London close: European hopes boost Footsie back to 5,900
21st Jul 2011 16:34
London equities rallied to a strong finish - recouping the losses experienced over the last week - on hopes of a solution to the sovereign debt crisis in Europe. At midday, shares offset early losses as reports surfaced that Europe's leaders have agreed on a new aid package for Greece and an overh
Read moreLondon close: BSkyB, financials provide a drag
11th Jul 2011 16:37
The Footsie dropped over 1% lower on Monday as satellite broadcaster British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) and European debt-contagion fears weighed on sentiment. Shares of BSkyB took a tumble as the potential takeover by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp hangs in the balance. The UK government said it was pre
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: BSkyB leads fallers, Int'l Power rises
11th Jul 2011 15:11
Shares of BSkyB dropped by6% and was the top loser on the blue chip index on Monday as the potential takeover by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp hangs in the balance. The UK government said it was preparing to ask telecoms regulator Ofcom for additional advice. The Australian government's proposal on cl
Read moreSector movers: Insurers rise, retailers fall
7th Jun 2011 16:09
The life insurance sector is being boosted higher by the blue chips today, after Resolution announced a share repurchase. UK insurance buyout firm Resolution was the pick of the bunch today, after announcing its plans to return £500m of excess cash to shareholders. Citi has reiterated its 'buy' r
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Insurers dominate the risers
7th Jun 2011 15:34
UK insurance buyout firm Resolution is the pick of the bunch today, after announcing its plans to return £500m of excess cash to shareholders. Citi has reiterated its 'buy' recommendation on the stock, saying that - given lower asset and debt leverage - "the Resolution business should be at a premi
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 moreBroker tips: Whitbread, L&G, Weir
4th May 2011 12:59
Credit Suisse keeps its 'outperform' rating on Whitbread, but slashes its target price from 2,230p to 1,992p, after a cautious outlook alongside its full year results. Credit Suisse said that the Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner reported "solid" figures for the year ended 3 March, but issued caut
Read moreBroker snap: Strong performance to continue at L&G
4th May 2011 12:16
Legal & General was one of the strongest performing stocks on the FTSE 100 during the first three months of the year, and Panmure Gordon expects the good performance to continue based on the insurance titan's attractive valuation. The broker said new business sales were "impressive" with life and p
Read moreL&G's sales growth disappoints
4th May 2011 08:24
First quarter sales at insurance titan Legal & General came in below expectations, but cash generation was strong and ahead of target. Worldwide sales on an annualised premium equivalent (APE) basis in the first quarter rose 12% to £433m from £388m the year before, but were below market expectation
Read moreWednesday preview: Sage, Standard Chartered, L&G
3rd May 2011 17:38
Accountancy software firm Sage releases its interim results on Wednesday amid slight concerns that small to medium sized enterprises might be taking longer to upgrade their Sage products than has been the case in the past, as they wait to see whether the economic recovery is sustained. Matrix Group
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Shire and Astra take a hit
28th Apr 2011 15:25
Drug groups Shire and AstraZeneca are lower are reporting their first quarter results. While Shire posted a strong rise in revenues and profits in the period, sentiment seems to have been hit by sector peer Astra which cited US healthcare reform measures and generic competition as the reasons why it
Read moreLondon close: Strong end to a strong day
17th Mar 2011 16:49
London's blue chips were strong all day and boosted late on by a strong start in the US where the Dow notched up a triple-digit gain in quick time. For once, investors overlooked the ongoing bad news on the Japanese earthquake and turmoil in the Arab world to hunt out a few bargains. Heritage Oi
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners recover
17th Mar 2011 14:18
Mining shares are starting to recover today. Antofagasta and Xstrata are both ahead. Shares in Weir Group are higher after one of its directors, Lord Smith of Kelvin, bought more than £48,000 worth of shares. Legal & General has fallen even though the insurer raised its full year dividend by 2
Read moreLondon afternoon: Shares kick on as US opens higher
17th Mar 2011 13:57
Share prices kicked on over the lunchtime session, boosted by a firm start on Wall Street, where the Dow has notched up a triple-digit gain in quick time. Though the focus remains on the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake and any response to the turbulence it has caused in the financial markets
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks add more gains
17th Mar 2011 12:17
The FTSE 100 has advanced further following a good start, even as the overseas worries that have been hitting shares continue. The yen rose to a record high against the dollar on Wednesday in intense trade as investors become increasingly worried about Japan's nuclear crisis. The Foreign Office is
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