Monday broker round-up -UPDATE
20th Feb 2012 09:08
Whitbread: Credit Suisse recommends trading sell. Morgan Crucible: Credit Suisse raises price target to 375p from 305p. Halma: Credit Suisse raises target to 380p from 310p, upgrades to neutral from underperform. Spectris: Credit Suisse raises target to 1,900p from 1,690p. Lloyds: Nomura re
Read moreLondon open: Buying boosted by Greece, China
20th Feb 2012 08:26
- Decision day for Greece, hopes of a bailout approval boost stocks. - PBoC cuts RRR for banks. - Miners, oil stocks perform well early on. Just a handful of stocks were in the red in early trading on Monday, as market sentiment was lifted by hopes that Greece can secure its next tranche of aid. Me
Read moreLloyds claws back bonuses after PPI scandal
20th Feb 2012 07:35
Five directors of Lloyds Bank, including the previous Chief Executive, will be forced to pay back some of their 2010 bonus, reports the Telegraph. Lloyds has had to set aside £3.2bn to cover claims arising from the mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI), it's those losses which have prom
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Lehman, Tax cuts, North Sea, Iran
19th Feb 2012 16:12
George Osborne came under pressure from three sides today to put tax cuts at the heart of next month's Budget. Nick Clegg sought to sharpen dividing lines with the Tories as the Liberal Democrats pressed for more help for low earners. Labour called for an emergency VAT cut while senior Tories urged
Read moreLondon close: Optimistic mood ahead of Eurogroup, but risks remain
17th Feb 2012 17:10
-Merkel optimistic about Eurogroup meeting. -Miners lead gains on Footsie. -Retailer rise on economic data. London's benchmark index finished the week strongly - up 53 points on last Friday's close of 5,852 - as markets expressed confidence that the next Greek bailout can be secured on Monday. Af
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Hopes for Greece boost stocks
17th Feb 2012 14:32
Miners were in demand today, buoyed by rising metals prices which leapt on optimism over a Greek bailout. The latest reports from the troubled country are pointing to confirmation of the European Central Bank's participation in the debt swap and an increased control over the bailout by Eurozone offi
Read moreWeek Ahead: Tax-payers' banks set to report
17th Feb 2012 13:09
The bean-counters at Her Majesty's Treasury will be taking more than a passing interest in company results next week as part-nationalised lenders Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking both publish full year results. Forecasts by investment analysts can be made to look daft by unforeseen n
Read moreLondon midday: Greek optimism lifts the Footsie
17th Feb 2012 11:41
- Footsie rises as Greek optimism boosts buying. - Resources stocks track commodities prices higher. - UK retail sales beat expectations. The FTSE 100 had held on to gains by lunchtime - keeping its head above the 5,900 mark - as Greece comes ever closer to its crucial second bailout. Meanwhile a
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise on Greek optimism
17th Feb 2012 08:24
- Footsie rises as Greek optimism boosts buying. - Resources stocks track commodities prices higher. - Record underlying earnings for Anglo American. London's blue chips recovered after yesterday's fall with the Footsie rising strongly in early trading on Friday on reports of measures by European l
Read moreLondon close: Losses pared after US data, Greece still a concern
16th Feb 2012 16:35
- Losses pared after US data. - Miners track metals prices lower. - European leaders weighing up ECB role in Greek aid. London's blue chip index finished in the red on Thursday but well off its intraday lows after US economic data came in stronger than expected in the afternoon. Nonetheless, concer
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Reed Elsevier leads risers, while banks and miners fall
16th Feb 2012 14:51
Information solutions provider Reed Elsevier jumped into pole position after seeing underlying revenues increase 2% in 2011, with all five business areas contributing to growth except the Exhibitions division, which was held back by biennial cycling. Nomura said today that the group's valuation - wi
Read moreOFT tells banks to play fair
16th Feb 2012 14:23
Do better by personal account customers or you'll be forced - that was the message behind a speech given by head of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). John Fingleton said competition in the banking system has not functioned well for too long, despite a string of investigations into personal banking,
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks off lows but still firmly in the red
16th Feb 2012 11:40
- Greek bailout hit by more delays. - Moody's reviews ratings on 114 European financial institutions. - Real Eurozone GDP forecasts slashed in ECB survey. The FTSE 100 has come off its intraday low of 5,831 but still remains firmly in the red as delays in Greece, a warning to banks from Moody's an
Read moreLondon open: Stocks weighed down by Greece, Moody's
16th Feb 2012 08:35
- Greek bailout hit by more delays. - Moody's reviews ratings on 114 European financial institutions. - BAE Systems tumbles after results. London's blue chip index sank in early trading on Thursday, with just five stocks on the rise, as the Greek bailout faces fresh delays. Meanwhile, Moody's warn
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Ex-dividend stocks provide a drag
15th Feb 2012 14:46
Drugs giant AstraZeneca plunged into bottom spot, followed by sector peer GlaxoSmithKline and big oil players BP and Shell, after all four went ex-dividend today. Shares of ITV took a hit following a downgrade from Peel Hunt. The broker said that with the shares of the broadcaster having gained ste
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