MARKET TALK: HK Short Sales Down 28.0% Tuesday; Tencent Tops

8th Jun 2010 00:38

2338 GMT [Dow Jones] HK short-selling volume down 28.0% at HK$3.946 billion Tuesday, 9.0% of market total, slightly lower vs 10.4% Monday, suggests bears slightly deterred by HSI's 0.6% rise; but any further upside in HSI near-term likely capped as ratio of short sales remains relatively high. Tence

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Sunday newspaper round-up: BA, Prudential, HSBC

23rd May 2010 10:59

Talks aimed at averting a series of strikes by British Airways cabin crew were abandoned on Saturday after scores of demonstrators stormed the building where the meeting was being held. Police were called to the headquarters of the conciliation service Acas after members of the Socialist Workers P

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London close: Late rally limits losses

21st May 2010 16:32

It was a volatile day on the markets, but Footsie rallied back above 5,000 points before the close, having sunk below that level earlier in the afternoon, and finished only slightly in the red. European worries are continuing to set traders' nerves on edge. Germany's parliament approved the country

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London afternoon: Footsie sinks below 5,000

21st May 2010 14:24

The FTSE 100 has plunged below 5,000 for the first time in over six months as markets continue to fret about Europe's sovereign debt crisis and potential financial regulation. London's leading index sank below the big figure just after midday. It hasn't been this low since early November and hasn't

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London close: Blue chips make healthy gains

13th May 2010 16:33

London's top stocks rallied near the close to finish well up on the day as traders speculated on possible measures to cut the UK's debt burden. A VAT rise to 20% is a likely measure according to a group of economists questioned by the BBC. Justin King, chief executive of supermarket Sainsbury's,

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London afternoon: Footsie still in the blue

13th May 2010 15:06

London's top stocks are easing down towards the close after a flat start on Wall Street and some calming down of the excitement over the plans of the new Conservative-Liberal government. The focus now is on just how they new government intends to get the UK's debt levels down, with a VAT rise to 20

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London midday: BT leads market higher

13th May 2010 12:07

London's top stocks are making good gains helped by BT's full-year numbers and a decent showing from the miners. BT is the strongest riser on news that telecoms giant returned to the black in the last quarter and the full year and reported a 6% rise in the dividend. Pre-tax profit hit £1.01bn in th

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London close: Deficit narrows

11th May 2010 16:34

Losses halved during the afternoon session as it looked increasingly likely the Liberal Democrats will jump into bed with the Conservative party and form a coalition government. Buyers nibbled at weak miners and banks, down sharply earlier on doubts about the €750bn Eurozone bailout plan. Kazakhmy

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London close: Shares slide after election

7th May 2010 16:48

Shares continued sliding on Friday as the European debt crisis rumbled on and after the previous day's election failed to produce a decisive result. Germany's parliament has approved a rescue package for Greece, but traders are still worried that the debt problems could spread to other countries, i

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FTSE 100 movers: Capita slumps on public spending worries

7th May 2010 16:37

Footsie is well down on the day as worries about a hung parliament spook the markets. There has been a late rally but it remains much lower. Outsourcing specialist Capita has been hit by downgrades on the back of worries about public spending. Royal Bank of Scotland is sharply lower even though

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London afternoon: RBS leads retreat

7th May 2010 14:35

The market rally seen towards the end of the morning session fizzled out over lunch as London joined other European markets in retreat. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has moved into line with Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and agreed that the Conservative party, which won the most seats in yesterd

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London midday: Clegg statement calms markets

7th May 2010 12:10

After initially reacting negatively to the prospect of a hung parliament London's leading shares have rallied after Liberal Democratic party leader Nick Clegg said he is sticking with his pre-election view that the party with the most votes - in this case the Conservatives - should have first crack

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HSBC enjoys 'very good' start to 2010

7th May 2010 09:44

HSBC raced to the top of the FTSE 100 after saying it had a 'very good' start to 2010 that was well ahead of the same quarter the previous year. The bank's personal financial services and commercial banking divisions accounted for most of the improvement, HSBC said, with the global banking and mark

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London close: Greece pulls Footsie down again

6th May 2010 16:43

Footsie ended the day sharply lower as Greece's problems reared up again and investors fretted about the outcome of today's election. Banks were hit hard as ratings agency Moody's warned that the UK lenders are "at risk of Greek contagion". Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC and even Asia-foc

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FTSE 100 movers: Banks lead market down

6th May 2010 15:33

Banks are leading Footsie downwards after ratings agency Moody's warned that the UK lenders are "at risk of Greek contagion". Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, HSBC and even Asia-focused Standard Chartered fell sharply after Moody's said banks in the UK, as well as in Ireland, Italy, Portu

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