FTSE 100 movers: Barclays drags banks lower
26th Nov 2012 15:04
Barclays shares dropped five per cent after Qatar disposed of its remaining warrants in the bank, pulling the entire banking sector lower. Even a boost from JP Morgan, which raised its target price from 250p to 320p and upgraded the stock to overweight, was not enough to stop the group falling. Th
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise after Chinese data
22nd Nov 2012 08:27
- Footsie gains after upbeat Chinese data - Volumes expected to be light with US markets closed - SABMiller and Man Group lead gains on FTSE 350 UK stocks started Thursday's session with moderate gains after some upbeat manufacturing figures from China, though trade is expected to be light with US
Read moreRSA bags Lloyds Chairman
22nd Nov 2012 07:09
Global insurer RSA said it had appointed financial services stalwart Martin Scicluna as its new Chairman. He will join the board on January 1st 2013 and succeeds John Napier who is stepping down at the end of the year after a decade in the post. Scicluna spent over 30 years at Deloitte where he wa
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks pare losses but market cautious
21st Nov 2012 11:54
- Eurogroup delays Greek aid - MPC minutes show 8-to-1 vote in favour of maintaining QE - Johnson Matthey and Compass lower after results UK stocks had trimmed losses by Wednesday lunchtime but was trading within a narrow range as investors remain cautious following an inconclusive meeting of Euroz
Read moreLondon open: Stocks fall as Greek aid delayed
21st Nov 2012 08:36
London's benchmark FTSE 100 index dropped into the red in early trading on Wednesday morning after Eurozone finance ministers delayed a decision on the next tranche of the Greek bailout. Matthew Nelson, a financial sales trader from Spreadex, said this morning: "The poor sentiment has not been aide
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
21st Nov 2012 07:10
Avocet Mining: Goldman Sachs downgrades from neutral to sell. Barr (AG):Numis upgrades to add with a traget price of 525p. British Land: Morgan Stanley raises target price from 540p to 570p and upgrades to overweight. Jefferies raises target price from 554p to 561p, hold recommendation maintained.
Read moreLondon midday: Markets cautious ahead of Eurogroup meeting on Greece
20th Nov 2012 11:27
Following on from a 2.36 per cent surge yesterday, the FTSE 100 pulled back on Tuesday morning with concerns about the Eurozone being reignited ahead of an extraordinary Eurogroup meeting on Greece scheduled for this evening. Eurozone finance ministers are meeting today in Brussels to discuss wheth
Read moreLondon open: Stocks slip as France downgraded
20th Nov 2012 08:45
With another European nation losing its prized 'AAA' rating last night, UK stocks edged into negative territory on Tuesday morning as Eurozone concerns came back into focus ahead of an extraordinary Eurogroup meeting on Greece. Investors are losing options to safeguard their funds in the highest in
Read moreTuesday broker round-up UPDATE
20th Nov 2012 07:17
Beowulf Mining: Seymour Pierce initiates coverage with a buy recommendation and a target price of 18p. Berkeley Group: JP Morgan raises target price from 1616p to 1620p, overweight rating kept. Blinkx: Citigroup downgrades from buy to neutral. Compass Group: Investec raises target price from 740p
Read moreLondon close: Footsie rallies on US budget hopes
19th Nov 2012 16:53
- Obama confident that 'fiscal cliff' will be dealt with - Markets await Eurogroup meeting on Greece - Egypt PM says Israel/Gaza truce may be near -Reuters - Banks and miners surge on increased risk Stocks rallied on Monday after hitting a four-month low the previous session on the back of increas
Read moreSector movers: Banking stocks benefit from market surge
19th Nov 2012 15:16
Banking stocks were performing well on Monday afternoon as investors' appetites for risk were sparked by increased hopes over the US budget. Global lender HSBC rose after confirming press speculation that it is mulling a sale of its minority stake in Chinese insurance giant Ping An Insurance. HSBC
Read moreLloyds to sell off Irish commercial loan portfolio in early 2013
19th Nov 2012 12:35
Lloyds Banking Group has announced that it is selling a portfolio of Irish commercial real estate loans as part of its strategy to de-risk its balance sheet and reduce its non-core assets. The portfolio will sell for £149m, and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2013. The sale pro
Read moreBroker tips: HSBC, Serco, Ocado
19th Nov 2012 10:58
Investec has upgraded its rating for global banking giant HSBC from 'hold' to 'buy', saying that the downgrade cycle could finally be over. Investec has raised its target price for the stock from 590p to 630p. "From here, we expect outperformance versus Lloyds ('sell') and RBS ('sell')." Credit Su
Read moreBroker snap: HSBC to outperform Lloyds and RBS, says Investec
19th Nov 2012 09:03
Investec has upgraded its rating for global banking giant HSBC from 'hold' to 'buy', saying that the downgrade cycle could finally be over. The broker said on Monday morning that despite the material improvement in credit experience seen in the third quarter and further encouraging trends in underl
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Gaza, BP, Banks
18th Nov 2012 20:34
President Obama has increased the pressure on Israel and Hamas to agree a truce before a ground war breaks out in Gaza and pushes any prospect of peace "way off in the future". Talks brokered by Egypt were continuing through the fifth day of violence, and Palestinian sources have claimed that a deal
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