Thursday preview: Lloyds Banking, Aviva, RSA, Unilever, BoE
3rd Aug 2011 15:33
The rash of banking results continues on Thursday with Lloyds Banking, and who better to comment on a part-nationalised fallen banking giant than RBS? "We expect Lloyds 1H11 [first half 2011] results to have relatively little impact on its share price as it presented a 2011 trading update as part o
Read moreLondon open: Barclays boosts FTSE 100 but miners suffer
2nd Aug 2011 08:28
The top share index has edged higher amid a mixed reception for today's stream of company results. Investors are also digesting news that the US House of Representatives has voted through a bill to raise the debt ceiling in the first stage of a two-step process designed to avoid the country default
Read moreLondon close: Late recovery not enough, Footsie ends 1% lower
29th Jul 2011 16:33
While the blue chip index still closed with moderate losses, a late partial recovery assured that the Footsie finished firmly above the 5,800 level - after dipping below at in the early afternoon - on reports that US politicians had drawn up a "rough agreement" in regards to the debt ceiling and def
Read moreSector movers: Lloyds drags banks lower after downgrade
29th Jul 2011 16:26
The banking sector was out of favour on Friday, dragged lower by FTSE 100 giant Lloyds. RBS downgraded Lloyds from buy to hold, saying that there appears to be a lack of catalysts for the shares in the near-term. "Given what looks to us like an overambitious top-line strategy, a tough economic back
Read moreFTSE 100 Movers: RBS kettle calls Lloyds pot "black"
29th Jul 2011 12:38
Vodafone's share price was heading north after the company announced it will receive a dividend worth £2.8bn from US associate company Verizon Wireless. Lloyds Banking Group saw its share price take a nose dive after RBS downgraded the UK lending giant from "buy" to "hold", saying that there appea
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks stuck lower amid US worries
29th Jul 2011 12:03
Shares are deep in the red as the ongoing political wrangling over how to deal with the US deficit overshadows a raft of trading updates, several of which get the thumbs up. Banking trio Lloyds, RBS and Barclays are in negative territory. RBS has laid into its peer Lloyds, downgrading the UK lend
Read moreBroker tips: Lloyds, Shire, Compass
29th Jul 2011 11:35
RBS has downgraded UK lending giant Lloyds Banking Group from buy to hold, saying that there appears to be a lack of catalysts for the shares in the near-term. "Given what looks to us like an overambitious top-line strategy, a tough economic backdrop, regulatory uncertainty and limited repatriatio
Read moreBroker snap: RBS downgrades Lloyds from buy to hold
29th Jul 2011 11:30
RBS has downgraded UK lending giant Lloyds Banking Group from buy to hold, saying that there appears to be a lack of catalysts for the shares in the near-term. "Lloyds [return on equity] recovery story is rapidly becoming a six-year journey. Given what looks to us like an overambitious top-line str
Read moreLondon open: US worries overshadow cheery updates
29th Jul 2011 08:29
Shares have moved higher after some upbeat company statements this morning, but, demonstrating its exposure to the global economy, the top share index has slumped on the back of worries over the ongoing deadlock as US politicians debate raising its debt ceiling. Banks such as Lloyds and miners suc
Read moreBroker tips: Rolls-Royce, Wolseley, Banks
28th Jul 2011 12:51
"Trading is now improving" at Rolls-Royce, according to RBS, which keeps its positive stance on the aerospace, power systems and defense group with a buy recommendation. "Our impression of the 1H11 result and the outlook comments is that Rolls-Royce is essentially on course," said analyst Sandy Mor
Read moreBroker snap: Credit Suisse cuts its targets for three UK banks
28th Jul 2011 09:38
At a moment when, "the market is preoccupied with concerns over sovereign debt, and ring fencing in the UK," analysts at Credit Suisse have today decided to mark down their price targets on three banks for the following reasons: Barclays: Analysts have lowered their 2011 and 2012 EPS estimates for
Read moreLondon close: US debt uncertainty persists, Footsie finishes under
25th Jul 2011 16:42
The Footsie trimmed earlier gains as markets in the US recovered after a weak start. Despite falling as low as 5,893 on Monday, London's blue chip index finished firmly above the 5,900 mark, as giants BP, ARM, BG and GlaxoSmithKline rose ahead of their interim results due tomorrow. While stocks on
Read moreSector movers: Melrose, Charter boost engineering sector
25th Jul 2011 16:18
Sector peers Melrose and Charter International were rising on Monday, helping the industrial engineering sector higher. Engineering conglomerate Melrose said today that it is thinking over whether or not to up its bid for Charter after the target dismissed its first two offers. "Melrose is willi
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Gold stocks shine
25th Jul 2011 11:40
Gold production companies Fresnillo and Randgold were among the top risers in the FTSE 100 after the price of gold increased. Fresnillo was the biggest mover seeeing its share price rise 2.74% to 1,727.00p. Randgold Resources did less well but its shares were still up 1.16% to 5,660p. The price o
Read moreMonday newspaper round-up: Tax cuts, Lloyds, insolvencies
25th Jul 2011 06:52
George Osborne has promised to cut "very high" tax rates this autumn to try to head off a row over poor growth figures and warnings from cabinet colleagues that the economy faces the biggest challenges for decades. Kenneth Clarke, the Justice Secretary, warned yesterday that "the [economic] icebergs
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