London pre-open: Lower start expected
7th Jan 2010 07:38
Footsie is expected to give up some of its recent gains in early dealings as the company news flow picks up following the Christmas break. Sainsbury's said a record Christmas performance completed a strong third quarter in which like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, rose by 3.7%. Like-for-like sales
Read moreGlimmer of cheer at Hays
7th Jan 2010 07:20
Business is finally stabilising all over the world for recruitment firm Hays, while Asia Pacific has seen a modest quarter on quarter improvement in demand. While the quarter on quarter picture is looking better, the year on year comparisons continue to make miserable reading. Net fees in the fina
Read moreThursday preview: Sainsbury, JD Sports, Hays
6th Jan 2010 12:54
Focus remains firmly on the retailers on Thursday with supermarket chain Sainsbury and sportswear fashion seller JD Sports both giving trading updates. Sainsbury has been playing catch-up with Tesco and Asda for the last few years, all the while looking over its shoulder at fast growing sector numb
Read moreWeek ahead: Marks & Spencer, Next, Hays
31st Dec 2009 12:10
There will be some notable announcements to look out for next weeks as traders return to their desks following the Christmas and New Year's break. On Wednesday, retailers Marks and Spencer and Next will release trading updates, which should also include figures for the holiday period. Millions of
Read moreLondon close: Profit taking trims gains
11th Nov 2009 17:12
Better than expected unemployment figures and some relatively upbeat comments from Bank of England governor Mervyn King propelled Footsie to a new intra-day high for 2009 in the morning session, but stocks came off the top in the afternoon session. The UK unemployment rate, as measured by the Inter
Read moreLondon afternoon: Share prices froth over
11th Nov 2009 14:12
Share prices are coming off the top, though Footsie remains comfortably in positive territory thanks to strong demand for miners and insurers. Miners are wanted as metal prices pick up following news that Chinese industrial output rose to a 19-month high in October. BHP Billiton, Kazakhmys, Rio Ti
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie hits intra-day high for 2009
11th Nov 2009 12:15
The Footsie is hovering around its high for the year of 5300, after better than expected UK unemployment figures. Sentiment was little affected by Bank of England governor Mervyn King saying he thinks inflation will rise above the 2% target set by the government as the impact of quantitative easi
Read moreLondon open: Stocks advance early on
11th Nov 2009 08:34
Buyers have piled into mining heavyweights again as metal prices continue to surge, while trading updates and results give International Power and Sainsbury's a boost. Sainsbury's has posted a healthy rise in profits in the 28 weeks to October 3, but repeated a warning that lower food price inflati
Read moreHays yet to see recovery signs
11th Nov 2009 07:37
Recruitment group Hays reports early signs of "stability" in the United Kingdom and broader signs of stability in Asia Pacific," but no indications of recovery in either market, while Europe continues to decline, albeit more slowly than before. Ahed of its AGM, Hays, which said in September that re
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: SThree climbs after peer updates
9th Oct 2009 14:37
Recruiter SThree is one today's best performing mid-cap stocks at the end of a busy week for the sector. Robert Walters today said it saw net fee income slump by 29% in the third quarter but reports some improvements, especially in banking and in Asia, though visibility overall remains limited. Si
Read moreLondon close: Footsie highest in over a week
8th Oct 2009 16:33
Stocks ran out of steam mid-afternoon, trading as near to Wednesday's close as they had done all day, but strength on Wall Street inspired a late rally here. The top stocks were still mining companies as metal prices continued their march higher. Gold futures neared $1,060 an ounce as the dollar co
Read moreLondon afternoon: Equities in consolidation phase
8th Oct 2009 14:42
London's leading shares continued to trade sideways over the lunchtime session, consolidating the morning's gains. Mining stocks are responsible for much of the Footsie's buoyancy with Xstrata, ENRC, Kazakhmys, Antofagasta, Anglo American and BHP Billiton all going well. Vedanta is also on the u
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Halfords sets the pace
8th Oct 2009 14:05
Car and bike accessories retailer Halfords is pedalling ahead after it saw the rate of like for like (LFL) sales growth pick up in the second quarter of its financial year. Support services and construction company Carillion is higher after it said it continues to perform well and remains on track
Read moreComment: Recruiters pin hopes on stabilisation
8th Oct 2009 13:57
It would be a bit premature to say that recruitment firms are turning a corner following the ravages of the credit crunch, but three companies in the sector this week reported some encouraging - albeit tentative - trends. Michael Page and Hays both talked about stabilisation following tough times,
Read moreLondon midday: Updates please investors
8th Oct 2009 11:46
Footsie is still in the blue as investors give a warm reaction to company announcements, though the leading share index is off its earlier highs. Vedanta leads the mining sector higher. The Indian giant said zinc, copper and aluminium operations were at full capacity during the second quarter as it
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