concerns about the global economy continue to unnerve investors. The FTSE 100 slumped 2.0% on Wednesday after the OECD slashed its global growth estimates and the International Monetary Fund reduced
Read moreLondon close: Stocks plummet as bond yields rise
29th May 2013 16:38
Financial markets erased yesterday's impressive gains on Wednesday as renewed concerns about the global economy hammered sentiment in London. "In an almost complete reversal of yesterday's price action the bears have reasserted themselves today, overturning the brief return to optimism as European
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Morrison shares hit by placing news
22nd May 2013 14:58
Shares in Morrison were falling sharply after UBS confirmed that it had placed around 100m shares in the supermarket stock on behalf of an institutional seller at 280p each, well below yesterday's closing price of 289.30p. Chip designer ARM Holdings was also under pressure today following its inve
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: RBS makes strong gains on Numis note
20th May 2013 14:56
Royal Bank of Scotland was in the lead after Numis raised its target price from 308p to 410p, while upgrading the stock to buy. Budget airline easyJet was also flying high after both Deutsche Bank and Citigroup lifted their target prices for the stock following last week's first-half results. Citi
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie flat as miners dampen earlier gains
20th May 2013 11:26
The FTSE 100 had erased its early-morning gains by Monday lunchtime, as strong performances by easyJet and RBS were offset by heavy falls in the mining sector. "A dearth of economic data in Europe this morning is mirrored across the Pond, giving traders the opportunity to pause and assess ahead of
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Aviva leads the way higher on turnaround strategy
16th May 2013 14:39
Insurance group Aviva, was leading the risers after it said it is delivering on its turnaround strategy. The company's pro-forma value of new business, a key measure of its growth, was up 18% in the first quarter at £191m from £162m the year before, driven by improved profitability in UK life insu
Read moreLondon midday: Markets rangebound but winning streak continues
16th May 2013 11:34
The FTSE 100 was continuing to trade within an extremely tight range on Thursday morning as investors consider how much further the rally will go given that the index is already trading at levels not seen in five and a half years. Just 15 points separated the Footsie's intraday low (6,693) and hig
Read moreSector movers: Miners drop on global growth concerns
14th May 2013 14:59
Uncertainty about the global economy was weighing heavily on the mining sectors on Tuesday, as concerns over the demand outlook prompted investors to scale back their appetite for risk. Fears of a hard landing in China have dampened sentiment today after JPMorgan Chase & Co cut its economic growth
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Severn Trent tops index after bid approach is confirmed
14th May 2013 14:57
Severn Trent topped the leaderboard after it confirmed press speculation that it has received a bid approach from a consortium of investors, which is rumoured to value the UK utility company around 5.3bn pounds. In a statement released this morning, Severn Trent said it had received an approach with
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 snaps eight-day winning streak as miners fall
14th May 2013 11:50
Strong gains in the utilities sector after a takeover approach for Severn Trent and some well-received results from Babcock International weren't enough to lift markets into positive territory by Tuesday lunchtime, as the FTSE 100 snapped an eight-day winning streak. "The broader market malaise is
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