London close: Footsie ends 2012 on a dull note, fiscal-cliff weighs
31st Dec 2012 12:50
After a slight rebound late morning, the Footsie dropped to near its intraday low by the close of trade in a shortened trading session as US budget uncertainty dented risk appetite. Markets across Europe finished with mild losses today as they closed early for New Year's Eve. Fiscal cliff concern
Read moreLondon midday: Risk appetite scaled back ahead of fiscal cliff deadline
31st Dec 2012 11:19
UK stocks were trading firmly in the red by Monday lunchtime with less than 24 hours to go before the US fiscal cliff deadline, when 600bn dollars in automatic spending cuts and tax increases come into effect. Markets were even shrugging off some upbeat economic data from Asian powerhouse China ove
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
13th Dec 2012 07:22
Advanced Medical Solutions: Investec reduces target price from 93p to 68p and downgrades from buy to hold. Numis downgrades to hold, while maintaining the target price at 165p. Canaccord Genuity moves target price from 93p to 90p and retains a buy recommendation. Anglo American: JP Morgan moves tar
Read moreStrong demand for Islamic banking underpins growth at HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad
12th Dec 2012 08:42
Pre-tax profit at HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad for the nine months ending September 30th was 18.6 per cent higher than in the corresponding period last year. Profit before tax for the period rose to MYR 1,193m [Malaysia Ringgit] (£242.27m), MYR 187m (£37.98m) more than in the same period in 2011. Ope
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: HSBC, WPP, UK rating...
12th Dec 2012 06:54
The chief executive of HSBC and a string of top bankers will lose a slice of their bonuses and will have future payouts deferred after Britain's biggest bank was hit with a record fine to settle damaging money-laundering charges. Stuart Gulliver, the former investment banker who runs HSBC, has alrea
Read moreLondon close: 'Fiscal cliff' hopes lift markets
11th Dec 2012 16:56
- Fiscal cliff optimism increases ahead of FOMC - German ZEW smashes expectations - Tullow drops 8.4 per cent After a weak start, the FTSE 100 finished Tuesday's session with slight gains on the back of increasing optimism about the 'fiscal cliff', as well as a better-than-expected reading of Germa
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Tullow drops after Ghanaian well update
11th Dec 2012 14:24
Oil giant Tullow tanked on Tuesday after revealing that its Okure-1 exploration well offshore Ghana had encountered 'low net to gross oil bearing reservoir in a secondary objective'. The markets seemed to shrug off its other announcement that it plans to buy Norwegian exploration group Spring Ener
Read moreLondon 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
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