London close: Shares fall as Libya crisis intensifies
21st Feb 2011 16:53
The top share index was nursing big losses at trading's close as worries over the turmoil in Libya sent the oil price soaring and continued high usage of the European Central Bank's marginal lending facility stoked nervousness over banks. Banks are granted the right to seek overnight loans from th
Read moreLondon afternoon: ECB emergency loans give banks jitters
21st Feb 2011 14:26
Concerns about rising oil prices should Libya descend into civil war are nagging away at investors, while continued high usage of the European Central Bank's marginal lending facility is making traders nervous about banks. Banks are granted the right to seek overnight loans from the European Centr
Read moreLondon midday: Banks hold back FTSE 100
21st Feb 2011 12:12
Shares are in the red as banking stocks fall back and the turmoil in the Arab world casts a shadow. Banks are the main drag, with RBS, Lloyds and Barclays nursing losses following gains last week. RBS and Lloyds are due to release results later this week. The oil price has topped $104 a barrel as
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks head lower
21st Feb 2011 11:58
RBS and Lloyds are lower ahead of their results later this week. On top of that, Lloyds has announced a voluntary agreement with the FSA about certain Halifax mortgage contracts. This relates to the wording of the mortgage contracts. Barclays is also lower. Invensys is higher because of press spec
Read moreLondon open: Bid chatter lifts Footsie
21st Feb 2011 08:44
London has recovered its early losses with a smattering of bid talk and some decent trading updates encouraging a few buyers. The US market will be closed for Presidents' Day Invensys is the top performer after weekend reports it is being stalked by international rivals considering a bid for the co
Read moreLondon pre-open: Set for a subdued start
21st Feb 2011 07:34
London is making a slow start to the week on a day when the US market will be closed for Presidents' Day. City traders expect the blue-chip index to open around 12 points down from Friday's close. Sausage skins maker Devro produced full-fat results for 2010 with operating margin improving sharply
Read moreHammerson profits from recovery
21st Feb 2011 07:26
A revaluation of Hammerson's portfolio of shopping centres and retail parks swung the property giant far into the black during 2010. The owner of Brent Cross in London and Birmingham's Bullring made a pre-tax profit of £620.2m last year compared with a loss of £453.1m in 2009 thanks to a £447m incr
Read moreWeek Ahead: BoE meeting minutes, RBS, Lloyds
18th Feb 2011 10:53
With each month that passes the release of the minutes of the meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) become more eagerly anticipated, as the consensus view of the rate-setting committee starts to fragment. The Bank of England's quarterly inflation report on Wednesday conceded that the cent
Read moreBroker tips: Sage, William Hill, Land Securities
19th Jan 2011 11:51
Financial services firm Matrix says that property giant Land Securities looks the best value of the three large cap London/retail plays at present and places the stock in its 'add' category. The property group highlighted steady progress with lettings in its interim management statement on Wednesda
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Pearson, SuperGroup, Morgan Sindall
16th Dec 2010 06:31
Pearson still derives 75% of its revenue from print, whether that is school books, copies of the Financial Times or hit titles such as Superfreakonomics. It would be natural to assume that the publisher is in danger of coming unstuck during the undoubtedly bumpy transition to digital from paper.With
Read moreLondon close: Footsie stumbles as recovery falters
15th Dec 2010 16:42
Footsie closed lower after a recovery following a decent performance on Wall Street fell just short. Shares were under the weather earlier on, with the eurozone debt situation helping to darken the mood, but later moved back towards the blue as strong economic data in the US buoyed sentiment. Fig
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Simon lays out offer for Capital Shopping
15th Dec 2010 13:49
Simon Property has written to Capital Shopping Centres (CSC), today's top riser in the FTSE 100, outlining an indicative proposal worth 425p a share in cash, or almost £3bn, from US mall owner Simon Proeprty Group. CSC points out that any bid is subject to financing. The CSC board is meeting today.
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks stuck lower
15th Dec 2010 12:12
Shares are under the weather today as eurozone debt worries resurface, adding to the gloom after last night's comments from the US Federal Reserve about "disappointingly slow" growth. Two ratings agencies have issued separate warnings on the debt worries plaguing Spain and Belgium. Moody's says it
Read moreLondon open: Blue chips head lower
15th Dec 2010 08:58
Late weakness on Wall Street has caused an an early slip in London despite a bid for Capital Shopping and more drilling success for BG. Simon Property has written to Capital Shopping Centres (CSC) outlining an indicative proposal worth 425p a share in cash, or almost £3bn. US mall owner Simon, wh
Read moreLondon pre-open: Losses likely
15th Dec 2010 07:35
Late weakness on Wall Street took the steam out of US stocks last night and looks like causing an early slip in London Wednesday. Futures prices are indicating are drop of around 26 points for the FTSE 100 when trading gets underway. Oil company BG Group has discovered gas in the deepwater Qiongdo
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