London afternoon: Stocks trade sideways
10th Mar 2010 14:25
The market traded sideways over the lunchtime session allowing the blue-chip index to retain its tenuous position above the 6500 level. Mining stocks are doing their bit to bolster the Footsie as metal prices rise following a sharp increase in imports into China in February. Banks are also doing th
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 250 stocks shine
10th Mar 2010 12:01
The Footsie is clinging on to positive territory, not helped by the likes of Admiral, BATS, Serco, Schroders, Standard Chartered and TUI Travel trading in ex-dividend form today. The main points of interest this morning were outside of the FTSE 100 index, however. FTSE 250 constituent Tullett Prebo
Read moreLondon open: Very quiet start
10th Mar 2010 08:51
London's blue chips have opened lower but there is little momentum either way at present with modest gains for the banks offset by a stack of companies going ex-dividend. Derivatives broker Tullett Prebon is the stand-out after it confirmed preliminary discussions with a third party which may or ma
Read moreLondon pre-open: Shares seen lower
10th Mar 2010 07:32
London's blue chips are expected to open lower on Wednesday with traders forecasting a 10 points drop. Life insurer Standard Life is lifting its efficiency targets for 2010 after delivering 'good profits and healthy cash flow' in 2009. Underlying profit before tax in 2009 rose to £291m from £154m t
Read moreIG posts 11% rise in quarterly revenue
10th Mar 2010 07:02
Spread bet firm IG Group reported a 11% rise in quarterly revenue and said it is well positioned for further growth. Total revenue for the three months ended 28 February was approximately £69m compared with £62m in the corresponding quarter last year. However, IG said the strong equity market rall
Read moreSanderson chairman buys nearly 25% of company
1st Feb 2010 16:26
Christopher Winn, the executive chairman of enterprise software provider Sanderson Group, has bought nearly all of private equity firm Alchemy's stake in the company. Alchemy was involved in the original management buy out of Sanderson in December 1999, which was split into three companies includ
Read moreForth Ports director increases stake
21st Jan 2010 16:34
Non-executive director Gerry Brown has bought 5,000 shares in Forth Ports. This takes his stake in the port operator to 7,064 shares. The shares cost 1,100p each making the cost of the investment £55,500. Brown is senior independent director of Forth Ports. He has been a non-executive director s
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: SABMiller, Pennon, International Power
20th Jan 2010 06:39
SABMiller shares, off 41p at £17.80 yesterday, are trading on about 18 times full-year earnings. Not cheap, perhaps, but far from stretched, given stronger forecast earnings growth than any of its peers. Hold says the Times. Water utility Pennon's confirmation it will continue with its progressive
Read moreLondon close: Footsie turns positive
19th Jan 2010 17:22
London's top stocks finished the day above the 5,500 mark after turning positive in afternoon trading. Luxury fashion label Burberry was the best performer of the day after saying it expects profits for the full year to be at the top end of expectations after seeing strong sales in the last three m
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie falls despite Cadbury cheer
19th Jan 2010 12:00
Footsie is in the red, despite strength from Cadbury which has been sweetened by its board's recommendation of a revised offer from US food giant Kraft, as investors mull the latest round of third quarter trading statements. The revised terms for Cadbury are worth around 850p a share and have clea
Read moreLondon open: Weak start from FTSE 100
19th Jan 2010 08:41
London's leading share index has fallen into the red in early dealings after a mixed reception for company updates. Brewer SABMiller and property group Land Securities are among the fallers. Peroni and Grolsh brewer SABMiller saw lager volumes dip slightly in the first nine months of its current
Read moreLondon pre-open: Quiet start on the cards
19th Jan 2010 07:38
There's no lead from Wall Street this morning as US markets were closed for a public holiday yesterday, meaning a flat start for stocks over here. Investors are hoping for news from Dairy Milk maker Cadbury today, which is reported to have fallen to an £11.7bn takeover by US food conglomerate Kraft
Read moreIG powers forward
19th Jan 2010 07:21
Spread bet firm IG Group upped its interim dividend by 25% after another record first half for sales and profits as bad debts fell sharply. Trading revenue in the six months to 30 November 2009 rose 14% to £143.8m, (10% on a constant currency basis), while adjusted profit before tax was £78.0m, up
Read moreTuesday preview: Inflation surge expected
18th Jan 2010 13:18
Data out Tuesday is expected to show inflation rose sharply in December, back above the Bank of England's 2% target. Economists predict consumer price inflation jumped to at least 2.5% last month, a nine-moth high, up from 1.9% in November and more than double September's five-year low of 1.1%. '
Read morePersimmon appoints bank expert to board
21st Dec 2009 13:32
Housebuilder Persimmon has acquired the services of banking expert and serial non-executive director Jonathan Davie. The 63-year-old, formerly vice chairman of Credit Suisse, boss of BZW Global Equities and non-executive director of Credit Suisse UK Private Bank, will start on 1 January. Davie is
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