London midday: Footsie at nine-month high after German ZEW data
11th Dec 2012 11:51
- German ZEW surges in December - Whitbread impresses with Q3, Tullow drops - Footsie at highest since March After a subdued start, a much better-than-expected reading of German sentiment boosted buying this morning, sending the FTSE 100 to a nine-month high by Tuesday lunchtime. The Footsie is no
Read moreLondon open: Stocks cautious ahead of German ZEW data
11th Dec 2012 08:33
The FTSE 100 index started Tuesday's session cautiously with just 12 points separating the intraday low and high in the opening hour as the focus remains fixed on Mario Monti and 'fiscal cliff' discussions in the US. However, with little significant economic data scheduled for today's session, all
Read moreLondon pre-open: Cautious start expected for the Footsie
11th Dec 2012 07:32
City sources are predicting a subdued start for the FTSE 100 at the open with markets still sensitive to political uncertainty in the Eurozone and US. The Footsie is expected to open down around five points from yesterday's close of 5,922. Markets yesterday initially started the day on the back f
Read moreHSBC announces 1.9bn-dollar settlement
11th Dec 2012 07:05
HSBC has reached an agreement with United States authorities in relation to investigations regarding inadequate compliance with anti-money laundering and sanctions laws. Under these agreements, HSBC will make payments totalling $1.921bn, continue to cooperate fully with regulatory and law enforcem
Read moreTuesday newspaper round-up: Mario Monti, HSBC, Mervyn King...
11th Dec 2012 06:52
Mario Monti is in talks with centrist groups urging him to stand in Italy's elections early next year it emerged on Monday as pressure mounted on the technocrat prime minister from the financial markets, fellow European leaders and the Church to stay in politics to safeguard his reforms. Italy's gov
Read moreLondon midday: Gains erased as investors await ECB decision
6th Dec 2012 12:08
The Footsie had erased most of the morning's gains by Thursday lunchtime, as investors awaited a policy rate decision in Europe and some jobless claims figures in the US later this afternoon. As expected, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to maintain the Bank Rate at 0.5% at tod
Read moreLondon open: Stocks edge higher ahead of rate decisions
6th Dec 2012 08:26
Stocks started Thursday's session with moderate gains on the back of hopes that US politicians are nearing an agreement on the 'fiscal cliff', as markets looked ahead to policy announcements in both the UK and Europe. "European headline shares opened vigilantly today as a raft of economic data due
Read moreHSBC may pay 1.1bn pound settlement in US
6th Dec 2012 07:17
Europe's largest bank by market capitalization, HSBC, may pay a fine of 1.1bn pounds(1.8bn dollars) in the US to settle charges from US law enforcement authorities that it permitted money-laundering, Reuters reported on Thursday morning citing several people familiar with the matter. The accord may
Read moreLondon close: Markets unfazed by Osborne's budget
5th Dec 2012 17:10
- Miners gain on Chinese optimism - OBR cuts GDP forecasts - US ISM data lifts markets in afternoon trade The Footsie finished the day with decent gains on Wednesday as investors mostly shrugged off Chancellor George Osborne's budget statement, with the upbeat mood helped by economic data from the
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners lead the way
5th Dec 2012 15:16
Mining stocks were performing well today on increasing optimism about China; Vedanta, Kazakhmys, Anglo American and Rio Tinto were all making decent gains. Precious metals giant Polymetal also advanced after saying it was giving $191m dollars back to shareholders by way of a special dividend. Su
Read moreLondon midday: Tesco and miners gain ahead of UK budget
5th Dec 2012 11:40
The FTSE 100 had come off its earlier highs but was still trading in positive territory by Wednesday lunchtime, as markets await the Autumn Statement from Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. He is set to say: "In this Autumn Statement, we show that this coalition government is confronting t
Read moreBroker tips: Tesco, HSBC, Tullow Oil
5th Dec 2012 11:16
Nomura has cut its forecasts for supermarket giant Tesco on the back of a weaker trading in Europe, but has maintained its 'buy' rating, hailing the group's strong UK grocery performance. The broker also said that the company's strategic review in the US "points to a management team willing to act
Read moreBroker snap: HSBC could lift divi after Ping An sale, says Investec
5th Dec 2012 09:09
Investec has reiterated its 'buy' rating for global banking giant HSBC, saying that the disposal of its stake in Chinese insurer Ping An could bode well for the 2012 dividend. HSBC owns a 15.57% stake in Ping An, China's second-largest insurance firm by assets, and is selling its interest to a Thai
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise ahead of Osborne's Autumn Statement
5th Dec 2012 08:29
Equity markets rose on Wednesday morning after strong gains for Asian markets overnight with the focus in the UK turning to George Osborne ahead of his budget statement. "In a week dominated by Europe and the on-going to-ing and fro-ing in the US with respect to the fiscal cliff, markets will be tu
Read moreHSBC offloads Ping An stake for over nine billion dollars
5th Dec 2012 07:20
Global banking giant HSBC is to receive over nine billion dollars from the sale of its stake in Chinese insurance giant Ping An Insurance, the company announced on Wednesday morning. HSBC owns a 15.57% stake in Ping An, China's second-largest insurance firm by assets, and is selling its interest to
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