Broker snap: Divi stocks back in vogue
22nd Feb 2010 13:06
Barclays Capital is advising its clients to buy 'high quality dividend stocks' as dividend yields trade close to historical highs relative to bond yields. 'After the 60% rally since March 2009 led by financials and cyclicals, we have seen a reversal in style in the market over the last four weeks.
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Avandia concern knocks GlaxoSmithKline
22nd Feb 2010 12:28
GlaxoSmithKline took its second hit in the space of a few days as a US Senate committee suggested its diabetes medicine Avandia may increase the risk of a heart attack. Brokers reckon the main risk to the company is from possible litigation as the report claims that Glaxo knew of possible heart at
Read moreGlaxoSmithKline faces new Avandia criticism
22nd Feb 2010 12:27
GlaxoSmithKline has revealed more potential problems in the US, this time for its controversial diabetes medicine Avandia. A report from the US Senate cites studies from the US Food and Drug Administration that called for the drug to be pulled from the market because of a possible link to heart il
Read moreThursday preview: Shell, Unilever, GSK, Vodafone, MPC
3rd Feb 2010 14:42
Shareholders in Royal Dutch Shell are probably apprehensive ahead of the Anglo-Dutch oil titan's fourth quarter results on Thursday after the drubbing the share price of perennial rival BP took following the UK company's disappointing figures. Royal Dutch Shell is expected to announce fourth quarte
Read moreLSE launches retail bond market
1st Feb 2010 17:18
Some 33 years after the Jim Callaghan-led Labour government became an unlikely midwife to the concept of a 'share owning democracy' with its privatisation of a chunk of the government's stake in BP, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) is hoping to convert a proportion of the British public to the appeal
Read moreMonday newspaper round-up: Royal Bank of Scotland, British Airways, House prices
1st Feb 2010 06:38
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has been forced back to the negotiating table in the $2bn (£1.3bn) sale of RBS Sempra, its commodities trading unit, after its preferred buyer balked at President Obama's clampdown on proprietary trading. JP Morgan, which was named two weeks ago as the exclusive bidder
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: ITV, GSK, HSBC
31st Jan 2010 11:40
In the coming months, chairman Archie Norman, who was joined by former Royal Mail head Adam Crozier as chief executive, are expected to consider the possibility of a pay-per-view package for ITV 2, 3 and 4 among a range of options as ITV benefits from a slowly improving economic climate, says the Su
Read moreLondon close: Footsie snaps 4-day losing streak
26th Jan 2010 16:25
Top stocks staged a recovery late afternoon as Wall Street reacted well to US consumer confidence at a 16-month high. Standard Chartered was a bright spot after Nomura said the recent share price fall represents a buying opportunity. The Japanese broker upgraded the Far East focused bank to 'buy'
Read moreLondon afternoon: Losses pared
26th Jan 2010 14:19
Leading shares cut back their losses over the lunch time session but resource stocks remain under the cosh on fears that the Chinese authorities will step up its campaign to cool down its overheating economy and lift interest rates. Fresnillo, Xstrata and Kazakhmys lead the mining sector lower, wh
Read moreBroker snap: De La Rue outlook 'excellent'
26th Jan 2010 10:24
Banknote printer De La Rue today reported strong trading in its third quarter and analysts at Ambrian feel the dynamics driving the outlook remain 'excellent'. The broker, which rates the shares a 'buy', points to a combination of market position, reputation, customer relationships and intellectual
Read moreLondon close: Downward drift continues
25th Jan 2010 16:33
Nervousness returned to the markets after an indecisive start, sending Footsie to another day of losses on top of last week's slump. British American Tobacco, National Grid, GlaxoSmithKline and Scottish & Southern Energy were among the fallers. Miners were also hit, with ENRC, Anglo American and R
Read moreLondon afternoon: Shares drift lower
25th Jan 2010 16:04
Nervousness has returned to the markets following an indecisive start to the day. The UK's leading index has suffered further losses after last week's 200 point slump as investors discussed the potential impact of President Obama's new bank controls. US shares fell heavily last week on the shock
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie holding on
25th Jan 2010 12:22
London continues to trade just above 5,300 thanks to financials and mining plays, although defensive issues are proving a drag. The UK's leading index slumped 200 points last week as investors discussed the potential impact of President Obama's new bank controls. But it appears there's a feeling t
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: Skipton, British Airways, HSBC
21st Jan 2010 06:05
Tens of thousands of homeowners are facing an extra £2,000 interest on their mortgages every year after Skipton Building Society tore up its contract with customers, blaming the "exceptional circumstances" caused by the credit crunch. Letters are being sent to 29,000 of the mutual's 100,000 mortga
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie undermined by Chinese rumours
20th Jan 2010 14:24
The eight biggest fallers among FTSE 100 constituents are all miners, as the sector comes under the cosh on reports that China has told its banks to stop lending in an attempt to cool its runaway economy. Antofagasta, Xstrata, Lonmin, Eurasian Natural Resources and Vedanta were all nursing losses o
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