London close: Stocks end flat ahead of Fed statement
22nd Jun 2011 16:44
After a poor start, the Footsie was pulled into positive territory for a brief moment but ended flat ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision over the interest rate and a possible QE3. Expectations are for the rate-setting committee to announce few changes, but one never knows for sure. There is now
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Kenmare Resources leads the risers
13th Jun 2011 14:29
Irish mining firm Kenmare Resources is the top performer on the FTSE 250 on Monday, rising over 4.5%. Kenmare's shares have had a decent run as of late, rising by nearly 9% in the last week, and by around 60% since mid-January. Meanwhile, trendy fashion firm Supergroup - the index's worst performer
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Profits jump at MITIE
23rd May 2011 15:42
Outsourced service provider MITIE is the highest riser of the day after posting a sharp rise in profits for the year to 31 March. Pre-tax profits jumped to £86.8m from £79.7m the previous year on revenues that were up to £1.89bn from £1.72bn. "The opportunities in outsourcing and energy services in
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Supergroup, Keller plummet
12th May 2011 14:56
Two companies, SuperGroup and Keller, took a tumble on Thursday, both falling over 20% lower. Fast-growing fashion group SuperGroup failed to get its summer range out in time for the unseasonably warm weather seen recently, resulting in a lower sales growth rate in the three months to 1 May. Grou
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Bodycote soars after strong quarter
27th Apr 2011 13:48
The big mover of the day is engineering firm Bodycote after it said it expects headline operating profit for the year to 31 December 2011 to be towards the top end of analysts' forecasts after strong demand for heavy trucks. The outlook impresses broker Prime Markets which said that the shares (curr
Read moreStrike halts production at Kenmare's Mozambican mine
27th Apr 2011 08:59
Mining firm Kenmare Resources has reported a strike at its Moma titanium mine in Mozambique. The strike has 'temporarily suspended' production, Kenmare said. Moma is Kenmare's only operation. "Annual wage negotiations between Kenmare and the employees' union had been progressing when an unofficia
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Heritage jumps after buy-back
26th Apr 2011 14:45
Heritage Oil is the best performer on the FTSE 100 Tuesday after the oil explorer announced that it is buying back $100m (£60m) in shares, because its "considers that the current share price is trading at a significant discount to the intrinsic, underlying value of the company." Micro Focus Interna
Read moreTuesday tips round-up: Burberry, Acta, Jupiter
19th Apr 2011 06:30
Burberry, the luxury goods group, is expected to maintain its strong momentum by posting a sharp uplift in second-half sales today. Burberry's shares - which are up by more than 60% in the past year - have also been buoyed by persistent bid speculation. Given the valuation of 21 times forward earnin
Read moreLondon close: S&P scares off investors
18th Apr 2011 17:02
Having started the day with hopes of rising back above 6,000, the top share index hurtled in the opposite direction to fall below 5,900 after debt ratings firm Standard & Poor's (S&P) put the cat among the pigeons by downgrading the outlook for US sovereign debt. Though S&P affirmed the USA´s 'AAA'
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Bwin.party soars after US crackdown
18th Apr 2011 14:02
Bwin.party was boosted higher on Monday, as a US crackdown on online poker firms is expected to bolster demand for its more Europe-focused peers. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has forced a shutdown on Friday of three popular poker websites, Full Tilt Poker, Pokerstars and Absolute Poker,
Read moreLondon midday: Desire subsides after well wash-out
18th Apr 2011 12:18
Bright spots are hard to find on the first trading days of the shortened week, and far from bursting through the 6,000 barrier Footsie heads at pace in the opposite direction. Insurer Resolution leads the blue-chip index lower after UBS downgraded the stock from "buy" to "neutral". Bid hopes for
Read moreLondon open: S&N unnerved by rivals' bid talks
18th Apr 2011 09:06
Expectations of a flat start proved wide of the mark as financial stocks lead the market lower. Banks such as Barclays, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland are off the pace, as are insurers such as Resolution, Standard Life, Aviva and Old Mutual. Medical devices maker Smith & Nephew is the worst pe
Read moreLondon pre-open: Flat start in prospect
18th Apr 2011 07:53
Traders are likely contemplating why they did not stay in bed for an extra hour this morning as the market is flat and corporate news flow is thin. City sources predict the FTSE 100 index will open a couple of points lower at 5,994. Engineering software firm Aveva said it expects full year results
Read moreKenmare confident of sustaining revenue growth
18th Apr 2011 07:02
Irish mining firm Kenmare Resources said its Moma titanium minerals mine is producing in line with expectations, while plans to increase total production by 50% in 2012 are on schedule. The company said revenue picked up in 2010 to $91.6m from $26.7m in 2009, while losses before tax narrowed to $16
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Lamprell wanted after confirming speculation
8th Apr 2011 13:46
Lamprell is among the best performers after the oil rig services firm confirmed rumours yesterday that it is in talks to acquire Norwegian peer Maritime Industrial Services. Irish mining firm Kenmare Resources is being boosted higher by the rising commodity prices. While it has come off its lows
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