London close: US tax cut extension boosts shares
7th Dec 2010 16:52
Shares closed with decent gains Tuesday, though off earlier highs that came after an extension of George W Bush's tax cuts in the US lifted sentiment. US president Barack Obama has said that he will agree to a two-year extension on tax-cuts from the Bush era in a compromise arrangement that bodes w
Read moreLondon afternoon: Shares extend gains
7th Dec 2010 14:23
With US stocks set to open high on the back of the tax-cuts deal between president Obama and the Republican party, London's blue-chips added to the morning's gains over the lunch time session. US president Barack Obama has said that he will agree to a two-year extension on tax-cuts from the Bush er
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie keeps climbing
7th Dec 2010 12:18
Footsie has been moving steadily upward as higher commodity prices boost resource stocks after a US tax cut extension improved optimism on global economic growth. US president Barack Obama has said that he will agree to a two-year extension on tax-cuts from the Bush era, while on this side of the A
Read moreLondon open: Blue chips firmer
7th Dec 2010 08:47
London's blue-chips have opened firmer with resources stocks in demand and a solid update from Tesco providing some encouragement for buyers. Miners and oil stocks lead the risers with the price of crude edging up towards the $90 per barrel mark. Essar, Fresnillo and Antofagasta are the best of the
Read moreStandard Life agrees £42m Focus buy
7th Dec 2010 07:35
Standard Life has agreed to buy pensions and life product back office software group Focus Solutions through a £42m, 140p per share, all cash offer. The life group says the purchase is part of its strategy broadly to double its growth investment in 2010 and will improve its suite of solutions and s
Read moreFocus Solutions magnifies profits
12th Oct 2010 12:55
Financial services software provider Focus Solutions had a better than expected first half, with revenues and profits both up. Sales for the six month period to 30 September 2010 are expected to be about £5.4m, an increase of 25% over the same period last year, with operating profit of more than £1
Read moreLondon close: Footsie fightback loses momentum
4th Oct 2010 16:48
Footsie enjoyed a brief incursion into positive territory in mid-afternoon trading, but was driven back into the red in line with weakness on Wall Street. Here, oil stocks were a major drag on the index with BP, Cairn Energy and Royal Dutch Shell all headed south. Plumbers' merchant Wolseley mov
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie treading water
4th Oct 2010 14:31
Footsie threatened to move back into positive territory over the lunch time session but just fell short. Oil stocks remains a major drag on the index with BP, Cairn Energy and Royal Dutch Shell all heading south. The morning's biggest faller, satellite operator Inmarsat , is now showing a small
Read moreLondon midday: Inmarsat hit by stake sale talk
4th Oct 2010 12:02
Resource stocks remain a drag on the Footsie which ended the morning in arrears after a moderately firm start. BP, Cairn Energy and Melrose Resources are among the big hitters in the oil sector nursing losses, while in the mining sector Xstrata, Lonmin and Antofagasta are under the cosh. Anglo-Swi
Read moreFocus Solutions rockets on £10m deal
4th Oct 2010 11:23
Focus Solutions Group has won its biggest deal yet for the firm's focus:360° software that allows companies, mainly the big banks, to provide financial services. AIM-listed Focus will pocket about £10m from the contract with a "major bank" - £6.5m in licence fees, around £2.5m in implementation se
Read moreSmall caps round-up: Alecto Energy, Eruma, Kryso.....
22nd Sep 2010 16:02
Mining investment company Alecto Energy saw pre-tax losses widen in the half year to June 30 to £389,812, from £88,214 over the same period the previous year, as it laid foundations for exploration activity in Mauritania. Alecto has submitted applications for three gold and base metal and two urani
Read moreUK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP:F&C Opposes Commercial Property Trust Merger
9th Jun 2010 16:00
Dow Jones smallcap news is now on Twitter, allowing you to catch up on the news away from your desk. Go to http://twitter.com/DJ_UK_Smallcaps F&C ASSET MANAGEMENT PLC (FCAM.LN) said Wednesday it is seeking to stop a commercial property trust it manages from merging with another, in a deal that
Read moreRegulatory change to drive Focus Solutions
9th Jun 2010 14:12
Focus Solutions, whose software allows firms to provide financial services, has keyed in a 15% increase in full-year profit and anticipates regulatory changes driving further demand. A 3% increase in revenue to £9.6m during the year to 31 March was driven by higher licence sales of focus:360° softw
Read moreUK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: First Property Sees Asset Growth
9th Jun 2010 12:30
Dow Jones smallcap news is now on Twitter, allowing you to catch up on the news away from your desk. Go to http://twitter.com/DJ_UK_Smallcaps FIRST PROPERTY GROUP PLC (FPO.LN), a U.K. property fund manager, Wednesday posted a 28% fall in fiscal 2010 pretax profit but said its earnings are set t
Read moreUPDATE: Focus Solutions: Partnerships To Spur New Mkt Entry
9th Jun 2010 11:24
(Adds executive comment, detail) By Hannah Benjamin Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES LONDON (Dow Jones)--Financial services software company Focus Solutions Group PLC (FSG.LN) Wednesday said it plans to step up its push in to new markets this year by increasing tie-ups with partners that can re-se
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