Bank lending to SMEs falls short of targets in 2011
13th Feb 2012 15:17
Lending to businesses by the five major UK banks exceeded targets in 2011, but loans to small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) came up short, according to the latest data from the Bank of England (BoE). Gross lending from Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland and Santander totalled £214
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners buoyed by Greek deal
13th Feb 2012 13:07
Antofagasta lead the risers, closely followed by its fellow miners, after the Greek deal sparked a rise in the euro against the dollar, sending greenback-denominated metals´ prices higher. Anglo American, Kazakhmys, Rio Tinto and Xstrata were all making gains of at least 2%, with Anglo American pe
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks extend gains and banks, miners advance
13th Feb 2012 11:40
- Stocks rise as Greece approves austerity package. - Banks miss 'Project Merlin' lending targets. - Vodafone confirms potential takeover of C&W Worldwide. The Footsie was trading a whole percentage point higher by midday, with banks and miners extending gains from the morning session, following
Read moreBroker tips: UK banks, Old Mutual, Entertainment One
13th Feb 2012 10:35
Nomura has today cut its ratings on UK banking peers Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) from neutral to reduce, saying that the recent strong recovery in the sector should be seen as a selling opportunity. "Both groups are banking sector restructuring stories and therefore geared to market ris
Read moreBroker snap: Nomura downgrades UK banks on weak outlook
13th Feb 2012 09:40
Nomura has today cut its ratings on UK banking peers Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) from neutral to reduce, saying that the recent strong recovery in the sector should be seen as a selling opportunity. "Both groups are banking sector restructuring stories and therefore geared to market ris
Read moreMonday broker round-up - UPDATE
13th Feb 2012 09:08
SAB Miller: Credit Suisse initiates at outperform and with a price target of 2,900p. Lloyds: Nomura downgrades from neutral to reduce, cuts target from 40p to 35p. Royal Bank of Scotland: Nomura downgrades from neutral to reduce, cuts target from 34p to 26p. Barclays: Nomura downgrades from buy
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: Greece, Xstrata, Icap
9th Feb 2012 06:52
"Workers at one of Britain's largest car plants are facing new concerns about their future as General Motors considers restructuring its loss-making European arm with "everything on the table". Sources close to GM Europe say the company is suffering from "overcapacity" as carmakers endure a slowdown
Read moreLondon close: Stocks slip as Greek talks commence
8th Feb 2012 16:37
- Greek talks now underway in Athens. - Investors await policy decision by BoE tomorrow. - Reckitt leads risers after full-year results. The earlier optimistic mood in global equity markets soon faded as talks between Greek leaders commenced on Wednesday afternoon. The Footsie slipped towards the e
Read more2012 to be a tough year for UK, but Citi still overweight on banks
8th Feb 2012 16:29
In spite of what Citi believes will be another tough year for the UK economy, the US investment bank has reiterated its overweight position on UK banks. 2012 will be another difficult year, the broker says, with "continued emphasis on balance sheet repair after the surge in private and public debt
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise with Greece in focus
8th Feb 2012 08:42
- Greek leaders scheduled to discuss draft deal. - Reckitt rises strongly after beating full-year targets. - Miners, financials provide a lift. Stocks opened higher on Wednesday following two days in the red, with banks and resource stocks providing a lift. Worth noting, the FTSE All-World equity i
Read moreLondon close: Losses pared ahead of Greek meeting
7th Feb 2012 16:35
-Greek talks enter critical stage. -Shareholders raise questions over terms of Glencore/Xstrata merger. -Defensives in demand as investors flee from risk. Losses were trimmed by the end of trade on Tuesday with reports pointing to progress being made in Greece. Government leaders and international
Read moreLloyds announces 1,000 job cuts
7th Feb 2012 14:56
Lloyds Banking Group has announced plans to slash almost 1,000 jobs in the UK, as well as closing some of its offices, according to the bank's employee union, Accord. The banking giant, which is undergoing an extended period of cost reduction and streamlining of its businesses, said it plans to mak
Read moreLondon close: Footsie breaks 5,900 as US jobs data excites
3rd Feb 2012 16:58
The much-anticipated January employment report from the US Labor Department didn't disappoint, with a better-than-expected increase in non-farm payrolls sending the FTSE 100 vertical in afternoon trading to break through the 5,900 level. The world's largest economy created 243,000 new jobs last mon
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Admiral leads the way higher
3rd Feb 2012 13:17
Insurance group Admiral jumped into the top spot after extending its existing UK car insurance reinsurance partnerships with Hannover Re, Mapfre Re, New Re and Swiss Re until 2014. "Reinsurance has been at the core of Admiral's successful business model since 2000 and we look forward to continuing o
Read moreLondon midday: Admiral leads the rise ahead of US data
3rd Feb 2012 12:03
Stocks were up at the day's best levels by lunchtime following a subdued start, with insurance outfit Admiral leading the charge. Miners on the other hand, are providing a drag, pulling back from their strong showing yesterday on the back of heightened M&A speculation in the sector. Markets were gi
Read more