London open: FTSE posts early gains
13th May 2010 08:20
London's top stocks are on the rise in early dealings on Thursday, tracking triple-digit gains on Wall Street last night and a rally in Asia. Global markets appear more optimistic about Europe's ability to sort out the region's debt problems and the receding threat of a crisis spreading to the glo
Read more3i net asset value climbs 15%
13th May 2010 07:56
Private equity group 3i saw a 15% return on its portfolio in the year to March 31 as the companies it invests in participated in the strong rally that followed the economic collapse of the previous year. The group's net asset value (NAV) climbed totalled 321p at the end of the period, up from 279p
Read moreMontague named new 3i chairman
10th May 2010 09:57
Private equity group 3i announced that Sir Adrian Montague will succeed Baroness Hogg as chairman of the group. Montague, the former chairman of Friends Provident, will start his new role at the conclusion of 3i's AGM in July. He will succeed Hogg, who took up her new role as chairman of the Finan
Read moreFriday tips round-up: 3i, Evolution, Premier Oil
26th Mar 2010 06:40
Analysts are waiting until March's numbers from 3i before looking at the net asset value of the portfolio. There should be further room for share price growth as the performance of its portfolio companies improves with the wider economy. The question is how much. A tentative buy says the Independen
Read more3i launches new €1.2bn fund
25th Mar 2010 07:34
Confidence is returning at private equity group 3i with the group announcing the launch of a new fund. In the 11 months to 28 February 2010 the company pulled in its horns, investing just £311m compared to £898 in the corresponding period of the year before. Of this amount £130m was in the form of
Read moreWednesday paper round-up: HSBC, Google, RAB Capital
24th Feb 2010 06:32
The European Commission has launched an anti-trust investigation against Google after three online companies alleged that the internet giant's search functions were penalising their businesses. The investigation comes under the Lisbon Treaty's "abuse of dominant position" powers and is the first t
Read moreLondon close: US slide drags down Footsie
28th Jan 2010 16:45
London slumped near the close mirroring heavy falls in the US where technology stocks ran into heavy selling seemingly on disappointment with Apple's new iPad. AstraZeneca led the fallers after the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceuticals firm saw fourth quarter earnings rise 10% but warned that its predicted
Read moreLondon afternoon: Banks lead rally
28th Jan 2010 14:31
Blue chips put on a spurt over the lunch time session despite drugs giant Astra issuing disappointing fourth quarter figures. The Anglo-Swedish pharmaceuticals firm saw fourth quarter earnings rise 10% but warned that its predicted 2010 revenues would be hit by the loss of exclusive rights to sell
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie flat after mixed earnings news
28th Jan 2010 12:13
Blue chips are struggling to make headway in the face of mixed company news today. Pay TV and Internet service provider British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) is one of the best performers after it said it had a strong second quarter with revenues coming in marginally ahead of expectations. Turnover in
Read moreLondon open: Footsie fights back
28th Jan 2010 08:20
London's top stocks have opened higher on Thursday, winning back some recent losses in early dealings. Pay TV and Internet service provider British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) is one of the best performers after it said it had a strong second quarter with revenues coming in marginally ahead of expecta
Read moreLondon pre-open: Bright start expected
28th Jan 2010 07:34
Footsie is expected to win back some recent losses in early dealings on a busy day on the company news front. Pay TV and Internet service provider British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) had a strong second quarter with revenues coming in marginally ahead of expectations. Turnover in the six months to the
Read more3i sees good realisations
28th Jan 2010 07:06
Private equity group 3i said it has started 2010 in a strong financial position and has continued to see good realisations from its portfolio. Realisations (excluding co-investment funds) were £270 million for the third quarter, bringing realisations to £777 million for the nine months to 31 Decemb
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: British Gas, British Airways, Bonuses
10th Jan 2010 11:21
Energy companies have been accused of profiteering by failing to pass on steep falls in world gas prices to consumers at a time when bitterly cold weather means soaring bills for tens of millions of customers. Consumer watchdog Consumer Focus is calling for a Competition Commission investigation to
Read moreOption gain for Xstrata's Davis
13th Nov 2009 15:18
Xstrata chief executive Mick Davis has raised £7.76m from selling shares in the Switzerland-based mining giant. The shares came from exercising options and Davis made a profit of £5.9m on their disposal. This gain comes less than one month after he made a near-£8m gain on the sale of another set o
Read moreLondon close: Footsie retreats after new high
12th Nov 2009 17:00
Footsie hit a new intra-day high for the year in mid-afternoon, but buyer interest tailed off near the close as US markets retreated on a mild resurgence by the dollar. British Airways was the top performer after the airline confirmed it is holding meetings with Spanish airline Iberia to discuss th
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