London close: Strong finish to tough week
18th Mar 2011 16:52
Shares went into the weekend on the front foot after a week that was overshadowed by international events. Libya has acquiesced to the United Nations Security Council's resolution calling for an end to hostilities between government forces and the rebels. The United Nations Security Council voted
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Go-Ahead boosted on Southeastern news
18th Mar 2011 14:15
Rail and bus operator Go-Ahead is among the best performers Friday after it announced that it will continue to operate the Southeastern rail franchise in Kent until 2014, through its joint venture with French transport group Keolis. London and south-east housebuilder Berkeley Group continues to ben
Read moreLondon afternoon: Oil guzzlers welcome Libyan ceasefire
18th Mar 2011 14:03
The market's advance regained impetus over the lunchtime session as news came through of a ceasefire in Libya. Libya has acquiesced to the United Nations Security Council's resolution calling for an end to hostilities between government forces and the rebels. The United Nations Security Council
Read moreLondon midday: Shares rise after Japan intervention
18th Mar 2011 12:23
Shares are on the rise again today, helped by international financial intervention to help Japan following its catastrophic earthquake. The seven leading industrialised nations have taken concerted action to stop the rise of the Japanese yen. Monetary authorities in Japan, Europe, Britain and the U
Read moreGo-Ahead to continue Kent rail franchise
18th Mar 2011 11:15
Rail and bus operator Go-Ahead will continue to operate the Southeastern rail franchise in Kent until 2014. Govia, a joint venture that is 65%-owned by Go-Ahead and 35% owned by French transport group Keolis, accepted the continuation of the franchise. Go-Ahead said that the Department of Transpor
Read moreSunday tips round-up: Brightside, Velti, Polo Resources...
20th Feb 2011 11:48
Insurance group Brightside shares have dipped after management admitted the life insurance arm was not growing as fast as hoped. This weakness offers a good buying opportunity. The life business should pick up once economic conditions improve, but it is anyway a small part of the group. Elsewhere,
Read moreLondon afternoon: Miners spooked by China
18th Feb 2011 14:46
Footsie staged a half-hearted recovery over the lunch time session but the market remains lower on balance, largely as a result of weak miners, which have taken fright at further attempts by the Chinese authorities to cool down the Chinese economy. China has raised bank reserve requirements by half
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Imagination extends gains
18th Feb 2011 14:14
Graphics chip technology developer Imagination Technologies is 7% higher, extending gains from Tuesday when it signed a license agreement with European device manufacturing giant STMicroelectronics. Public transport group Go-Ahead isn't too far behind after raising full year guidance. Heading the
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 in the red
18th Feb 2011 12:15
Weakness in the mining sector has sent the top share index further into the red. Miner Anglo American is down even though it doubled profits in 2010 and is merging its UK cement, aggregates and ready-mixed concrete business with French giant Lafarge. Underlying earnings leapt to $4.98bn from $2.5
Read moreLondon open: Blue chips ease lower
18th Feb 2011 08:54
London has drifted lower in early dealing with attention switching to Bahrain and some mixed trading updates. Miner Anglo American is down even though it doubled profits in 2010 and is merging its UK cement, aggregates and ready-mixed concrete business with French giant Lafarge. Underlying earni
Read moreLondon pre-open: Looking for direction
18th Feb 2011 07:38
London is set to make an indecisive start to the final trading day of the week with City traders predicting the top share index will open a couple of points lower. Miner Anglo American doubled profits in 2010 and is merging its UK cement, aggregates and ready-mixed concrete business with French gia
Read moreGo-Ahead raises full year guidance
18th Feb 2011 07:03
More people are leaving their cars at home and taking the bus, according to Keith Ludeman, the chief executive of public transport group Go-Ahead. "Whilst rail remains difficult to predict, we now expect our full year operating profit across our rail and bus businesses to be higher than we previous
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Ocado continues to rise
24th Jan 2011 14:10
Online grocer Ocado is continuing its recent surge to head the risers of the FTSE 250. The share price has risen 40 points over the last month and has jumped around 80 points since the start of December. The group, whose main customer is Waitrose, reported a fourth quarter sales increase of 27.4% ea
Read moreGo-Ahead brings Keith Down on board
24th Jan 2011 07:18
Southeastern rail franchise operator Go-Ahead has named JD Wetherspoon's Keith Down as its new finance director. He replaces Nick Swift who is leaving to join British Airways as chief financial officer, the transport group confirmed in a company statement. Commenting on the appointment chief exe
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: CSR extends gains
22nd Dec 2010 14:28
Bluetooth chip specialist CSR is leading the risers, closely following by property group Daejan Holdings and sports chain Sport Direct International. Weather disruptions are sending some stocks lower with retailers Dixons, Dunelm and SuperGroup among the worst performers, and public transport group
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