Home Retail hit as consumers desert Argos
20th Oct 2010 07:12
A fall of almost a third at its Argos chain sent interim profits tumbling at retailer Home Retail with sales of furniture, TVs and video games all down sharply. "Spending in our markets has remained in decline. Many consumers continue to face pressures on the amount of household cash flow that is
Read moreWednesday preview: Spending review, Home Retail, Bank of England minutes
19th Oct 2010 16:52
The government's keenly awaited comprehensive spending review is published on Wednesday, with the emphasis expected to be firmly on cuts in public spending. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, has set a target of cutting the structural deficit - the bit that is not subject to cyclical
Read moreBroker tips: Home Retail, Debenhams, Hilton Food
14th Sep 2010 12:49
If you have shares in Home Retail Group, take advantage of any share price strength to reduce your holding, is the advice from Nomura Securities, which sees an uncertain outlook for the retailer. The retailer's Argos brand is suffering from "falling margins, low growth and a lack of product emphasi
Read moreBroker snap: Home Retail needs to revitalise Argos
14th Sep 2010 12:46
If you have shares in Home Retail Group, take advantage of any share price strength to reduce your holding, is the advice from Nomura Securities, which sees an uncertain earnings outlook for the retailer. The retailer's Argos brand is suffering from "falling margins, low growth and a lack of produc
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Financials move higher
10th Sep 2010 16:05
Financials are pushing the Footsie higher. Interdealer broker ICAP is the best performer with Aviva, 3i, Admiral, Lloyds and Legal & General not far behind. Miner ENRC continues to decline because of its dispute with First Quantum concerning ENRC's acquisition of a majority interest in Camrose Re
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Premier Farnell, Redrow, Home Retail...
10th Sep 2010 06:47
There is potentially more to go for at Premier Farnell. In the US, web sales are about a third of the total, well behind the 46% seen across the group. There is also more scope for growth in China and in India, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, where it has just set up shop. About 300,000 new custom
Read moreLondon close: Banks behind fresh surge
9th Sep 2010 16:38
Investors were back in love with banks Thursday which, coupled with a big session for the miners, pushed the leading index to a new four-month high. The FTSE 100 finished not far off its best levels above 5,500. It was the first tim eit had traded above the big figure since May 4. British lenders
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks lead index higher
9th Sep 2010 15:52
Banks are leading the Footsie's rise with Barclays and RBS topping the best performers. Lloyds is also boosted by the sale of its debt holding in housebuilder Crest Nicholson. Miners such as Xstrata and Vedanta are recovering even though metals prices are weak. Chip designer ARM continues to r
Read moreLondon afternoon: ARM gives Footsie a hand
9th Sep 2010 14:44
Mining stocks continue to drive the market's advance, despite metal prices falling back as concerns grow about the Chinese authorities' determination to cool off the economy, with the latest report from the People's Republic suggesting that the government is set to introduce measures to curb propert
Read moreLondon midday: No change from BoE
9th Sep 2010 12:22
Footsie has fully recovered from a weak start and now boasts healthy gains driven by the banks and miners. As expected, the Bank of England kept interest rates on hold at 0.5% and the quantitative easing programme intact. The minutes, detailing who voted for a rate rise, will be more telling. Mine
Read moreLondon open: Footsie falls as retailers suffer
9th Sep 2010 08:27
Shares are slightly lower in early dealings after updates from the retail sector were given a frosty reception. Supermarket Morrisons falls back even though it posted profits broadly in line with expectations for the six months to August 1. It also unveiled a move into the convenience store market
Read moreLondon pre-open: Retailers in focus
9th Sep 2010 07:35
Retailers are likely to be in focus in early trading after supermarket chain Morrisons and Argos and Homebase owner Home Retail Group updated the market on trading. City sources expect a mixed opening, with the blue-chip index tipped to start around five points lower than last night's close. Retai
Read moreHome Retail profits to be at lower end
9th Sep 2010 07:04
Retailer Home Retail Group said that unless Christmas is a cracker this year profits are likely to be in the bottom half of the range of analysts' estimates. In a trading update the group said things are getting worse more slowly at Argos while Homebase beat expectations over the summer months. S
Read moreThree join Footsie in quarterly changes
8th Sep 2010 18:06
Insurer Resolution, pumps manufacturer Weir and engineer Tomkins are replacing Home Retail, Segro and Cable & Wireless Worldwide in the FTSE 100 index. The changes will come into effect on 20 September. Tomkins is unlikely to stay in the Footsie for long because its board has recommended a 325p
Read moreLondon close: Winning streak ends
7th Sep 2010 16:48
London's leading share index gave up a winning streak that lasted all last week and continued yesterday. The day started sluggishly and continued in that vein after a lower start on Wall Street. Takeover talk provided much of the excitement, with bid speculation about engineering group Invensys an
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