Thursday broker round-up - UPDATE
1st Mar 2012 09:33
RBS: Berenberg downgrades to sell from buy. Randgold Resources: Nomura maintains buy rating and 9,850p target. BG Group: Nomura maintains buy rating and 1,865p target. WPP: Nomura maintains buy rating and 990p target. BAE Systems: UBS ups target from 320p to 360p, buy rating unchanged. Capita:
Read moreLondon close: Bernanke comments fuel late sell-off
29th Feb 2012 16:27
- Stocks tumble on Bernanke comments. - Higher-than-expected LTRO take-up. - ITV surges on 'exceptional turnaround'. After trading within a narrow 20-point range for the majority of the day, the FTSE 100 plummeted late on as US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave some gloomy comments the e
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: ITV is the one to watch
29th Feb 2012 15:03
Terrestrial broadcaster ITV was the one to watch on Wednesday, after seeing its revival continue in 2011, with the group shrugging off concerns about a subdued advertising market to achieve top-line growth and forecast-beating profits. Adjusted profit before tax was comfortably ahead of market expe
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks settle after ECB refinancing
29th Feb 2012 11:38
- Higher-than-expected LTRO take-up. - ITV surges on 'exceptional turnaround'. - Ludowici issues overshadow impressive 2011 for Weir. The initial celebration of the results of the European Central Bank's (ECB's) refinancing operation quickly faded in late morning trade, with the Footsie broadly fl
Read moreBroker snap: Prime Markets applauds 'exceptional turnaround' at ITV
29th Feb 2012 10:37
Prime Markets has reiterates a 'strong buy' recommendation for broadcaster ITV after the company 'delivered an exceptional turnaround' amidst a tough trading environment in 2011. External revenues were up 4% to £2,140m from £2,064m in 2010, with the improvement driven by non- advertising revenues (
Read moreWednesday broker round-up - UPDATE
29th Feb 2012 09:11
ITV: Nomura maintains neutral recommendation and 88p target; Prime Markets gives buy rating and 95p target; Peel Hunt ups target from 83p to 88p, hold rating kept. Standard Chartered: Nomura keeps buy rating and 1,800p target. CRH: UBS ups target from 1,150p to 1,300p, neutral rating kept. Schrod
Read moreLondon open: Stocks flat ahead of ECB refinancing operation
29th Feb 2012 08:31
- Investors await ECB's LTRO. - ITV jumps 7% after strong 2011. - Ludowici issues overshadow impressive 2011 for Weir. The Footsie lacked direction in the opening hour on Wednesday as investors hold out for the result of the European Central Bank's (ECB's) second longer term refinancing operation,
Read moreITV revival continues but ads market still sluggish
29th Feb 2012 07:28
The revival by terrestrial broadcaster ITV continued in 2011, with the group shrugging off concerns about a subdued advertising market to achieve top-line growth and forecast-beating profits. External revenues were up 4% in 2011 to £2,140m from £2,064m in 2010, with the improvement driven by non- a
Read moreLondon close: Subdued finish for Footsie, but Vedanta jumps
24th Feb 2012 17:07
- Vedanta jumps on further speculation of restructuring in India. - Lloyds falls on tough outlook for 2012. - BoE's Fisher thinks outlook is 'incredibly uncertain'. The Footsie finished flat on Friday after the blue chip index swung between gains and losses in a tight range of just 20 points or so
Read moreBroker snap: Credit Suisse bullish on ITV ahead of results
24th Feb 2012 15:30
Shares in terrestrial broadcaster ITV were making gains on Friday afternoon ahead of the group's full-year results next Wednesday. Credit Suisse has today reiterated its outperform rating on ITV saying that the stock is still "modestly valued" - trading at 10 times 2012 earnings (compared with peer
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Hammerson rises on strategy rethink
24th Feb 2012 13:18
Property firm Hammerson caught the market on the hop with its decision to sell off all its office developments to focus on its retail assets, but with the employment situation looking bleak investors were quick to applaud the decision. The news sent the stock into the top spot despite a slump in pr
Read moreLondon close: Stocks finish down with Greece in focus
15th Feb 2012 16:38
- Oil rises on supply concerns. - PBOC to keep buying Eurozone debt. - Samaras to honour terms of new package. Despite an earlier rise, the FTSE 100 index slumped in afternoon trade to finish in the red as strong performance by banks was offset by some heavyweight stocks that went ex-dividend. All
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Ex-dividend stocks provide a drag
15th Feb 2012 14:46
Drugs giant AstraZeneca plunged into bottom spot, followed by sector peer GlaxoSmithKline and big oil players BP and Shell, after all four went ex-dividend today. Shares of ITV took a hit following a downgrade from Peel Hunt. The broker said that with the shares of the broadcaster having gained ste
Read moreLondon midday: Banks provide a boost
15th Feb 2012 11:45
- Banks lead the risers on the Footsie. - PBOC to keep buying Eurozone debt. - Venizelos foresees bailout resolution. UK stocks were slightly higher by midday after China pledged to continue buying Eurozone bonds, easing concerns of the region's debt crisis. Banks were the best performers of the d
Read moreBroker tips: ITV, Sports Direct, Ocado
15th Feb 2012 11:10
With shares in broadcaster ITV having gained steadily since mid-December, Peel Hunt thinks they are now up with events and downgrades the stock from buy to hold ahead of the company's full-year results at the end of the month. "With much of the upswing in 2012 TV revenues now factored into our numb
Read more