London midday: Unanimous MPC vote on QE takes markets by surprise

17th Jul 2013 11:53

Minutes from this month's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting took markets by surprise on Wednesday morning, with the FTSE 100 slipping into the red after it was revealed that policymakers voted unanimously to leave the Bank of England's (BoE) bond-buying programme unchanged. Investors were lar

Read more

Great Portland Estates buys West End's Oxford House

17th Jul 2013 08:16

Property group Great Portland Estates today confirmed that it has bought Oxford House, 76 Oxford Street, W1. Great Portland said Oxford House is a prominent freehold property at the junction of Oxford Street and Newman Street, adjoining Great Portland's 2.3 acre Rathbone Place redevelopment site.

Read more

Land Securities sees more tenant demand

17th Jul 2013 07:20

Land Securities said interest in London's "Walkie-Talkie" building and other developments had increased and that the rest of its properties were virtually full. Britain's biggest commercial property company said 20 Fenchurch Street, known informally as the "Walkie-Talkie", was 52% pre-let with anot

Read more

Friday broker round-up UPDATE

12th Jul 2013 08:11

Ashmore Group: Morgan Stanley cuts target price from 444p to 420p and leaves its equal-weight rating unchanged. JP Morgan ups target price from 339p to 377p maintaining a neutral rating. AstraZeneca: Jefferies reduces target price from 3560p to 3400p, while keeping its hold recommendation. Aviva:

Read more

London close: Stocks swing into the red as US data smashes forecasts

5th Jul 2013 16:45

The eagerly anticipated US jobs report didn't fail to disappoint on Friday, smashing consensus forecasts and sparking a surge in the dollar; but equity markets in the UK quickly dropped into the red with mining stocks providing a drag as metals prices fell. With an impressive 195,000 non-farm payro

Read more

Thursday broker round-up UPDATE

27th Jun 2013 07:36

Antofagasta: Investec cuts target price from 892p to 691p downgrading from reduce to sell. Black Mountain Resources: Westhouse Securities shifts target price from 23p to 17p, while its buy recommendation remains unaltered. Bunzl: Numis upgrades to buy with a target price of 1505p. Capita: Jefferi

Read more

London midday: Markets cautious as eyes remain fixed on Fed

19th Jun 2013 12:01

A decline in risk appetite meant that UK markets were in the red on Wednesday morning ahead of the all-important policy decision from the Federal Reserve due out later this evening. "Attention is firmly on the Fed's monetary policy decision and press conference later, with investors clearly concern

Read more

London open: Stocks fall as investors brace for Fed meeting

19th Jun 2013 08:09

Following strong gains the day before, markets opened lower on Wednesday morning as investors paused for breath in anticipation of the Federal Reserve policy decision due out this evening. "Despite the tranche of economic data due today, investors will probably be focused on Fed Chairman Ben Bernan

Read more

FTSE 100 movers: Mining, property stocks gain as traders 'buy on the dip'

14th Jun 2013 14:25

A calmer session on financial markets prompted decent gains in the mining and property sectors on Friday, as bargain-hunters moved in to 'buy on the dip' after the recent volatility hit both sectors hard. Anglo American, Glencore, Antofagasta, Vedanta and Randgold led the resources sector higher to

Read more

London midday: Stocks slip after EU jobs data

14th Jun 2013 11:47

The upbeat tone seen from markets in early trading on Friday morning didn't last for long, with the FTSE 100 slipping into the red by midday after some gloomy data from Europe. Strong gains on Wall Street last night prompted a decent start in London this morning on expectations that the Federal Res

Read more

London open: FTSE 100 tracks US and Asian markets higher early on

14th Jun 2013 08:46

Stocks were registering moderate gains on Friday morning as fears over the Federal Reserve's eventual 'exit strategy' from stimulus were eased overnight. Wall Street benchmarks rose strongly on Thursday on expectations that Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will attempt to calm markets by pushing back pred

Read more

Wednesday newspaper round-up: Lloyds, Afren, BoE...

12th Jun 2013 06:30

After The Times' undercover investigation found that Lloyds was mis-handling complaints about PPI mis-selling, the Financial Conduct Authority has asked the paper to hand over information for a report that is to be published this summer. The Guardian says that 80% of shareholders at oil group Afren

Read more

Tuesday broker round-up UPDATE

4th Jun 2013 07:25

Afren: Goldman Sachs shifts target price from 224p to 221p keeping a buy recommendation. Alent: Goldman Sachs initiates with a target price from 426p and a buy recommendation. Amerisur Resources: Goldman Sachs moves target price from 65p to 82p and stays with its neutral rating. Bahamas Petroleum

Read more

Capco and Land Sec close 117m-pound property deal

30th May 2013 08:05

Capital & Counties Properties has acquired full control of the Empress State Building in West London, which could be in line for conversion from commercial to residential status. Capco paid £117m to Land Securities Group to purchase the remaining 50% of the building it didn't already own. Capco w

Read more

Monday broker round-up UPDATE

20th May 2013 08:32

Alent: Credit Suisse initiates with a target price of 430p and an outperform rating. Amlin: Morgan Stanley ups target price from 428p to 469p, while maintaining an overweight rating. Anite: Espirito Santo cuts target price from 180p to 165p retaining a buy recommendation. Ashtead Group: UBS takes

Read more