HSBC sells Mexican pensions management business
12th Apr 2011 07:05
Grupo Financiero HSBC, a Mexican subsidiary of global banking giant HSBC, has agreed to sell its pension funds management business, HSBC Afore, for around $198m. US firm Principal Financial Group has agreed to pay 2,360m Mexican pesos in cash for HSBC Afore. The two parties will work together to en
Read moreFriday newspaper round-up: HSBC, BP, Lib Dems on banks
8th Apr 2011 06:03
The US Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to force HSBC to reveal the names of thousands of the bank's wealthy clients who are suspected of tax evasion in the US. The request is the strongest sign yet that US authorities have broadened their scrutiny of potential tax dodgers beyond the
Read moreLondon close: Shares in late dive
7th Apr 2011 16:43
Shares were little changed for much of the day as central banks in London and Frankfurt acted as expected, but another earthquake in Japan sent jitters through markets ahead of the close. The Bank of England kept its key lending rate unchanged. The European Central Bank, however, stuck to its scrip
Read moreLondon afternoon: FTSE 250 stocks take a bashing
7th Apr 2011 15:12
The blue-chip index moved into positive territory over the lunch time trading session as the Bank of England removed all doubt about its current focus on the health of the economy, rather than the inflation risk, and kept its key lending rate unchanged. The European Central Bank, however, stuck to
Read moreSector movers: Talvivaara weighs down industrial metals stocks
7th Apr 2011 14:43
The industrial metals and mining sector is the worst performing sector today, led lower by Finnish miner Talvivaara. The company lowered annual production guidance to take into account longer than previously anticipated maintenance breaks, and believes it realistic to anticipate a production shortf
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks dominate risers
7th Apr 2011 14:12
The banking sector is making ground, offsetting losses by miners. Blue chip lenders are firmer in London after the Bank of England resisted calls to raise interest rates. The benchmark rate is unchanged at a record low of 0.5% and the quantitative easing programme has been maintained at £200bn. H
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: M&S tops the risers
6th Apr 2011 13:12
Retailers are providing a boost on Wednesday, with Marks & Spencer performing best among the blue chips. The group saw a sharp drop in like-for-like sales of clothes and other non-food items in the 13 weeks to 2 April, though the fall wasn't as severe as expected and overall sales growth was mainta
Read moreLondon pre-open: Stocks to retreat
23rd Mar 2011 07:33
Selling on Wall Street last night and in Asia this morning look like knocking London back for a second day. Worries about the nuclear situation in Japan and violence in Libya and the Middle East are still unsettling investors. Caution ahead of today's Budget speech will also be keeping some on the
Read moreHSBC chief in line for £13m
22nd Mar 2011 22:04
HSBC chief executive Stuart Gulliver could be in line for a £13m pay package this year if shareholders approve, according to reports this evening. The bank's compensation committee is proposing Gulliver should get a £1.25m base salary in 2011, a bonus of as much as three times that amount and a lon
Read moreBudget preview: Leaving on a jet plane ... or not
22nd Mar 2011 19:14
For his second Budget speech Chancellor George Osborne has promised a finance bill that is "unashamedly pro-growth, pro-enterprise and pro-aspiration," as he seeks to move the UK economy from rescue mode to reform mode. Mindful of headline writers preparing to accuse him of pandering to "fat cats"
Read moreHughes quadruples Restaurant Group stake
17th Mar 2011 16:49
Restaurant Group non-executive Tony Hughes has invested more than £900,000 in the company. Hughes has more than quadrupled his stake in the Garfunkels and Chiquito restaurants operator to 400,000 shares He bought 308,524 shares at 294.74p a share. By buying now Hughes will receive the 7.46p a shar
Read moreLondon close: Market closes at low for the day
16th Mar 2011 17:07
An attempt at an early afternoon rally was short-lived and Footsie ended at its low for the day as investors continue to worry about the situation in Japan and sovereign debt in Europe after the downgrade of Portugal's debt by ratings agency Moody's. A sharp fall on Wall Street did not help sentime
Read moreSector movers: Alternative energy is wanted as nuclear crisis continues
16th Mar 2011 15:43
The alternative energy sector is the best performing sector for the third consecutive day, as the problems in Japan continue to have a positive effect on shares. The sector has risen almost 14% over the last week. Workers had to be evacuated from the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant after
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks pare losses
16th Mar 2011 14:06
Stocks pared losses over the lunch time session leaving the overall picture looking mixed, though the Footsie is slightly easier on balance, as investors continue to fret about the fall-out from the Japanese disaster, while sovereign debt concerns in Europe have been revived by the downgrade of Port
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Financial dividend payers head decline
16th Mar 2011 13:11
Financials are heading the fallers in the Footsie today. The two biggest fallers in the FTSE 100 index have gone ex-dividend. HSBC has fallen by more than double its dividend of 7.66p a share. Standard Life has not declined quite as much as its final dividend payment of 8.65p a share. HSBC and S
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