FTSE 100 movers: Microsoft talk lifts Autonomy
24th Sep 2009 10:11
Software group Autonomy, which announced a license agreement with the European Commission, is one the best performers today. Traders said it is less to do with that bit of business, though, and more with rumours of a Microsoft takeover bid, though they added it is a story that has done the rounds b
Read moreLondon close: Footsie dips into the red
23rd Sep 2009 17:05
A late swoon saw London's blue-chip index give up the gains of the morning to close marginally lower on the day, as investors banked profits ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision this evening on US interest rates and its quantitative easing (QE) programme. The morning's gains had been achieved on
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie nears intra-day high
23rd Sep 2009 14:01
The market's climb regained momentum over the lunchtime session. Investors have been put in the mood to buy by the prospect of the Bank of England increasing its quantitative easing programme some time in the future. The minutes to the most recent meeting of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy co
Read moreLand Securities repays £1.5bn debt
22nd Sep 2009 15:40
Property giant Land Securities is repaying £1.5bn of its debt and will repay further facilities during the calendar year but said it still has "financial firepower" to take advantage of market opportunities. The group said the decision allows Land Securities to return to a normal operating environm
Read moreLondon close: End of road for winning run
21st Sep 2009 16:21
London's six-day rally ended Monday after banks were sold on fundraising talks and as miners retreated on weaker metal prices. Part-nationalised lender Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) was the biggest faller on reports it is mulling a share issue of between £3-4bn to reduce its dependence on the UK gov
Read moreLondon afternoon: RBS's rights plans disappoint
21st Sep 2009 14:26
Share prices are drifting lower as investors take stock following the market's recent strong run. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is lower on reports that it is mulling a share issue of between £3-4bn to reduce its dependence on the UK government's toxic asset protection scheme (APS). Lloyds confirmed
Read moreLondon midday: Miners in a hole
21st Sep 2009 12:24
Investors took an opportunity to bank profits in what has been a quiet session for news, with miners wearing the worst of the losses. Weaker metal prices have Fresnillo, Xstrata, Kazakhmys, Vedanta and Rio Tinto deep in the red. Even Antofagasta is lower now despite a positive note from Goldman Sac
Read moreLondon open: Footsie slips in early dealings
21st Sep 2009 08:38
London's blue chips have made a sluggish start to the week with corporate activity limited to a bit of asset and balance sheet tidying up by Punch and LandSecs. Punch Taverns has bought back another tranche of convertible debt due for redemption next year, reducing the amount outstanding to just ov
Read moreLondon pre-open: Top stocks to drop
21st Sep 2009 07:32
London's blue chips look set to open slightly lower with traders expecting Footsie to drop around 5 points in early dealings. Punch Taverns has bought back another tranche of convertible debt due for redemption next year, reducing the amount outstanding to just over £100m. The pub owner has bought
Read moreLand Securities sells Bullring stake
21st Sep 2009 07:02
Land Securities has sold its one third ownership of the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham to the Future Fund, an investment fund set up by the Australian Government, for £210m. The price tag reflects a 6.85% net yield, the group said. The 1.2 million sq ft (110,000 sq m) shopping centre in Bi
Read moreComment: The Post-Lehman Landscape
19th Sep 2009 11:53
This week marked the anniversary of the demise of US investment banking giant Lehman Brothers and the collapse of insurance behemoth AIG, two events that threatened to bring about the implosion of the world's financial system. Yet, here we are, a year later and the UK's major stock indices have stru
Read moreLondon close: Footsie winning streak continues
18th Sep 2009 16:38
London's rising streak continued but it was a bit of a struggle with the absence of economic news and a flat start on Wall Street keeping activity at low levels. Banks provided what little excitement there was, with Lloyds Banking, RBS, HSBC and Barclays the most widely traded blue-chips, with the
Read moreLondon afternoon: Shares remain becalmed
18th Sep 2009 13:28
Banks are providing what little excitement there is in the market today, with Lloyds Banking, RBS, HSBC and Barclays the most widely traded blue-chip, with the exception of Vodafone. Despite the number of shares changing hands part-nationalised bank Lloyds Banking Group is little changed, down less
Read moreLondon midday: Shares lack direction
18th Sep 2009 12:23
Leading shares still lack direction with the constituents of the FTSE 100 virtually evenly divided between risers and fallers while the index itself is little changed. Part-nationalised bank Lloyds Banking Group is attracting plenty of comment after it confirmed it is in talks with the government
Read moreSector movers: Property stocks rise on updates
18th Sep 2009 11:26
On a generally quiet day on the company news front, property groups take centre stage with a series of announcements. None of the news is particularly earth-shattering, but the sector is one of today's best performers nonetheless. Property group Songbird is flying high after saying it has increas
Read more