Broker snap: Home Retail overvalued, sell says Merchant Securities
2nd May 2012 10:48
Merchant Securities has maintained its sell recommendation for Argos and Homebase owner Home Retail Group, saying that while the preliminary results were broadly in line, there are tough market conditions ahead. Pre-tax profits fell 60% to £90.2m in the year to 25 February while sales were down 6%
Read moreLondon open: Banks, ex-div stocks weigh on FTSE 100
2nd May 2012 08:43
- HSBC Chinese PMI improves but still below 50 - Standard Chartered falls after first-quarter update - BSkB leads risers after 'fit and proper' defence Following a strong rise for UK stocks yesterday when European markets were closed for May Day, the FTSE 100 opened lower on Wednesday morning. Lon
Read moreWednesday broker round-up - UPDATE
2nd May 2012 08:37
BP: Jefferies cuts target from 550p to 525p, buy rating kept. British Sky Broadcasting: Jefferies reiterates hold rating and 700p target; Nomura maintains buy rating and 1,000p target. CSR: UBS upgrades from neutral to buy, target lifted from 290p to 310p. Halma: Barclays Capital downgrades from
Read moreHome Retail profit slides, scraps divi
2nd May 2012 07:43
Argos and Homebase owner Home Retail revealed a nine percent decline in like-for-like sales as pre-tax profit plunged 60 percent after particular weakness in consumer electronics. The group, which operates 748 stores, has seen its share price sink 50% in the last year. Pre-tax profits fell to £90.2
Read moreLondon close: US manufacturing data fuels late surge
1st May 2012 16:38
- US data offsets disappointing figures from China, UK - Lloyds leads banks higher, Man Group tumbles - Chemring gains 20pc after contract win With markets cautious early on after some disappointing manufacturing data from China and the UK, an upwards surprise in manufacturing figures Stateside gav
Read moreLondon close: Financials weigh on Footsie
18th Apr 2012 16:34
- Financials, ex-div stocks weigh down Footsie - BoE's Miles alone on more QE - Italy may delay achieving balanced budget by a year The Footsie finished firmly lower on Wednesday afternoon despite some positive domestic jobless figures, as concerns over the Eurozone continued to dampen sentiment. S
Read moreLondon close: Banks, miners lead the rebound
11th Apr 2012 16:43
- Spanish, Italian yields fall on ECB intervention speculation - Barclays leads banks higher after upgrade - UK retail sales values rise in March London's FTSE 100 index finished Wednesday's session strongly following a steep fall yesterday, as investors saw opportunity to build positions in two he
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie down after manufacturing data, BoE holds rates
5th Apr 2012 11:41
- BoE holds rates, QE - UK manufacturing in surprise decline - Financials lead Footsie lower, Ashmore bucks trend After a cautious start, the Footsie found its direction by mid-morning, falling steeply after some worse-than-expected domestic manufacturing data. Meanwhile, the Bank of England's po
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie drops to three-week low
29th Mar 2012 11:36
- GDF looks to buy remaining stake in Int'l Power - Imperial has smoking second quarter - Travel groups drop on the FTSE 250 London's blue chips had sank by midday, falling well below the 5,800 level after earlier strength in the mining sector faded. The FTSE 100 has not closed under this level in
Read moreHome Retail waves goodbye to long-standing Chairman
29th Mar 2012 07:59
The long-standing Chairman of Argos and Homebase owner Home Retail is to step down at the upcoming annual general meeting (AGM) and will be replaced with a senior independent director. Oliver Stocken, who has been with Home Retail for the last 12 years, has taken the decision to retire from the boa
Read moreLondon close: Stocks flat as investors digest Budget
21st Mar 2012 16:47
- FTSE 100 unchanged on the day after subdued reaction to Budget - MPC unanimous on interest rates, divided on QE - Weir slumps on negative read-across from Baker Hughes The markets gave a rather muted reaction to today's Budget announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne at lunchtime,
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Dixons, Home Retail rise on Sunday trading announcement
21st Mar 2012 15:36
Retailers Dixons and Home Retail were among the best performers after George Osborne's Budget revealed that all-day trading on Sundays will be allowed from July 22nd to coincide with the Olympics and Paralympics. Debenhams was also making gains helped by Citigroup which upped its recommendation on
Read moreLondon close: Footsie finishes strongly as banks, miners provide a lift
16th Mar 2012 16:47
- Footsie finishes the week up 1.4 per cent - Eurozone debt crisis eases, US data mixed - Essar closes up 10 per cent The Footsie finished the week strongly, closing not too far off the elusive 6,000 mark, with financials and miners making ground as tensions arising from the Eurozone's debt crisis
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie extends gains, RBS leads the rise
16th Mar 2012 11:32
- RBS up over five per cent after upgrade - Tullow Oil strikes again off the coast of Ghana - Footsie up 1.4 per cent on the week The FTSE 100 was continuing to set new intraday highs by lunchtime, helped by a strong performance by financial and resource stocks. It has been a relatively quiet day f
Read moreFriday broker round-up - UPDATE
16th Mar 2012 10:27
4imprint: Peel Hunt keeps buy rating and 345p target. Aegis: Nomura reiterates buy rating and 210p target; HB Markets upgrades from sell to hold. Antofagasta: Jefferies keeps hold and 1,214p target. Bunzl: Goldman Sachs downgrades from neutral to sell, target lifted from 940p to 988p. Diageo: Je
Read more