FTSE 100 movers: ITV leads the fallers
11th May 2011 14:44
Terrestrial broadcaster ITV is the worst performing stock after warning that it is facing tougher comparatives in the current quarter, meaning that the firm could underperform the market in the first half. Banking giant HSBC is lower after announcing that it is to cut costs and may abandon some bu
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Schroders drops after profit misses targets
5th May 2011 15:26
Asset management firm Schroders has taken a tumble as profits came short of expectations in the first quarter. The group's profit before tax rose to £103.8m, from £93.2m in the first quarter of 2010, but that wasn't enough for investors who were hoping for a figure closer to £117m. Lloyds has also
Read moreSector movers: Next props up the retailers
4th May 2011 14:22
Retailers are in demand on the back of some sentiment-lifting first quarter results from Next. Fashion retailer Next saw shares leap after a strong first quarter, which saw sales increase more than expected. Total sales for the period excluding VAT were up by 5.2% from the same period the previous
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Antofagasta tumbles after disappointing production figures
4th May 2011 13:51
Miner Antofagasta is leading the decline on Wednesday after reporting production figures that missed expectations. Group copper production for the first three months of the year came in at 129,800 tonnes, below forecasts of 158,800 tonnes, reflecting delays and lower-than-budgeted grades at two of i
Read morePolo Resources co-chairman digs deep
27th Apr 2011 16:29
Polo Resources co-chairman Stephen Dattels has been upping his holding in the mining investment company. Regent Mercantile Holdings, a company wholly owned by the trustee of a trust under which Dattels is a beneficiary bought 6,364,828 shares at 5.82p a share, spending about £370,000. Dattels now
Read moreSector movers: M&S gives retailers a boost
6th Apr 2011 14:22
Retail giant Marks & Spencer is performing well after strong fourth quarter trading statement, providing a boost to the 'general retail' sector. Blue chips Next and Kingfisher are also higher. Peel Hunt upgraded M&S to a 'hold', from 'sell', after results from both general merchandise and food divi
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: M&S tops the risers
6th Apr 2011 13:12
Retailers are providing a boost on Wednesday, with Marks & Spencer performing best among the blue chips. The group saw a sharp drop in like-for-like sales of clothes and other non-food items in the 13 weeks to 2 April, though the fall wasn't as severe as expected and overall sales growth was mainta
Read moreWH Ireland bosses buy big
5th Apr 2011 16:19
Bosses at WH Ireland had the company they work for in their sights today as they splashed out thousands of pounds on shares in the stockbroker. Chief executive Paul Compton was the biggest spender, taking 670,448 shares at 50p a time. The purchase, which set him back £335,174, takes his holding to
Read moreSector movers: Mothercare pressures retailers lower
31st Mar 2011 14:50
Retailers are sharply lower Thursday, with blue chips Next and Kingfisher falling into the red. On the FTSE 250, Mothercare, Dixons, Carpetright, Sports Direct and Dunelm are providing a drag. Baby clothes retailer Mothercare has seen its share price drop by almost a tenth, after margins were sque
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: TUI satisfied with trading
31st Mar 2011 13:52
Tour operator TUI Travel is higher after saying underlying trading has been "satisfactory" during the last six months. Interdealer broker ICAP enjoyed a "solid" fourth quarter thanks to greater market volatility. Further poor figures from retailers have knocked Next and Kingfisher. FTSE 100 - Ri
Read moreSector movers: GKN lifts auto stocks
25th Mar 2011 15:42
The automobiles and parts sector the best performer today on the back of strong gains from blue chip aerospace and vehicles engineer GKN. The group is higher after announcing yesterday that it will wave goodbye to longstanding chief executive Sir Kevin Smith at the end of 2011. His place at the he
Read moreLondon close: Strong gains in stores
24th Mar 2011 16:32
Footsie had a good day as investors mulled yesterday's Budget and decided overall it was good news for the stock market. Retailers were strong all day as investors focused on the numbers from Next and Kingfisher rather than some cautious comments over the retail sector over the rest of the year.
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Retailers dominate risers
24th Mar 2011 15:25
Retailers dominate the best performers on the day. Kingfisher, the owner of do-it-yourself retailer B&Q, built profits by 19% last year, pretty much in line with market expectations. The company made £671m in the year ended 29 January 2011 and the increase was 22.5% when adjusted for one-off ite
Read moreSector movers: Next and Kingfisher boost retail stocks
24th Mar 2011 15:08
It's a strong day for retail stocks, sending the 'general retailers' sector to the top of the pile, with impressive gains from blue chips Next and Kingfisher. Next today paraded a 9% rise in full-year profit to a new record, exactly what the City was expecting following guidance from the fashion re
Read moreLondon afternoon: Market consolidates gains
24th Mar 2011 14:24
Footsie has maintained most of its gains from the morning but there are signs that it is running out of steam even though Wall Street opened in positive territory. Wall Street has been heading lower since the start and it is only just still in positive territory. The two large earthquakes in Bu
Read more