JD Sports makes strong start despite "challenging" comparatives
17th Jun 2015 07:10
High street sports retailer JD Sports Fashion said it expects to meet annual forecasts after a solid start to the year despite tough comparatives and weaker margins in Europe. The group said that it made a "strong start" over the first 19 weeks of the financial year starting 31 January. JD said it
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Debenhams surges on strong H1, Telecom Plus lower on profit warning
16th Apr 2015 13:41
Debenhams topped the risers after posting half-year results above its forecast, reversing a decline in sales over its financial first quarter. "Overall we delivered a good first half performance despite a difficult clothing season in Autumn and we are on track to achieve full year expectations," sai
Read moreLondon close: Retailers, miners and oil stocks help FTSE set new record
15th Apr 2015 16:38
Strong gains in the retail sector and a solid performance from mining and oil stocks helped the FTSE 100 set a new record high on Wednesday, amid hopes for further stimulus in China and no surprises from a policy meeting in Europe. London's benchmark Footsie rose 21.51 points (+0.3%) to a new all-ti
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Vesuvius plummets on downgrade, energy stocks higher
15th Apr 2015 13:08
Shares in metal flow engineering group Vesuvius dropped sharply after analysts at JPMorgan lowered their stance on the stock from 'overweight' to 'neutral', citing weak steel production in the US. The price target was lowered to 510p from 531p previously. JD Sports was trading higher after sprinting
Read moreJD Sports hurdles 2016 forecasts a year early
15th Apr 2015 08:25
The pace of growth at JD Sports has seen the sportswear retailer sprint past its 2016 forecasts a year early and hurdle £100m of operating profits for the first time after it disposed of its lossmaking young-fashion division in November. On revenue up 25% to £1.52m, operating profit jumped 23% to £1
Read moreLondon close: Oil and mining stocks lift FTSE as commodity prices rise
16th Jan 2015 16:40
After a weak start, UK stocks rose to their highest in a week as a decent performance from the resource sectors and upbeat US data gave markets a boost. London's FTSE 100 finished the session up 0.8% at 6,550.27, its best close since 8 January when it settled at 6,569.96. Oil and gas stocks were ri
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: JD Sports rising over sales boost, Afren on the rise
16th Jan 2015 14:20
JD Sports Fashion was rising after reporting a sales surge of 12% over the Christmas period in the five weeks to 3 January. The company said: "The board is now confident that the headline profit before tax and exceptional items for our continuing operations will exceed the top end of market expectat
Read moreLondon midday: BP leads oil stocks higher as crude recovers, FTSE flat
16th Jan 2015 11:41
Decent gains from BP and the wider oil sector helped UK stocks to pare losses by Friday lunchtime, though the mood was still cautious ahead of some key economic figures from the States. BP was on the rise after being handed a smaller-than-expected civil penalty over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2
Read moreLondon open: Stocks open lower ahead of economic data, but BP rises
16th Jan 2015 08:20
Weakness on Wall Street and nervousness ahead of some key US data resulted in a negative start for UK stocks on Friday, though gains from oil major BP limited the decline. BP was on the rise early on after being handed a smaller-than-expected civil penalty over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010.
Read moreLondon pre-open: Declines expected ahead of key US data
16th Jan 2015 07:36
UK stocks are expected to fall early on after a decent jump, albeit in choppy trading, the previous session as investors await key economic data Stateside. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open about 35 points lower than yesterday's close of 6,498.78. A surprise decision by the Swiss National
Read moreJD Sports to beat profit forecasts after strong Christmas sales
16th Jan 2015 07:20
The chairman of JD Sports Fashion said he was "delighted" with the sportswear retailer's performance over Christmas as the company raised its profit outlook for the full year. Like-for-like (LFL) sales were up 12% in the five weeks to 3 January, which was "particularly pleasing given the strong comp
Read moreLondon close: Stocks end choppy session firmly lower as data disappoints
6th Jan 2015 17:19
It was a volatile day for the UK equity market with stocks swinging between losses and gains for most of the session, with a late sell-off sending the FTSE 100 firmly in the red by the close. Service-sector activity data from across the globe largely came in below expectations with weak figures from
Read moreJD Sports sells Bank Fashion business
25th Nov 2014 13:31
JD Sports Fashion has sold its Bank Fashion business to a subsidiary of Hilco Capital, which the retailer said should result in a substantial recovery of its inter-company loan. It said the exact amount would be confirmed at a later date. Executive chairman Peter Cowgill said: "We have decided tha
Read moreSports Direct rumoured to be sizing up bid offer for Findel's Kitbag
16th Nov 2014 17:50
Sportswear retailer Sports Direct is rumoured to have its eye on Kitbag, the football strip retailer, which was put on the market by owner Findel at the beginning of the month. Debt-laden Findel is likely to receive offers from Sports Direct's high street competitor JD Sports, according to speculato
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Vedanta climbs on bauxite hopes
29th Oct 2014 15:42
Diversified metals and mining major Vedanta Resources was higher after chairman Anil Agarwal said the problems with bauxite supplies to its Lanjigarh aluminium refinery in three or four month's time. "The state government has assured us that they are working on 2-3 alternative bauxite mines for our
Read more