London open: Footsie still on the rise
8th Sep 2009 08:40
London's blue chips are on the rise again this morning ahead of Wall Street's return following Monday's public holiday. Kingfisher is going well after it mistakenly circulated some draft figures on Monday afternoon. That has foreced the DIY retailer to admit this morning that adjusted pre-tax profi
Read moreLondon pre-open: Bright start predicted
8th Sep 2009 07:36
The leading index is expected to extend yesterday's gains by about 10 points in early deals ahead of Wall Street's return following Monday's public holiday. Kingfisher mistakenly circulated some draft figures on Monday afternoon, forcing the DIY retailer to admit this morning that adjusted pre-tax
Read moreFood sales boost Greene King
8th Sep 2009 07:07
Strong food sales helped pub group and brewer Greene King post a healthy rise in like-for-like sales in the 17 weeks to 30 August. The firm, which brews Abbot Ale and Old Speckled Hen and sells them at its pubs, said like-for-like sales were up by 4.6%, with food operations seeing growth of 8.1%.
Read moreTuesday preview: Market to digest fresh data
7th Sep 2009 15:48
Investors will have some economic data to get their teeth into on Tuesday, with industrial production and manufacturing numbers for July due early on. Both reports are expected to reveal modest growth. Industrial production is forecast to have risen 0.2% during the month following June's 0.5% growt
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Greene King, Game, Wellstream
3rd Jul 2009 06:43
Greene King, the pub operator and brewer, reckons it is in a much better position than many of its rivals. The group issued its full-year numbers yesterday, saying that profits fell by 15%, which beat most analysts' expectations and led to a 3% rise in the share price. It is certainly one of the mo
Read moreLondon close: Heavy losses for Footsie
2nd Jul 2009 16:37
Footsie closed the day nursing triple-digit losses as investors took fright following poor US monthly jobs figures. WPP was the day's worst performer as Citigroup downgraded the UK advertising firm to sell from hold, saying a continuation of the trends in the second quarter would suggest a 7.5% org
Read moreLondon afternoon: Slide accelerates after US open
2nd Jul 2009 15:00
Investors are bailing out of equities in the US ahead of the long holiday week-end in the States, prompting the decline in UK equities to pick up pace. Rio Tinto is the day's worst performer despite a strong response to its $15.2bn rights issue. Shareholders have taken up 96.97% of the shares offer
Read moreSector movers: Rio weighs on miners
2nd Jul 2009 14:34
Miner Rio Tinto shareholders have taken up 96.97% of the shares offered to them as part of the miner's $15.2bn fully underwritten rights issue. Major shareholder Chinalco has taken up its entitlement in full. Fresnillo, Anglo American and Lonmin are also lower. Meanwhile, Sierra Leone-focused mine
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Investors show thirst for pubs
2nd Jul 2009 13:40
Pubs and brewers were very much in focus Thursday after Greene King profits beat forecasts and it said sales were up at the start of its new financial year. Profit before tax and exceptional items for the 52 weeks ended 3 May fell 15% from the previous year to £118.5m, but that was ahead of the £11
Read moreBroker tips: Standard Chartered, Greene King, Game
2nd Jul 2009 13:20
Though it continues to favour fellow Asia-focused bank HSBC, UBS has moved from a negative to a neutral stance on Standard Chartered, and sees the shares becoming becalmed in the near future. UBS has upped its price target from £10 to £11.40, some 50p below Standard Chartered's current share price.
Read moreBroker snap: Greene King tops forecasts
2nd Jul 2009 12:50
Regional brewer and pub chain owner Greene King may have upset elements of the real ale crowd through its policy of buying up rivals and closing their breweries, but the investment analyst community seems to be raising a glass to the company's strategy. KBC Peel Hunt has upgraded the stock from "ho
Read moreLondon midday: Struggle for blue chips
2nd Jul 2009 12:11
London's top stocks are struggling to make headway with the index heading back down as buyers sit on the sidelines. London Stock Exchange is the biggest faller after it announced a new pricing scheme yesterday. The stock market operator says the new tariff would have resulted in £3m worth of tradin
Read moreLondon open: Footsie starts down
2nd Jul 2009 08:18
London's top stocks have dropped in early dealings Thursday after Wall Street steadily declined from morning highs on Wednesday. Rio Tinto shareholders have taken up 96.97% of the shares offered to them as part of the miner's $15.2bn fully underwritten rights issue. The group said on Thursday it r
Read moreLondon pre-open: Drop likely as US gains slashed
2nd Jul 2009 07:42
Wall Street's steady decline from morning highs on Wednesday is likely to leave London lower in early trade. Futures prices are currently indicating an initial deficit of about 25 points. Rio Tinto shareholders have taken up 96.97% of the shares offered to them as part of the miner's $15.2bn fully
Read moreGreene King profit tops own forecast
2nd Jul 2009 07:21
Brewing and pub group Greene King has reported profits that beat forecasts it made at the time of its rights issue in April that raised over £200m for the group. Profit before tax and exceptional items for the 52 weeks ended 3 May fell 15% from the previous year to £118.5m, but that was ahead of t
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