London pre-open: LTRO sparks slight rise in FTSE opening
2nd Mar 2012 07:32
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open slightly higher, up five points from yesterday's close of 3,931, as the European Central Bank's long term refinancing offer (LTRO) soothed investor jitters. Mario Draghi, ECB President, has said the bank is "reasonably satisfied" with the €529.5bn in cheap
Read moreGlaxo to form leading Japanese vaccine company with Daiichi Sankyo
2nd Mar 2012 07:18
Pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) expects to create the number one vaccines company in Japan after forming a joint venture (JV) with Japanese peer Daiichi Sankyo. The JV, in which each company owns an equal 50/50 stake, will supply globally recommended vaccines to help protect people of a
Read moreLondon close: Stocks establish a new high for the year
20th Feb 2012 17:46
-Miners jump as investors seek riskier assets. -Officials optimistic about securing Greek bailout. -PBoC cuts RRR for banks. -ECB bought no debt last week through SMP program. Stocks rose on Monday and established a new high for the year after what appears to have been some genuinely positive new
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners leap on Greek deal optimism
20th Feb 2012 14:33
Mining stocks and banks performed well in the morning session, buoyed by Greek optimism and the People´s Bank of China's decision to cut its legal reserve ratio requirement for large banks by half a percentage point, announced late on Friday. Mining stalwarts Kazakhmys, Eurasian Natural Resources
Read moreLondon close: Stocks finish down with Greece in focus
15th Feb 2012 16:38
- Oil rises on supply concerns. - PBOC to keep buying Eurozone debt. - Samaras to honour terms of new package. Despite an earlier rise, the FTSE 100 index slumped in afternoon trade to finish in the red as strong performance by banks was offset by some heavyweight stocks that went ex-dividend. All
Read moreSector movers: Electricals rise, while ex-div stocks drag pharmaceuticals lower
15th Feb 2012 16:09
The full-year results from industrial materials maker Morgan Crucible were received well on Wednesday, helping to push the electronic and electrical equipment sector higher. Morgan Crucible saw record revenues and operating profit in 2011, with the group making rapid progress towards the attainment
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Ex-dividend stocks provide a drag
15th Feb 2012 14:46
Drugs giant AstraZeneca plunged into bottom spot, followed by sector peer GlaxoSmithKline and big oil players BP and Shell, after all four went ex-dividend today. Shares of ITV took a hit following a downgrade from Peel Hunt. The broker said that with the shares of the broadcaster having gained ste
Read moreLondon midday: Banks provide a boost
15th Feb 2012 11:45
- Banks lead the risers on the Footsie. - PBOC to keep buying Eurozone debt. - Venizelos foresees bailout resolution. UK stocks were slightly higher by midday after China pledged to continue buying Eurozone bonds, easing concerns of the region's debt crisis. Banks were the best performers of the d
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise as China pledges to keep helping Eurozone
15th Feb 2012 08:19
- PBOC to keep buying Eurozone debt. - Eurogroup meeting cancelled. - Essar leads the risers early on. UK stocks rose in early trading on Wednesday, rebounding after yesterday's decline, with European indices following Asian markets higher after China pledged to continue buying Eurozone debt. Spea
Read moreBroker snap: Credit Suisse cautious about 2012 at Glaxo
8th Feb 2012 15:37
Credit Suisse has trimmed its current-year forecasts for pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline following yesterday's release of its 2011 results, with the broker saying that a "cautious 2012 outlook may disappoint". Full-year turnover fell 3% to $27,387m, however, on an underlying basis, group sale
Read moreLondon close: Losses pared ahead of Greek meeting
7th Feb 2012 16:35
-Greek talks enter critical stage. -Shareholders raise questions over terms of Glencore/Xstrata merger. -Defensives in demand as investors flee from risk. Losses were trimmed by the end of trade on Tuesday with reports pointing to progress being made in Greece. Government leaders and international
Read moreGlaxo reports falling sales but raises divi - UPDATE
7th Feb 2012 11:51
Shares in GlaxoSmithKline took a hit in afternoon trade on Tuesday after the pharmaceuticals giant reported fourth quarter sales that missed forecasts. Nevertheless, the firm upped its total dividend and identified further share buy-backs in the coming year. Glaxo has announced an ordinary fourth q
Read moreFriday broker round-up - UPDATE
3rd Feb 2012 09:09
Royal Bank of Scotland: Deutsche Bank downgrades to hold from buy. BT Group: Nomura reiterates buy recommendation and 285p target. AstraZeneca: Nomura keeps reduce rating and 2,400p target. GlaxoSmithKline: Nomura reiterates neutral rating and 1,220p target. Royal Dutch Shell B: Nomura raises ta
Read moreLondon close: Euro worries drag Footsie down 1.1%
30th Jan 2012 17:13
Just nine stocks in the FTSE 100 finished above water on Monday as the Eurozone crisis weighed heavily on sentiment. With the borrowing rate of Portuguese debt surging, Greek talks still unresolved and an EU summit taking place, a risk-off attitude swept across the market today with resource stocks
Read moreSector movers: Miners sold off as dollar gains on euro crisis
30th Jan 2012 14:50
The Eurozone crisis sparked a sell-off in the industrial metals and mining sector today, as ongoing talks in Greece and this afternoon's EU summit weighed on market sentiment. The absence of a debt-swap deal in Greece, the downgrade of five Eurozone nations, and a euro-era record high Portuguese 10
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