London open: Chinese data weighs on stocks
23rd Nov 2011 08:31
The Footsie fell below the 5,200 level early on, as some gloomy data from China dampened the mood. Weighing on sentiment today is the poor data out from China, which showed factory activity levels dropping to their lowest in 32 months. The HSBC flash manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI),
Read moreLFL sales slow at JD Sports
23rd Nov 2011 07:42
High street sports retailer JD Sports Fashion has seen the growth of like-for-like (LFL) sales slow down in the sixteen weeks ended 19 November due to the ongoing troubles facing the everyday consumer. Since the end of the first half, LFL sales grew by just 0.2% from the same period last year, wel
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks off intraday lows after manufacturing data
3rd Oct 2011 12:13
While losses have been trimmed since the open, Greek deficit fears continued to weigh on stocks at midday, with the banking peers Standard Chartered, Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland among the heaviest fallers. Banks across Europe joined in with the sell-off, with French lenders BNP Paribas and
Read moreJD Sports returns to LFL sales growth
21st Sep 2011 07:26
JD Sports, the sports fashion retailer, saw like-for-like sales decline 1.6% in the first six months of 2011 but it has been picking up the pace in the second half of the year, with a return to like-for-like sales growth. Total revenues were up 14.6% on the same period last year to £439.8m, helped
Read moreFTSE 250 Movers: Ocado falls despite sales growth
19th Sep 2011 13:03
Ocado, the online grocery store, saw more than an 11% drop in its share price despite increasing its sales by almost one-fifth in the first 36 weeks of its financial year The group warned that investment in customer service will decrease its full year profit figure. Shares were rising ahead of JD
Read moreSector movers: Coppers prices boost industrial miners
30th Aug 2011 15:56
The industrial metals and mining sector was the best performing sector on Tuesday afternoon, helped by rising copper prices. By 15:49, the copper price was 1.29% higher at $416.25, a $5.30 gain on the day, as a pay dispute and strike at the world's third-largest copper mine, the Grasberg mine in In
Read moreSunday newspapers round-up: Anglo American, Foster's, QinetiQ ...
21st Aug 2011 16:36
London-based mining giant Anglo American is to gatecrash the £3bn takeover battle for the Australian coal miner Macarthur, a move that will put it on a collision course with Lakshmi Mittal, the steel tycoon, reports the Sunday Times. Arcelor Mittal, the world's largest steel maker ? run by Lakshmi M
Read moreSports Direct acquires USC and Cruise fashion chains
6th Jul 2011 07:52
Sportswear retailer Sports Direct is moving into the fashion world with the acquisition of 80% shareholdings in the Scottish fashion chains USC and Cruise Clothing for £7m. The entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter will retain 20% holdings in the two chains and remain chairman of both companies. He will also
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Clothing retailers gain momentum
5th Jul 2011 15:22
Apparels and sports and athletic inspired fashion retailers rose sharply on Tuesday, pushing the mid-cap stock index higher. The top risers on the FTSE 250 included Carpetright and Sports Direct. Dixons Retail, whose shares had lost more than 4% since its earnings report on June 23, also climbed hig
Read moreBroker tips: Xstrata, JD Sports, Charter
27th Jun 2011 12:58
UBS has cut its forecasts for FTSE 100-miner Xstrata, saying that the first half of 2011 is "one they'd probably like to forget." "We are cutting our earnings estimates for Xstrata to reflect lower realised pricing in coal, higher than expected costs, adverse currency movements as well as lower wea
Read moreBroker snap: finnCap raises forecasts for JD Sports after Spanish purchase
27th Jun 2011 12:46
To reflect JD Sports Fashion's Spanish acquisition announced earlier this week, finnCap has upped its forecasts for the sportswear retailer and reiterated its buy rating. "On Monday we covered JD's move into Spain via a 50.1% investment in Sprinter, a 47-store chain. That Spanish-incorporated subsi
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks under pressure as euro saga drags on
20th Jun 2011 12:03
Stocks remain under pressure as the Greek debt situation continues to cast a shadow. Eurozone ministers have postponed their decision on a €12bn (£10bn) loan to the indebted Mediterranean nation until it passes more austerity measures. Among the fallers are Aggreko even after the temporary power
Read moreLondon open: Stocks fall back again
20th Jun 2011 08:24
The top share index has started the week on the decline as the Greek debt crisis continues to rumble on. Eurozone ministers have postponed their decision on a €12bn (£10bn) loan to the indebted Mediterranean nation until it passes more austerity measures. Miners and financial stocks are dragging t
Read moreLondon pre-open: Back into reverse
20th Jun 2011 07:44
London's leading shares are set to start the week on a dull note with City traders predicting the Footsie will tumble back below the 5,700 mark, down by around 50 points. Temporary power and temperature control provider Aggreko saw an acceleration in the rate of underlying growth in the second quar
Read moreJD Sports Fashion makes Spanish acquisition
20th Jun 2011 07:07
Trendy sportswear retailer JD Sports Fashion has gained a foothold in Spain with the acquisition of the businesses of Sprinter, a sports chain operating in the south of the country. JD Sprinter Holdings, a joint venture in which JD Sports Fashion holds 50.1%, acquired Sprinter's trading businesses,
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