Wednesday preview: Anxiety about FOMC minutes may suppress activity
8th Jul 2014 14:27
While UK company news may be centred around Sainsbury's Chief Executive Justin King's tearful departure at the company's annual meeting and a trading update from pubs group JD Wetherspoon, the market will still be angsting about news from across the Atlantic. The anxious anticipation about what w
Read moreFriday broker round-up UPDATE
13th Jun 2014 09:23
African Minerals: Deutsche Bank reduces target price from 316p to 249p maintaining a buy recommendation. Atkins: Numis ups target price from 1650p to 1700p and keeps a buy recommendation. JP Morgan reduces target price from 1619p to 1548p and reiterates its overweight rating. Ferrexpo: Deutsche Ba
Read moreMorgan Stanley screens say sell CRH, JD Wetherspoon and many others
10th Jun 2014 15:41
Morgan Stanley has put out a note compiling a list of stocks that its stock screens suggested were worthy of selling, including building materials group CRH and pub operator JD Wetherspoon. The note, entitled 'Stock screens suggest selling small caps', contains the latest in the broker's regular s
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Icap falls on FX trading volume decline
7th May 2014 14:41
Interdealer broker Icap was sharply lower on Wednesday after it reported a decline in its foreign exchange trading volumes in April. Pub group JD Wetherspoon also fell after it voiced uncertainty about fourth-quarter trading, with sales having slowed in the last few weeks. Wetherspoon said it had
Read moreBroker tips: HSBC, AstraZeneca, Rolls-Royce...
7th May 2014 13:34
HSBC shares will continue to underperform the wider banking sector following the company's 'mixed' first-quarter results, according to wealth manager Brewin Dolphin. Overall, we would argue that this is a mixed set of results: costs, impairments and capital were all either better or in line with ex
Read moreINTERVIEW - Wetherspoon boss sees economic pick-up but urges tax cuts
7th May 2014 13:27
The flamboyant Chairman of JD Wetherspoon, Tim Martin, says the UK economy is frothing up despite a slowdown in the pub group's sales in the last few weeks. Martin, pictured second from left, told ShareCast: "Most chief executives who comment on the economy don't know what they're talking about, so
Read moreShore Capital says Wetherspoon might be a buying opportunity
7th May 2014 11:03
Broker Shore Capital may downgrade profit forecasts for pub group JD Wetherspoon, but said any share weakness could be a buying opportunity. Wetherspoon on Wednesday reported a good February and March, but said sales slowed in the last few weeks. Shore, which has a 'hold' recommendation on the sha
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
7th May 2014 08:35
Balfour Beatty: Jefferies reduces target price from 403p to 233p downgrading to hold. Deutsche Bank cuts target price from 280p to 250p and leaves its hold recommendation unchanged. Numis reduces target price to 260p and retains an add rating. Barclays: Deutsche Bank lowers target price from 320p t
Read moreWetherspoon voices caution on Q4 after sales slowdown
7th May 2014 07:44
Pub group JD Wetherspoon voiced uncertainty about fourth quarter trading after sales slowed in the last few weeks. Wetherspoon said it had a good February and March, but like-for-like sales in April rose less than a year ago and Easter was below last year. Like-for-like sales in the 13 weeks to Ap
Read moreBudget 2014: Picture mixed for leisure sector - UPDATE
19th Mar 2014 13:27
Shares in British bookmakers Ladbrokes and William Hill tumbled after the government's new Budget included an increase to 25 per cent in duty on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). Chancellor George Osborne said that he would lift the rate on Machine Games Duty on betting content from 20% to 25%,
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Spirent Comms lifted by reports of new technology
14th Mar 2014 15:46
Spirent Communications was higher on reports it has launched a new piece of technology which is used to address the ultra-high bandwidth requirements of modern communication networks. Rajesh Rajamani, Market Segment Leader, was quoted as saying: "Spirent continues to advance the boundaries of next
Read moreLondon pre-open: FTSE to continue lower ahead of Crimea referendum
14th Mar 2014 07:24
- US and Asia stocks sink overnight - Concerns about Ukraine, Russia - BP signs deal with US Environmental Protection Agency UK stocks face a negative start to today's session, tracking declines seen in both Asia and the US overnight as concerns about the situation in Ukraine mount. City sources
Read moreWetherspoon's first-half profit and revenue rise
14th Mar 2014 07:06
- Pre-tax profit up 8.5 per cent - Like-for-like sales climb 5.2 per cent - Dividend in line with 2013 Pub and bar operator Wetherspoon reported an 8.5 per cent rise in pre-tax profit to 37.8m pounds in the first half on the back of an increase in sales. Like-for-like sales climbed 5.2%, with tot
Read moreFriday preview: Wetherspoon releases interims
13th Mar 2014 14:44
Wetherspoon will release its first half interim results which are expected by analysts to show an increase in profit. Numis predicts the pub and food operator will post pre-tax profits, before exceptional items, of £37m, up from £34.8m a year earlier. In January, the company said revenues from pu
Read moreFriday broker round-up UPDATE
7th Feb 2014 09:30
Acal: N+1 Singer initiates with a target price of 380p and a buy recommendation. AstraZeneca: Societe Generale ups target price from 3030p to 3126p, but still recommends selling. Barratt Developments: Deutsche Bank raises target price from 394p to 480p keeping a buy recommendation. Beazley: Canac
Read more