London afternoon: Financials find favour
24th Jul 2009 14:11
Footsie eased back a little over the lunchtime session but thanks to firm financials the blue-chip index continues to shrug off this morning's gloomy data on gross domestic product (GDP). UK output contracted 0.8% between April and June after a 2.4% decline in the first quarter, according to the Of
Read moreLondon close: Footsie finishes ahead
20th Jul 2009 16:41
London's top stocks remained in the same range and closed with good gains as financials and miners had a strong day. Wall Street starting higher also helped. Sentiment was lifted in the US after reports that lender CIT Group has obtained a last-minute emergency financing rescue deal worth $3bn. Ll
Read moreLondon afternoon: Strong US opening keeps Footsie ahead
20th Jul 2009 15:47
A strong start on Wall Street has kept Footsie in the blue though it has lost some of its early momentum. Lloyds Banking is the best performer on a weekend report it could post an interim profit despite enormous bad-debt provisions. Some of its most toxic sub-prime investments have clawed back bill
Read moreSector movers: Insurers impress
20th Jul 2009 15:09
Another strong day for equities got investors excited about Life Insurance. Global stock markets are rising for a sixth day, boosting the value of investments. Prudential and Legal & General are the best performers, but Friends Provident is also going well as the Resolution takeover situation rumbl
Read moreLondon midday: Banks lead Footsie higher
20th Jul 2009 12:21
Blue chips have continued their recent surge with banks among the top risers as sentiment in the sector is boosted by last week's earnings reports from US rivals. Lloyds Banking is the best performer on a weekend report it could post an interim profit despite enormous bad-debt provisions. Some of i
Read moreLondon close: Bright finish for FTSE 100
13th Jul 2009 16:26
Footsie put a sluggish start behind it to finish with good gains, helped by a strong showing on Wall Street. Friends Provident was the best performer after Clive Cowdery's new vehicle, Resolution , said it has received "constructive feedback" from the board of Friends over its merger approach and i
Read moreLondon afternoon: Friends leads London higher
13th Jul 2009 14:32
Mergers and acquisition activity is keeping share prices bubbling as London makes a solid start to the week. Friends Provident is the best performer after Clive Cowdery's new vehicle, Resolution , said it has received "constructive feedback" from the board of Friends over its merger approach and i
Read moreLondon close: Footsie falls for fourth week
10th Jul 2009 17:04
London's blue-chip index fell for the fourth week in succession, with insurance and resource stocks the major fallers today. Aviva was the biggest casualty as fears resurfaced about the future of the company's dividend but its fellow life assurance stocks Prudential, Standard Life, Legal & General
Read moreLondon close: Modest gains as US struggles
9th Jul 2009 16:33
Equities held onto gains despite a lacklustre final session as Wall St struggled to make headway. Mining stocks continue to dominate the list of risers. Silver miner Fresnillo is the best performer after being upgraded to "buy" by Citigroup. In contrast the US bank had downgraded gold miner Rand
Read moreLondon afternoon: Rally gathers pace
9th Jul 2009 14:46
Equities pushed higher over the lunch-time session, boosted by expectations of a firm start on Wall Street. Mining stocks continue to dominate the list of risers. Silver miner Fresnillo is the best performer after being upgraded to "buy" by Citigroup. In contrast the US bank had downgraded gold min
Read moreLondon close: Footsie dives as miners reverse course
8th Jul 2009 17:04
The decline of the Footsie gathered pace in the final hour as miners, which had provided some measure of support for the blue-chip index for most of the day, turned lower. As global equity markets continue to retreat life assurance stocks were the main losers. Aviva, Legal & General and Prudential
Read moreLondon afternoon: Downward drift continues
8th Jul 2009 15:36
The majority of blue-chip stocks remain lower on the day, though heavily weighted miners are limiting the extent of the fall on Footsie after positive broker comment this morning. Investec has upgraded Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, advising its clients to take advantage of recent share price weakne
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie still flat
8th Jul 2009 12:02
On another directionless day with little in the way of company news to guide sentiment, Footsie sits just in the blue. Heavily weighted miners are limiting the extent of the fall on Footsie after positive broker comment this morning. Investec has upgraded Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, advising its c
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Lloyds, RBS, National Express
5th Jul 2009 10:38
The body that manages the taxpayer's stakes in British banks will warn this week against any expectations of a quick-fire disposal of the shareholdings, the Sunday Telegraph has learnt. UK Financial Investments (UKFI) will say in a strategy document that it will only begin selling its shares in Llo
Read moreLondon close: Stocks tread water
3rd Jul 2009 17:12
A late swoon saw Footsie relinquish virtually all of its gains, with losses on resource stocks counter-balancing gains made by banks. Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC and Lloyds Banking were the pick of the banking sector, despite chancellor Alistair Darling firing a warning about the re-eme
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