Wednesday newspaper round-up: Iran, Eurozone, bond market
25th Sep 2013 07:00
President Barack Obama and his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, backed a new drive for diplomacy over Iran's nuclear programme on Tuesday. The US president told the UN that there was "the basis for a meaningful agreement".Mr Obama said he was directing John Kerry, US Secretary of State, to "purs
Read moreLondon close: Stocks sink into the red ahead of FOMC outcome
18th Sep 2013 16:23
After a range-bound morning session, markets sunk into the red on Wednesday afternoon as investors reduced their appetite for risk ahead of the Federal Reserve policy decision later this evening. The FTSE 100 closed 11.35 points lower at 6,558.82, the index's second day in negative territory after
Read moreSector movers: Banks rebound after sharp falls
18th Sep 2013 14:26
Stocks in the banking sector were among the highest risers on Wednesday as share prices rebounded following some heavy falls the day before. UK domestic bank Lloyds was towards the top of the pack on the FTSE 100 after bearing the brunt of the selling action on Tuesday. Shares in the part-nationa
Read moreLondon midday: Markets rangebound ahead of Fed decision
18th Sep 2013 11:32
Markets were rangebound on Wednesday morning as investors showed nervousness ahead of the all-important Federal Reserve policy decision later this evening. UK stocks were registering moderating gains by midday but just 19 points separated the FTSE 100's intraday low (6,568) and high (6,587) as trad
Read moreSector movers: Banks fall as government starts Lloyds sell-down
17th Sep 2013 14:36
Banking stocks were among the worst performers in London on Tuesday with Lloyds sinking after the government began to sell-off its stake in the lender five years after its state bailout back in 2008. The UK Financial Investments, the company that manages the government's investments in Lloyds and f
Read moreLondon close: FTSE 100 at three-week high after policy meetings
5th Sep 2013 17:03
A host of central-bank policy meetings, a dovish tone from Mario Draghi and the continued improvement in US economic data helped lift stocks higher on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 closing at levels not seen in three weeks. London's benchmark index ended the day up 57.7 points at 6,532.44, its highes
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: M&S leaps after HSBC upgrade
5th Sep 2013 15:20
High Street department store Marks & Spencer surged today after HSBC upgraded the stock from 'neutral' to 'overweight', saying it is the most operationally geared among its peers to play on the UK consumer recovery. Hotels group IHG was also a high riser after UBS raised its rating from 'neutral to
Read moreSector movers: Banking stocks lead risers in London
5th Sep 2013 14:05
Banking stocks were the highest risers on Thursday as markets reacted positively to a number of central-bank policy decisions across the globe. The Bank of England, European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of Japan all decided to keep monetary policy on hold over the last 24 hours. A close eye was kept
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks trim gains, BoE holds rates
5th Sep 2013 11:27
After a strong start for UK stocks, the FTSE 100 pared gains by lunchtime as nervousness set in ahead of a number of risk events that have the potential to spark some volatile moves on financial markets. Risk appetite was also scaled back ahead of the G20 meeting which begins in St Petersburg today
Read moreLondon open: Stocks surge ahead of BoE, ECB meetings
5th Sep 2013 08:13
The FTSE 100 jumped strongly in early trading on Thursday as investor risk appetite increased ahead of policy decisions from the Bank of England (BoE) and the European Central Bank (ECB) later on. The Bank of Japan meeting overnight was "a bit of a non-event", according to Market Analyst Craig Erla
Read moreTuesday broker round-up
3rd Sep 2013 11:13
ASOS: Exane increases target price from 5000p to 6000p and keeps an outperform rating. Associated British Foods: Exane upgrades to outperform with a target price of 2400p. Balfour Beatty: Berenberg ups target price from 270p to 300p and retains its buy recommendation. Barclays: Berenberg takes ta
Read moreBroker snap: Barclays downgrades StanChart on heightened EM risk
3rd Sep 2013 09:52
Barclays has downgraded banking group Standard Chartered from 'overweight' to 'equalweight', citing its exposure to the emerging markets and growing risks in some geographies. "Although we leave our Standard Chartered earnings estimates unchanged and continue to believe that the shares offer value
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: Syria, Nationwide, HSBC
28th Aug 2013 07:09
Britain cannot stand idly by in the face of the morally indefensible use of chemical weapons, David Cameron said yesterday, as he laid out the case for a missile strike against Syria. The White House is preparing intelligence material, including intercepted communications, which it says will prove t
Read moreLondon close: Economists nudge GDP forecasts higher
23rd Aug 2013 16:26
Equities moved moderately higher on the second to last Friday of the summer despite economic figures out in the afternoon which revealed a far larger than expected fall in new US home sales. Somewhat ironically, at least for now that won equity markets a small reprieve from the recent incessant cl
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks rise after UK GDP revision
23rd Aug 2013 12:00
Upwards revisions to UK economic growth in the second quarter gave stocks a bit of a boost on Friday morning, though gains were limited as investors scaled back risk appetite ahead of a long three-day weekend. UK gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the second quarter is now said to have been 0.7
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