Hays Q3 net fees fall 10%
8th Apr 2010 07:30
Recruiter Hays reported a 10% decline in quarterly like for like net fees but has seen stability in the UK and progress in most of its markets. "In the UK, we are seeing sequential growth in the private sector offset by reductions in the public sector," Hays said in a company statement. Net fees
Read moreBroker tips: Lloyds Banking, Aviva, Michael Page
1st Mar 2010 13:18
Nomura Securities remains negative on Lloyds Banking despite regarding the recent results from the lender as 'incrementally positive'. The broker thinks the short-term negative reaction to the results could yet flip-flop, but longer term it remains 'negative towards Lloyds owing to asset quality, f
Read moreBroker tips: RSA, Centrica, Hays
25th Feb 2010 13:40
RSA beat Panmure Gordon's forecast for profit at both the operating and pre-tax level and impressed the broker with a 7% hike in the final dividend. The insurer said operating profit fell 10% to £777m and pre-tax income dived 27% to £554m, but Panmure expected worse and likes 5% growth in UK motor
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Hays results disappoint
25th Feb 2010 13:24
Hays is down almost 9% after grim figures. Profits crashed to £3.4m in the six months to 31 December from £100.8m in 2008 and plunged 70% to £30.4m, excluding a £27m OFT fine that is currently under appeal. Turnover actually increased by 1% to £1.29bn and fell just 5% on a like for like basis due t
Read moreBroker snap: Hays dividend in danger says KBC
25th Feb 2010 11:37
Recruiter Hays may have to rethink its dividend policy and is a 'sell', suggests broker KBC Peel Hunt after a grim set of figures today. Profit slumped during the first half as companies remained more concerned with laying people off than taking them on. Profit before tax crashed dived to £3.4m in
Read moreHays profits crumble
25th Feb 2010 08:07
Profit slumped at recruitment firm Hays during the first half as companies remained more concerned with laying people off than taking them on. Profit before tax crashed to £3.4m in the six months to 31 December from £100.8m in 2008 and plunged 70% to £30.4m, excluding the £27m OFT fine that is curr
Read moreLondon close: Healthy gain for Footsie
14th Jan 2010 16:26
London blue chips rose near the close to finish the day handily ahead, despite a disappointing response to the latest retail updates. Primark and British Sugar owner Associated British Foods was one of the few risers. The group had a better than anticipated end to 2009 and expects a 'significant in
Read moreLondon afternoon: US data hits London
14th Jan 2010 14:28
Disappointing US retail sales for December had repercussions this side of the pond, prompting the morning's gains to be pared. US retail sales fell by 0.3% month-on-month in December, against expectations of a slight rise. Miners remain wanted with Xstrata, Rio Tinto, Kazakhmys and Antofagasta am
Read moreLondon midday: Miners lift Footsie
14th Jan 2010 12:08
Footsie is in the blue as strength in the mining sector offsets weakness among retailers following a stream of updates from the sector. Xstrata, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Kazakhmys, Eurasian Natural Resources and Antofagasta are all among the best performers. Rio Tintohailed another very strong qu
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: SIG leads the way
13th Jan 2010 10:47
Building products group SIG leads the risers. The firm said it has seen exceptionally challenging conditions and disruption to trading caused by extreme weather conditions in a number of countries in the final weeks of the year, but does not expect full year underlying pre-tax profits to be less tha
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Cineworld, Hays, Prostrakan
8th Jan 2010 06:38
The idea that cinemas boom during a downturn was proved right in 2009, with the annual box office gross takings in the UK breaking through £1bn for the first time. This has had Britain's largest cinema chains rubbing their hands together in glee, with the only listed group, Cineworld Group, publishi
Read moreLondon close: Footsie flatlines
7th Jan 2010 16:46
A late afternoon rally fizzled out to leave London's blue chip index little changed on the day. Banks emerged from a sticky start as the day's best performers led by Barclays and Lloyds Bank, which both received decent write-ups in an otherwise cautious broker note from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. It
Read moreLondon afternoon: Banks defy broker gloom
7th Jan 2010 14:27
Leading shares are mixed, with the Footsie barely changed now miners have recovered from a weak showing in the morning session to show gains in the afternoon. Kazakhmys and Fresnillo lead the mining sector but their gains are surpassed by two stocks from the banking sector where Barclays and Lloyds
Read moreLondon midday: Bank sits on hands
7th Jan 2010 11:51
London drifted lower ahead of the announcement of the Bank of England's quantitative easing and interest rate decision, which, as expected, left both the level of interest rates and the scale of the quanititative easing programme unchanged. Mining stocks are proving to be a millstone round Footsie'
Read moreLondon open: Miners offset strong supermarkets
7th Jan 2010 08:14
Miners are leading London's top stocks lower in early dealings on Thursday, offsetting strong demand in supermarket groups. Eurasian Natural Resources, Kazakhmys, Randgold Resources, Antofagasta, Xstrata and BHP Billiton are among the worst performers. On the positive side, Sainsbury, Tesco and Mo
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