FTSE 100 movers: Centrica drops, oil and gas stocks lower
19th Feb 2015 14:14
With oil and gas prices plummeting, Centrica took dramatic action by slashing its dividend and future payout policy, warning that earnings for next year will be lower than expected too. Shares in the British Gas owner dropped sharply the company cut its dividend 21% to 19.2p, which will be a "major
Read morePanmure Gordon picks out "most vulnerable" UK dividends
18th Feb 2015 13:27
Panmure Gordon has warned of "storm clouds on the horizon" for income investors as corporate payouts reach "unsustainable" levels and has picked out several FTSE 350 companies where dividends appear particularly vulnerable. Although the UK economy has begun 2015 in rude health, the broker pointed ou
Read moreLondon close: FTSE closing in on record high as commodity stocks rally
13th Feb 2015 16:30
UK stocks jumped on Friday as rising commodity prices lifted shares in the oil and mining sectors, while hopes increased that Europe can come to an agreement over the future of Greece. The FTSE 100 rose 0.7% to 6,873.52 by the end of trade, its best finish since early September 2014. The index is no
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Glaxosmithkline upgraded, miners and oil stocks higher
13th Feb 2015 14:29
Glaxosmithkline's shares were given a boost by UBS which upgraded its rating for the pharmaceutical stock by two notches from 'sell' to 'buy', saying that the business is now at an "inflection point" after a tough few years. The bank hiked its target price for the stock from 1,250p to 1,700p. The sh
Read moreBroker tips: Glaxosmithkline, Rolls-Royce, ITV
13th Feb 2015 11:48
Glaxosmithkline's shares were given a boost on Friday by UBS which upgraded its rating for the pharmaceutical stock by two notches from 'sell' to 'buy', saying that the business is now at an "inflection point". The bank hiked its target price for the stock from 1,250p to 1,700p, saying it foresees p
Read moreLondon midday: Eurozone GDP data lifts markets as resource stocks rise
13th Feb 2015 11:37
Stronger-than-expected Eurozone growth figures and easing concerns about Ukraine and Greece gave stocks a boost in London on Friday, with resource shares leading the advance. The FTSE 100 was trading 0.6% higher at 6,869 by midday, as metal and oil stocks tracked commodity prices higher. Eurozone g
Read moreGlaxosmithkline at "inflection point" as UBS upgrades from 'sell' to 'buy'
13th Feb 2015 09:45
Glaxosmithkline's shares were given a boost on Friday by UBS which upgraded its rating for the pharmaceutical stock by two notches from 'sell' to 'buy', saying that the business is now at an "inflection point". The bank hiked its target price for the stock from 1,250p to 1,700p, saying it foresees s
Read moreGSK hails positive results in melanoma study ahead of FDA approval
6th Feb 2015 07:26
Glaxosmithkline (GSK) has announced positive overall survival results from a study of its treatment for patients with 'mutation-positive metastatic melanoma'. The COMBI-d study showed a "statistically significant reduction in the risk of death" for the combination of dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and tramet
Read moreAstrazeneca has a lot to prove, says The Share Centre
5th Feb 2015 10:22
The Share Centre has rated Astrazeneca a 'hold' for medium-risk investors after fourth-quarter results from the drugmaker disappointed the market on Thursday, with the broker highlighting its preference for sector rival Glaxosmithkline (GSK). The company reported a 2% increase in revenues to $6.68bn
Read moreLondon close: Stocks trim losses on Greek hopes, Chinese stimulus
4th Feb 2015 17:09
A late rally helped the FTSE 100 to erase most of its losses on Wednesday as optimism surrounding Greece and stimulus measures in China lifted sentiment, though stocks still finished in the red after hitting a five-month high the previous day. London's Footsie ended the session down 0.2% at 6,860.02
Read moreSector movers: GSK leads defensive pharma stocks higher
4th Feb 2015 14:35
A massive cash return by Glaxosmithkline gave the wider sector a lift on Wednesday, with defensive healthcare and pharmaceutical stocks also benefiting from a reduction in risk appetite as UK markets pulled back from a five-month high. Sales, profits and earnings slumped during the fourth quarter of
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Hargreaves Lansdown falls short of expectations, Sky higher on strong interim figures
4th Feb 2015 13:51
Half-yearly results from fund manager and savings outfit Hargreaves Lansdown showed record assets under administration and growing client numbers, though shares fell sharply after revenues and profits came in shy of City expectations. Analysts at Shore Capital said: "The figures show a slight improv
Read moreGlaxoSmithKline fourth quarter declines brightened by £4bn cash return
4th Feb 2015 12:33
Sales, profits and earnings slumped during the last quarter of the year at drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline due to headwinds in the US market, though the company pleased investors after confirming it would return £4bn cash from its deal with Novartis. Revenues for the full year fell 3% to £23bn, due to "ch
Read moreGSK's Ebola vaccine shipped to Liberia for first large-scale trials
23rd Jan 2015 12:55
GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) Ebola vaccine has been shipped to Liberia for first large-scale trials. Trials of the vaccine, which uses a type of chimpanzee cold virus, are expected to begin as early as next week. GSK said it hopes to enrol 30,000 people following the shipment of the first dose to Monrov
Read moreSunday share tips: Mitie, UK Mail, Vodafone
18th Jan 2015 18:44
Mitie's shares have fallen but not as fast as those of outsourcing rivals such as Serco and Balfour Beatty, Danny Fortson pointed out in the Sunday Times. Matthew Earl, a former City analyst who writes a blog, criticised Mitie for buying companies to compensate for its own slow progress and for the
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