Broker snap: Nomura ups HSBC price target
17th Dec 2009 13:05
Banking giant HSBC's balance sheet strength sets it apart from most of its UK rivals, reckons Nomura Securities, which has reiterated its 'buy' recommendation for the stock. 'With a loans/deposits ratio of c80% and core tier 1 ratio of 9% as at Q3 [third quarter] 2009, HSBC remains balance sheet ad
Read moreLondon close: Losses narrow
15th Dec 2009 16:33
Top shares fought back late afternoon to halve losses, but most financial issues stayed lower, while oil plays also ended friendless. Turmoil in the Greek banking sector since credit ratings agency Fitch downgraded the country's sovereign debt last week continued to hurt. Barclays and HSBC were am
Read moreLondon afternoon: Banks continue to weigh
15th Dec 2009 14:51
London is off its worst levels of the day, but remains deep in the red as finance plays suffer on fears about the strength of European peers. Barclays and HSBC are among the worst performers as Greek rivals slump on worries about their country's budget deficit. Reports, later denied, that Austria'
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie drifts back
15th Dec 2009 12:12
Footsie has drifted slightly lower as banks and miners join British Airways among the heaviest fallers. The airline is in focus amid expectations of a 12-day strike over Christmas. BA said it is mulling "all options" to cope with the planned action by cabin crew over the Christmas period. BA is
Read moreSector movers: Transportation stocks buoyant
15th Dec 2009 11:57
One of the most buoyant sectors today is industrial transportation, in spite of a sharp fall in the share price of Interbulk. The container operator saw pre-tax profits in the year to 30 September fall to £3m from £4.6m over the same period the previous year on revenues that slipped to £232.5m fro
Read moreLondon open: Dull start as BA suffers
15th Dec 2009 09:02
London's top stocks have turned lower as investors take a breather following recent gains. British Airways has generated most headlines this morning. The embattled airline is drawing up contingency plans to cope if the planned 12-day strike by cabin crew goes ahead. An injunction is one option, but
Read moreLondon close: Financials lift Footsie
14th Dec 2009 16:58
Footsie began the week with good gains as the day got off to a strong start following news that Abu Dhabi is to bail out its troubled fellow Emirate Dubai. Investors piled into LSE, Standard Chartered and HSBC as the threat of possible huge bad debts recedes. An upgrade by Credit Suisse, which hi
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie up over 1%
14th Dec 2009 14:52
The UK's leading shares are finding plenty of support after a strong start on Wall Street and the Dubai bail-out. Investors have piled into LSE, Standard Chartered and HSBC as the threat of possible huge bad debts recedes. An upgrade by Credit Suisse, which highlighted the low exposure to Dubai a
Read moreSector movers: Dubai bailout buoys banks
14th Dec 2009 10:17
Banks have moved higher following the decision of Abu Dhabi to bail out Dubai, its financially embarrassed neighbour. Standard Chartered leads the sector higher after receiving a boost in the form of an upgrade by Credit Suisse, which highlighted the low exposure to Dubai as well as the bullish tra
Read moreLondon close: Financials lead advance
10th Dec 2009 16:31
UK shares closed not far off their best levels of the day as a strong start on Wall Street built on substantial support for UK-listed financial plays. Investors welcomed Alistair Darling's decision yesterday not to slap a windfall tax on banks and speculation that British lenders had agreed to resc
Read moreConcerns grow over HSBC client data
10th Dec 2009 14:49
HSBC confirmed yesterday that 10 of its wealthiest customers have had data about them stolen, but it was claimed today that as many of 4,000 clients have been affected. HSBC learned of the security breach at its private banking arm in Geneva after a prosecutor interviewed the person suspected of st
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: Citigroup, HSBC, RBS
10th Dec 2009 06:10
Citigroup is in advanced talks with regulators over plans to raise more than $15bn in an equity offering, in an effort to repay $20bn in bail-out funds as early as Thursday. People close to the situation said that Citi was also planning to raise around $2bn of mandatory convertible securities - a ne
Read moreLondon close: Lower finish for FTSE 100
7th Dec 2009 16:59
Footsie staged a recovery after a poor start early on and edged into positive territory in the afternoon but closed slightly lower. Rumours of a windfall tax in Wednesday's pre-Budget report rattled the banks. Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking, Barclays and HSBC fell on suggestions that the Ch
Read moreLondon afternoon: Banks slide on tax fears
7th Dec 2009 14:39
Leading shares recouped some of their losses over the lunchtime trading session but the Footsie remains in negative territory, largely due to the weakness of banks and miners. Rumours of a windfall tax in Wednesday's pre-Budget report has rattled the banks. Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking, B
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie rally fizzles out
7th Dec 2009 12:07
Footsie is going nowhere at present with the banks and miners sending the leading share index lower. Miners are under pressure with the improvement in the dollar. Better than expected US non-farm payroll figures last week have sparked speculation that the US could start to tighten monetary policy s
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