London close: Stocks hold on to gains despite Eurozone uncertainty
15th Oct 2012 16:25
-Chinese data and US figures lift sentiment -All eyes on Spain and Greece ahead of EU summit -Citi economist predicts 'Grexit' -Spanish 10 year bond yields rise 19bp to 5.82 per cent -Greek 10 year bond yields fall 48bp to 17.56 per cent London's FTSE 100 index finished the day in positive territor
Read moreFSA loosens capital rules for banks
10th Oct 2012 15:33
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has eased capital buffers for the UK's largest banks, meaning that loans given through the government's 'Funding for Lending' (FLS) scheme can be effectively be classed as risk-free. According to The Financial Times on Tuesday night, the move "puts Britain at
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Marstons, British lenders, Dunelm
4th Oct 2012 07:08
The Times Tempus column tips Marston's, which is investing spare cash in new-build freehold pubs offering informal eating and drinking in a pleasant environment. The benefit of this strategy was evident in yesterday's pre-close trading update. Marston's revealed that a revaluation of its pub estate
Read moreSector movers: Banks, miners lead markets higher
1st Oct 2012 16:30
Increased risk appetite was benefitting the banking and mining sectors on Monday afternoon as benchmarks across Europe surged higher. Friday's release by Oliver Wyman on the Spanish financial sector was lifting sentiment on markets today. The independent auditor estimated that banks would need €59.
Read moreHSBC offloads property advice unit
1st Oct 2012 15:49
Global banking titan HSBC has sold off its UK property advisory unit, Property Vision Holdings Limited, to a company set up by members of the subsidiary's management team. PV Acquisition Limited will buy the entire business from HSBC Private Bank (UK), which first took over the division in 2011.
Read moreMonday broker round-up
1st Oct 2012 08:58
Barclays: Liberum Capital upgrades to buy, target lifted from 210p to 245p. British American Tobacco: Investec upgrades to buy. Capital & Counties: Seymour Pierce downgrades from buy to add, 233p target kept. Charles Stanley: Peel Hunt downgrades to hold. Electrocomponents: Panmure Gordon downgr
Read moreLondon close: Stocks down ahead of Fed, employment data divides
12th Sep 2012 16:32
- Ex-div stocks and miners weigh on Footsie - Germany approves ESM - All eyes turn to the Fed - Dutch elections tonight Following a stint in the blue after Germany's decision to approve the Eurozone rescue fund, the Footsie had sunk firmly into the red by the close with ex-dividend stocks and minin
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: German ruling boosts financials
12th Sep 2012 13:48
UK banking stocks advanced after Germany's high court approved the Eurozone's new rescue fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), with Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Standard Chartered and HSBC were making gains by this afternoon. RBS was also benefiting after Liberum Capital lifte
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks rally after German vote on ESM
12th Sep 2012 11:48
- Stocks jump after ESM vote in Germany - Spain considering ECB bond purchases - Banks lead the rally The FTSE 100 had swung into positive territory by Wednesday lunchtime with banking stocks in the lead after Germany's high court approved the Eurozone's new rescue fund, the European Stability Mec
Read moreHSBC to offload US insurance manufacturing unit
6th Sep 2012 16:13
Global banking group HSBC is to sell off the insurance manufacturing business of a US subsidiary to Enstar Group. The company said on Thursday afternoon that its indirectly owned division, Household Insurance Group Holding Company, has entered into an agreement to sell the unit to Enstar for a tota
Read moreLondon close: Stocks erase losses on ECB, Fed speculation
24th Aug 2012 16:43
- ECB considering target bands for yields - Merkel wants Greece to stay in Eurozone - UK Q2 GDP revised up. The Footsie rallied in late trading to finish flat on Friday after rumours of a European plan for bonds yields. According to Reuters, the European Central Bank (ECB) is looking at setting yi
Read moreFTSE 100 Movers: Miners drag footsie lower
24th Aug 2012 15:38
Mining stocks were heavy fallers with Kazakhmys, Rio Tinto, ENRC, Antofagasta, Anglo American, Vedanta, BHP Billiton and Randgold falling sharply, tracking various metal prices lower. ??Anglo American dropped after Jefferies downgraded the stock this morning from 'buy' to 'hold' despite yesterday'
Read moreBroker tips: HSBC, Anglo American, National Grid
24th Aug 2012 14:41
Investec has retained it 'hold' recommendation and 590p target price for global banking giant HSBC, highlighting the recent rating outlook downgrade by Standard and Poor's and settlement rumours in the US. "Whereas we acknowledge that neither of these developments are helpful, there really are much
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks down despite revision to UK GDP
24th Aug 2012 11:46
- UK Q2 GDP revised upwards - Greece in focus as Samaras meets Merkel - US QE hopes fading fast UK stocks were volatile in morning trade on Friday but remained firmly in negative territory in spite of some upwards revision to second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data in the UK. The state of
Read moreBroker snap: Investec lists reasons to 'switch out of HSBC'
24th Aug 2012 11:20
Investec has retained it 'hold' recommendation and 590p target price for global banking giant HSBC, highlighting the recent rating outlook change by Standard and Poor's and settlement rumours in the US. S&P has downgraded its outlook for HSBC from 'stable' to 'negative' as the bank continues to be
Read more