London pre-open: Bad news for Footsie
24th Nov 2010 07:35
A three-figure retreat on Wall Street overnight looks like turning City dealing screens red in opening deals, with tensions in Korea and debt fears in Europe casting a cloud. The Dow Jones fell more than 140 points Tuesday and London is expected to lose 40 points in no time at all, according to fut
Read moreJohnson Matthey expects good second half
24th Nov 2010 07:05
Speciality chemicals group Johnson Matthey saw good growth in most of its markets in the first half, especially catalysts for light duty vehicles in North America and Asia. Profit before tax rose to £144.1m in the half-year to 30 September from £109.5m the year before. Underlying profit before tax
Read moreWednesday preview: UU, Compass, Johnson Matthey
23rd Nov 2010 18:30
Like Severn Trent, which posted interim results on Tuesday, United Utilities' interims will be the first set of results under the new price control regime that runs until 2015. Charles Stanley expects profits of £163m and EPS of 17.5p. The dividend is expected to be 12% lower at 9.8p. "UU has head
Read moreWeek ahead: US GDP, Mitchells & Butlers, Severn Trent...
19th Nov 2010 15:22
Pubs group Mitchells & Butlers' recent nine week trading update highlighted a 3.6% like-for-like sales improvement on last year. Food sales were, as usual, the driver of growth but even the "wet" side of the business saw a pick-up. Brokers now expect the All Bar One and Harvester owner to post pro
Read moreLondon close: Weak end to dull day
14th Oct 2010 16:35
Leading shares closed lower on a poor day for the banks and a tumble for African Barrick. Fears that Standard Chartered's rights issue yesterday could be the start of a flood of cash calls unsettled Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays. Metal prices are back on the rise as the dollar heads
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Marston's, Greggs, Cranswick
7th Oct 2010 06:51
Marston's is for those who enjoy an old-fashioned pint and an old-fashioned pub company. Marston's shares sell on about ten times' earnings for the year to end-September and have the buttress of a 6 per cent yield. In a battered sector, a "hold" at least, says the Times. Greggs, the bakery chain, a
Read moreJohnson Matthey buys Intercat
6th Oct 2010 15:18
Johnson Matthey will increase its product range in the petroleum refining catalyst sector through the $56.2m purchase of Intercat. The purchase price is net of adjustments for debt of $29.4m. Georgia-based Intercat made an underlying operating profit of $8.4m on revenues of $58m in 2009. Intercat
Read moreLondon close: Good gains for FTSE 100
21st Jul 2010 17:04
Footsie's advance was pared slightly at the close of trading but shares still finished with strong gains. Mining stocks led the advance as copper inventories continue to contract, with Kazakhmys, Antofagasta, Vedanta and Xstrata at the head of the pack. Sticking with the resource sector, mining a
Read moreLondon afternoon: Three-digit gain for Footsie
21st Jul 2010 14:10
Footsie's gain burst through the triple digit barrier over the lunchtime session, helped by expectations of a solid start by Wall Street. Mining stocks lead the advance as copper inventories continue to contract, with Kazakhmys, Antofagasta, Vedanta and Xstrata at the head of the pack. Sticking
Read moreBroker tips: Johnson Matthey, Reckitt Benckiser, Euromoney
21st Jul 2010 12:39
Charles Stanley remains equivocal about the investment appeal of the shares of Johnson Matthey, despite a generally robust trading performance in the first quarter of the platinum refiner's financial year. The broker believes that Johnson Matthey's prospects are far from certain. "We note that US s
Read moreLondon midday: Glaxo sales in line
21st Jul 2010 12:05
Equities ended the morning session in consolidation mode, holding on to the gains racked up in the first two hours of trading, when traders were enthused by the Reckitt Benckiser bid for SSL and forecast busting results overnight from Apple. Reckitt will pay SSL shareholders 1,163p per share with a
Read moreBroker snap: Uncertain future for Johnson Matthey
21st Jul 2010 11:39
Charles Stanley remains equivocal about the investment appeal of the shares of Johnson Matthey. despite a generally robust trading performance in the first quarter of the platinum refiner's financial year. The broker believes that Johnson Matthey's prospects are far from certain. "We note that US s
Read moreLondon open: Bids spur Footsie higher
21st Jul 2010 08:53
Buyers are scrambling to find anything with the slightest chance of being bid for after Reckitt Benckiser snapped up SSL this morning for £2.5bn. Footsie is up by nearly 80 points so far with only Lonmin and Smith & Nephew in red numbers. Reckitt's bid for SSL is a deal that had been rumoured for
Read moreJohnson Matthey shines in first quarter
21st Jul 2010 07:23
Platinum refiner Johnson Matthey has had a strong start to the financial year, but the company, which sells catalysts for cars, warned that second quarter results may be affected by reduced consumer confidence. Sales in both the environmental technologies and emission controls divisions the in the
Read moreJohnson Matthey 1Q Sales Excluding Precious Metals Up 32%
21st Jul 2010 07:10
LONDON (Dow Jones)--Johnson Matthey PLC (JMAT.LN), an advanced materials technology group, said Wednesday it has made a good start to the financial year with first quarter sales excluding precious metals 32% ahead of the same period last year and slightly up on those in the fourth quarter of fiscal
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