Homeserve buoyed by international growth
20th Nov 2012 07:23
Strong growth internationally saw home emergency repairs group HomeServe achieve a decent increase in revenue and profit in the first half despite a slight fall in customer numbers over the period, as it continues to refocus its UK business. Revenue during the six months to September 30th totalled
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: KCOM drops on downbeat trading update
5th Oct 2012 15:54
Broadband and communications provider KCOM has fallen following a downbeat trading statement prior to its interims. It announced that it is trading "in line with expectations", but orders in its enterprise division have been below expectations. KCOM also revealed that first-half net debt has incre
Read moreWorkspace Group CEO boosts stake in company
1st Oct 2012 16:16
The Chief Executive Officer of Workspace Group, which specialises in providing office space to start ups, has purchased 112,525 shares, significantly boosting his stake in the FTSE 250 firm. Jamie Hopkins, who took on the role of CEO in April of this year, bought the shares at 266p each for a tota
Read moreLondon close: Pain in Spain again
26th Sep 2012 16:57
Stock markets all over the world were in retreat on Wednesday, and London was no exception, as investors fretted about Spain's negotiations over bailout terms. Spain will restrict early retirement programmes as one of the new measures that President Rajoy will announce during the 2013 budget presen
Read moreHomeserve tops expectations, leaves guidance unchanged
26th Sep 2012 14:29
HomeServe, the international home emergency business, has a reputation for being accident prone, but it comforted the market on Wednesday morning by reiterating its full-year guidance after a solid first half. The company, which is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Financial Services A
Read moreLondon midday: Eurozone strife rattles markets
26th Sep 2012 11:52
Stocks spent the morning session stuck in reverse gear, with civil unrest in Spain and Greece setting investors' nerves on edge. Yesterday saw anti-austerity protests in Madrid while today will see a 24-hour strike in Greece in protest at spending cuts. Mining stocks are getting hammered on concer
Read moreLondon open: Stocks tumble on QE3 efficacy fears
26th Sep 2012 08:38
The old adage about the US sneezing and the UK therefore catching a cold is as apposite as ever with the UK market opening lower after a non-voting member of the US Federal Reserve member cast doubts over the efficacy of the Fed's asset purchase programme. "We are unlikely to see much benefit to g
Read moreLondon pre-open: Significant losses forecast on comments from Philly Fed President
26th Sep 2012 07:33
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open down 44 points from yesterday's close of 5,863, as concerns over the situation in Spain grow and investors reaction to comments made by Charles Plosser, the head of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank. "We are unlikely to see much benefit to growth or
Read moreFull year outlook unchanged at Homeserve
26th Sep 2012 07:02
First half profits from international home emergency business Homeserve will be higher than in the corresponding period of last year, and therefore higher than some broker estimates. Adjusted pre-tax profit for the six months ending September 30th is expected to be higher than the £23.5m achieved a
Read moreWednesday preview: Domino's Pizza, Homeserve
25th Sep 2012 18:07
Say what you like about Domino's Pizza - great delivery, shame about the pizza - the company is a money-harvesting machine. The third quarter interim management statement on Wednesday should see the pizza delivery outfit benefit from the UK's indifferent weather, which will have persuaded many hung
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Galliford soars as divi almost doubles
18th Sep 2012 14:47
House-building and construction firm Galliford Try saw in the top spot after it saw profits soar last year, paving the way for its full-year dividend pay-out to almost double. Group revenue in the year ended June 30th rose 17% to £1,504m from £1,284m the year before. Profit before tax surged 80% t
Read moreLondon close: Time to cut the Gordian knot?
20th Jul 2012 17:07
- Spanish bond yields soar - Sicily´s non-collected receivables rise to EUR 15.7bn - Valencia asks Madrid for help - Resolution leads the Footsie lower Equity markets across Europe tanked on Friday afternoon, presumably on the back of concerns over Spain's financial health, with capital markets in
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Beazley back in the black
20th Jul 2012 15:54
Non-life insurer Beazley soared into the black in the first half of 2012, delivering a return on equity of 18 per cent and a combined ratio of 91 per cent. During the six months the firm generated a profit of $112.9m, compared to a loss of $24.2m the previous year, while gross written premiums ros
Read moreLondon midday: Rising Spanish bond yields dampen stocks
20th Jul 2012 11:37
- Footsie pulls back after hitting two-month high - UK borrowing, Spanish bond yields weigh on sentiment - Resolution tanks after cancelling capital return European markets were trading moderately lower on Friday morning, pulling back after a strong performance on the week so far. In London, sentim
Read moreFriday broker round-up
20th Jul 2012 10:17
Capita: UBS ups target from 725p to 740p, buy rating unchanged. Euromoney: Peel Hunt downgrades to hold. Gulf Keystone: HSBC upgrades to overweight. Halfords: UBS cuts target from 240p to 205p, neutral rating kept; HB Markets upgrades to buy. Hammerson: Bank of America Merrill Lynch downgrades t
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