Broker snap: UBS upgrades banks to 'overweight' as conditions improve
17th May 2013 10:59
UBS has lifted its rating for the global banking sector from 'underweight' to 'overweight', saying that the operating environment is beginning to improve. In a research report titled 'Post-crisis banking', UBS said that the tone of its Global FID conference earlier this week was "neutral to slightl
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
16th May 2013 07:43
Barratt Developments: Deutsche Bank lowers target price from 336p to 327p, while leaving its buy recommendation unaltered. BG Group: Credit Suisse raises target price from 1150p to 1190p keeping a neutral rating. BT Group: Berenberg takes target price from 280p to 375p and retains a buy recommenda
Read moreThursday tips round-up: LSE, easyJet, HSBC
16th May 2013 06:26
Change is in the air at HSBC. The lender has been right to concentrate on cost-cutting, having exited 50 businesses and announced roughly 44,000 lay-offs since 2011 - even if its cost-to-income ratio has risen over the past three years. Indeed, banks have been at pains recently to show investors tha
Read moreHSBC identifies further transformative cost cuts
15th May 2013 07:45
HSBC Chief Executive Stuart Gulliver has notified of further considerable cost cutting plans as the bank becomes "simpler and easier to manage" after shedding a swathe of underperforming businesses. In an investor update at its London headquarters, the banking group notified of "significant executi
Read moreBroker snap: Investec downgrades HSBC after recent outperformance
13th May 2013 16:14
Shares of HSBC Holdings are currently close to five-year highs and further upside is limited, according to Investec which has cut its recommendation from 'buy' to 'reduce'. The broker said it was "perfectly comfortable" with HSBC's first-quarter results last week which saw sharply lower impairments
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks snap winning streak as Chinese data disappoints
13th May 2013 11:51
Disappointing economic data from China on Monday put an end to a seven-day winning streak in London which lifted the FTSE 100 to a five-and-a-half-year high last week. London's benchmark index reached a closing price of 6,625 on Friday afternoon, a level not seen since late 2007, meaning that it ha
Read moreLondon open: Markets pause after strong run last week
13th May 2013 08:48
Weakness in the financial sector meant that the FTSE 100 was in the red on Monday morning, with investors pausing for breath after the index reached fresh multi-year highs last week. London's benchmark index reached a closing price of 6,625 on Friday afternoon, a level not seen since late 2007, mea
Read moreMonday broker round-up UPDATE
13th May 2013 07:18
Bioquell: Investec shifts target price from 136p to 141p and keeps a hold recommendation. blinkx: Canaccord Genuity moves target price from 125p to 135p reiterating its buy recommendation. Britvic: Panmure Gordon increases target price from 380p to 460p and retains a hold recommendation. BT Group
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
9th May 2013 07:23
Alkane Energy: Liberum Capital initiates with a target price of 44p and a buy recommendation. Anite: Panmure Gordon shifts target price from 170p to 171p and maintains a buy recommendation. Atkins: Credit Suisse raises target price from 770p to 822p, but downgrades to underperform. Avacta Group:
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
8th May 2013 09:08
Altitude Group: WH Ireland initiates with a target price of 50p and a buy recommendation. Betfair Group: Deutsche Bank increases target price from 725p to 884p, while staying with its hold recommendation. Nomura raises target price from 766p to 883p and reiterates a neutral rating. Exane BNP ups ta
Read moreLondon close: Stocks end higher after Australian rate cut
7th May 2013 16:31
Market Movers techMARK 2,417.98 +0.11% FTSE 100 6,557.30 +0.55% FTSE 250 14,101.42 -0.03% UK stocks charged higher on Tuesday, buoyed by the unexpected cut to Australia's policy cash rate, which prompted a strong start in the US. Stocks also rose on the back of Japanese markets rising to their hi
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: ENRC up after shareholder significantly ups stake
7th May 2013 15:57
Shares in natural resources giant ENRC moved higher after Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov bought a 2.86 per cent stake in the group. Kerimov's purchase, which is estimated to have cost in the region of $176m, takes his share in the company to 3.05%. HSBC was also on the rise after posting a
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks firmer as policy makers move to buttress growth
7th May 2013 11:49
Investor sentiment seems to have firmed a little in the first half of the session. That comes after a cautious start higher after the long weekend and as traders continued to debate about how much further the current push higher in equity markets has to go. Be that as it may, the latest data from t
Read moreHSBC's profits soar in first quarter as bank cuts costs
7th May 2013 09:28
HSBC reported a 95 per cent increase in pre-tax profits in the first quarter as the bank slashed costs and bad debts. Profit before tax for the three months to March 31st came to $8.4bn, up from the previous year's $4.3bn, as revenue rose by 14% to $18.4bn from $16.2bn. The company reduced operat
Read moreLondon midday: Miners buoy Footsie ahead of US jobs data
3rd May 2013 11:43
Strength in the mining sector kept the FTSE 100 in positive territory on Friday morning, though the index was rangebound ahead of the all-important US jobs report due out this afternoon. A surprise drop in American jobless claims yesterday pushed the S&P 500 to a new all-time high last night as mar
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