London pre-open: Gains expected ahead of ECB meeting
4th Dec 2014 07:43
The FTSE is expected to open higher on Thursday morning amid expectations the European Central Bank (ECB) will take a step closer to full quantitative easing (QE) at its December meeting. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open around 16 points higher than yesterday's close of 6,716.63. Preside
Read moreHays purchases 80% stake in Veredus
4th Dec 2014 07:04
Recruitment company Hays has acquired an 80% stake of US IT staffing firm Veredus for £28m on a cash-free basis. The purchase will be fully funded from existing debt facilities and Hays has the option, which will be available for exercise in March 2018, to acquire the remaining 20% from the selling
Read moreFriday newspaper round-up: Germany, Energy, Oil
9th Oct 2014 19:03
The Eurozone is showing the symptoms of Japan's longstanding economic issues and needs to adopt measures to avert the threat of recession, the Guardian reported on Friday. Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund, warned there was a "serious risk" of a recession in the Eurozone
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Miners lead upside as N Brown brings up the rear
9th Oct 2014 16:12
As on the top tier, mining stocks moved higher as a weaker dollar prompted a jump in gold and silver prices. Recruitment firm Hays has made a "good start" to the new financial year with like-for-like (LFL) net fees up 9% in the first quarter. Fees from temporary positions increased by 7% on a LFL ba
Read moreHays sees growth across the board in first quarter
9th Oct 2014 08:02
Recruitment firm Hays has made a "good start" to the new financial year with like-for-like (LFL) net fees up 9% in the first quarter. Fees from temporary positions increased by 7% on a LFL basis in the three months to 30 September, while permanent fees rose 12%. The company said every region delive
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Hays leads ahead of Q1 results
6th Oct 2014 14:34
Hays was rising ahead of its first-quarter results due out on Friday, which come after its chief in August said he felt confident that the company could reach its target of doubling operating profits to £250m. Just Retirement was lifted by Deutsche Bank, which upped its rating on the stock from 'hol
Read moreFriday broker round-up UPDATE
29th Aug 2014 10:58
Arrow Global: Numis shifts target price from 285p to 287p and leaves its add rating unchanged. Berendsen: Oriel raises target price from 1130p to 1243p keeping a buy recommendation. British Polythene Industries: Investec ups target price from 720p to 750p reiterating a buy recommendation. bwin.pa
Read moreHays ahead of schedule for operating profit target
28th Aug 2014 10:05
Recruiter Hays reported a 20% rise in full-year operating profits, which put it ahead of its schedule to double the figure by 2018. Strong, broad-based net fee growth was reported in both the UK and Ireland, which drove regional net fees 11% higher and helped lift group operating profit 12% to £14
Read moreFriday broker round-up UPDATE
18th Jul 2014 07:55
Barclays: Credit Suisse cuts target price from 275p to 235p retaining a neutral rating. Barratt Developments: Liberum Capital reduces target price from 468p to 387p and downgrades to hold. Bellway: Liberum Capital reduces target price from 1900p to 1764p, while leaving its buy recommendation uncha
Read moreTuesday tips round-up: AVEVA, Recruitment stocks
15th Jul 2014 07:37
'Hold' shares of engineering software group AVEVA for the long term, recommended the Tempus column in The Times on Tuesday. While AVEVA is seen by analysts as a "world-class British company with a leading position in its core business", the market has fallen out of love with the stock, according to
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Mining stocks weaken, Hays extends losses
11th Jul 2014 15:26
Mining stocks were dominating the fallers list on the FTSE 250 on Friday as risk appetite weakened ahead of the weekend. Kazakhmys, Centamin, Polymetal and African Barrick Gold were all suffering heavy losses by the afternoon. UK recruitment company Hays was extending losses made yesterday after it
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Ashmore lifted by strong set of fourth quarter results
10th Jul 2014 15:52
Much stronger net inflows and a better investment performance helped emerging markets asset manager Ashmore beat consensus forecasts for fourth-quarter assets under management and arrest the previous quarter's decline. Assets under management increased 7% during the quarter to $75bn, having declined
Read moreHays reiterates full-year guidance after Q4 growth
10th Jul 2014 08:46
- Full-year profit guidance reiterated - Net fees rise 7% - Growth in permanent and temporary units - UK and Ireland drive performance UK recruitment company Hays reiterated its full-year guidance for operating profit of about £140m after achieving 7% total like-for-like growth in net fees in the
Read moreSunday tips round-up: Serco, Balfour Beatty, N Brown
6th Jul 2014 17:41
Serco is becoming a classic falling knife share, Questor said in The Sunday Telegraph. Its loss of the contract to run London's Docklands Light Railway caps a grim 12 months for the outsourcing group. The problem for Rupert Soames, the new Chief Executive, is that Serco is in danger of being locked
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
8th May 2014 08:40
Anglo American: Deutsche Bank ups target price from 1510p to 1550p and retains a hold recommendation. Balfour Beatty: Berenberg reduces target price from 350p to 290p and keeps a buy recommendation. BBA Aviation: JP Morgan cuts target price from 386p to 369p retaining an overweight rating. Bodyco
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