FTSE 100 movers: Miners on the up again
14th Jan 2010 15:29
Miners kept Footsie in the blue yet again, with Xstrata, Rio Tinto, Kazakhmys and Antofagasta among the best performers. Rio Tinto hailed another very strong quarter for iron ore production, driven by continuing high demand from China' as it published its fourth quarter operations review. The comp
Read moreUpdate: Home Retail slumps on mixed numbers
14th Jan 2010 15:24
Home Retail fell sharply Thursday, despite predicting full-year profit will beat consensus estimates by £20m, following weaker than expected sales from Argos in the 18 weeks to 2 January. Catalogue shopping unit Argos, which operates 744 high street stores, reported a 3.9% hike in total sales to £1
Read moreHome Retail primed to beat forecasts
14th Jan 2010 07:07
Home Retail thinks full-year profit will beat consensus estimates by £20m after a better than expected performance from the Argos business during the 18 weeks to 2 January. Catalogue shopping unit Argos, which operates through 744 high street stores, reported a 3.9% hike in total sales to £1.9bn an
Read moreThursday preview: DSG, Halfords, Home Retail ...
13th Jan 2010 16:36
Another slew of retailers are set to update the market on Thursday on how trading went over Christmas, among them DSG International, Halfords, Home Retail and Mothercare. Consumer electronics retailer DSG, which owns the Currys, PC World and Dixons brands, issues a trading update covering the final
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: M&S update disappoints
6th Jan 2010 14:07
Two stocks stand out in the FTSE 100. Fashion and food retailer Marks and Spencer has fallen after reporting strong Christmas trading while sounding caution on 2010 prospects. But data search and interpretative software specialist Autonomy is the top riser after saying it expects to report 2009 re
Read moreLondon open: Dull start as big freeze bites
6th Jan 2010 08:49
It's all about the retailers in the pre-opening session as the post-Christmas trading update season moves into full swing with Marks & Spencer heading lower after its update. The cold weather may have seen woolly jumpers and slippers fly off the shelves at Marks & Spencer in the days before Christm
Read moreLondon close: RBS leads the charge
4th Jan 2010 17:12
A strong start to the year on Wall Street gave London a boost, prompting the blue-chip index to finish at its highest point for the day. Part-nationalised lender Royal Bank of Scotland's led the advance after Exane BNP Paribas suggested that 'fundamental (rather than purely speculative) investor in
Read moreLondon afternoon: Buoyant Wall St. lifts London
4th Jan 2010 14:38
Shares added to the morning's gains over the lunchtime session, as investors correctly predicted a firm opening on Wall Street. The sale of Royal Bank of Scotland's Pakistan unit has fallen through after the deal failed to get the necessary regulatory approvals and complete before the 31 December d
Read moreLondon midday: Broker tip lifts RBS
4th Jan 2010 12:10
Leading shares moved into consolidation mode late in the morning session, with resource stocks the best performers. Cairn Energy remains the top gainer on news that the oil explorer has secured a second drilling rig to assist its exploration programme in the Disko West area offshore Greenland in th
Read moreRetailers adopt different tactics over VAT rise
31st Dec 2009 10:36
Shoppers hit the high street today for last-minute bargains ahead the VAT rise tomorrow but face confusion in the new year as retailers adopt different tactics to the tax rise. A number of high street chains said they will delay raising the VAT for the time being, while others are freezing the rise
Read moreLondon close: Banks spooked by higher capital call
17th Dec 2009 16:34
Banks sank on a call for tougher capital requirements and coupled with a weak mining sector it meant a poor day in London. Lloyds Banking took a pasting, while Standard Chartered and Barclays were also among the worst performers. The Basel Committee of central bankers and supervisors called for st
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks lead market lower
17th Dec 2009 15:48
Banks fell after the US Federal Reserve pointed out that it will end its special liquidity measures early next year. Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays are the biggest fallers. Mining companies were also much lower because the strength of the dollar has hit commodity prices. Xstrata and Antofagasta
Read moreLondon afternoon: Barclays hit by lawsuit
17th Dec 2009 13:55
Footsie remains deep in negative territory, and with US markets set to open lower, there is no prospect of a boost from Wall Street. Banks and miners are responsible for much of the blue-chip index's fall. Lloyds Banking is leading the fallers, while Standard Chartered and Barclays are also among t
Read moreLondon close: FTSE 100 closes 32 points lower
24th Nov 2009 16:48
London ended the day in the red as the FTSE 100 lost its earlier gains after Wall Street opened sharply lower. London did not sustain a short-lived rally in the late afternoon. The market seemed to initially ignore Bank of England governor Mervyn King's cautious comments to the House of Commons Tr
Read moreLondon afternoon: Shares still drifting
24th Nov 2009 14:31
London continues to lack direction, with Bank of England governor Mervyn King's comments to the House of Commons Treasury select committee on the state of the economy having more of an effect on sterling than on share prices. With sterling dipping after King's comments, package holiday firms Thomas
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