Broker tips: Retailers, Pennon, Informa
24th Nov 2009 12:52
Nomura Securities has been casting an eye over the general retail sector where it reckons almost all data indicators point to an improvement. The broker has picked four stocks it likes in the sector: Marks & Spencer, KESA Electricals, Home Retail Group and HMV. Marks & Spencer is set to 'benefit f
Read moreLondon midday: Leading shares mixed
24th Nov 2009 12:10
Footsie has fought its way into positive territory after a dull opening, helped by a recovery by some mining stocks. Anglo American, ENRC and Lonmin are the brightest features of a mining sector that initially opened lower on softer copper prices. Lloyds Banking Group is firmer after it priced i
Read moreBroker snap: Informa deal would require fresh capital
24th Nov 2009 12:08
Initial reaction to news that Lloyds List publisher Informa is in talks to buy German publisher Springer is likely to be negative, Panmure Gordon reckons, because of the need for Informa to raise fresh capital if the bid goes ahead. The broker also notes that Informa itself has long been seen as a
Read moreLondon open: Lloyds unveils record cash call
24th Nov 2009 08:52
London's blue chips have fallen back after yesterday's strong gains, with Lloyds Banking getting most of the attention. Lloyds Banking Group priced its world record £13.5bn rights issue at 37p a share, a discount of 59.5% to last night's closing price. Britain's third-largest lender will offer s
Read moreInforma confirms Springer talks
24th Nov 2009 07:33
Lloyds List publisher Informa has confirmed reports it is in discussions over the possible acquisition of German publisher Springer. In a statement, Informa said it has been given access to Springer's books and will make a proposal to its shareholders, though it added no agreement on price has bee
Read moreTuesday newspaper round-up: Lloyds Banking, Tesco, Informa
24th Nov 2009 06:31
Lloyds Banking Group will on Tuesday launch the UK's largest rights issue to raise £13.5bn ($22bn), offering investors new shares at 36p each, a huge discount, ahead of a shareholder vote on Thursday. The rights issue is part of a £22.5bn capital raising that aims to repair the bank's balance sheet
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Enterprise Inns, Serco, Wellstream
18th Nov 2009 06:36
It has been a fairly depressing year for the pub industry and one of the sector's biggest operators, Enterprise Inns, did little to lift the gloom yesterday. The UK's second-biggest pub operator, which has 7,399 leased and tenanted pubs, said pre-tax profits tumbled by 95% to £11m for the year to
Read moreLondon close: Four-day rally is over
17th Nov 2009 16:31
The leading index finished near its worst levels of the session as weaker banks and mining heavyweights brought a 4-day winning streak to an end. The dollar's bounce off Monday's 15-month low hurt metal prices. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said last night that the Fed will conduct policy i
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Glass half empty for Enterprise Inns
17th Nov 2009 14:16
Shares in Enterprise Inns have lost fizz after the tenanted pub group posted a sharp fall in profits following a difficult year for the pub trade and said it expected profits to continue declining in the short term. Bodycote is also lower. Trading conditions remain tough at the thermal processing c
Read moreLondon afternoon: Inflation concern rears its head
17th Nov 2009 14:10
A rise in UK inflation has raised the prospect of an end to the Bank of England's quantitative easing programme and added to an already downbeat mood in the equity market. UK inflation increased for the first time in eight months in October following a rise in oil prices and a stronger pound. The C
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie still stuck lower
17th Nov 2009 12:11
Footsie remains a few points in the red despite some gains on the back of company updates. Inter dealer-broker ICAP is up despite interim profits falling as it added that trading activity had picked up in September. Telephone giant Cable & Wireless is top of the pile on news it is to demerge into
Read moreLondon open: Dull start for Footsie
17th Nov 2009 08:38
London has followed the lead of Asian markets and opened lower despite an overnight gain of over 130 points for the Dow. Telephone giant Cable & Wireless is the best performer. It is to demerge into two separately listed companies by next March and will raise £200m through a convertible bond issue
Read moreLondon pre-open: London set to pause for breath
17th Nov 2009 07:42
London is expected to follow the lead of Asian markets and open lower this morning, despite a strong showing overnight by US stocks. Traders expect the FTSE 100 index will open down around 20 points from last night's close. Telephone giant Cable & Wireless is to demerge into two separately listed
Read moreInforma reports steady trading
17th Nov 2009 07:03
Specialist business publisher Informa said in a trading update for the 10 months to 31 October that its publishing activities remain resilient and that its events business has not seen any worsening in trading. Informa, whose publications include the shipping newspaper Lloyds List, said growth has
Read moreBroker tips: BSkyB, Autonomy, Pearson
26th Oct 2009 13:29
Pay TV company BSkyB 'remains one of the most attractive stocks in the media sector,' according to Nomura Securities, but it is becoming increasingly harder for the company to surprise the market with its strong performance. The broker said that the company's profits and key performance indicators
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