1st Dec 2010 16:56
Footsie was posting triple-digit gains at trading's close as markets across the globe roared in approval at talk that the European Central Bank may take more measures to deal with the debt crisis. Shares here got an extra boost from news that activity in the manufacturing sector hit levels not seen
Read more1st Dec 2010 14:17
After a strong morning session leading shares kicked on some more over the lunch time period, as worries over the eurozone debt situation subside. Talk that the European Central Bank may take more measures to deal with the debt crisis has buoyed European markets, with banks bouncing back more than
Read more1st Dec 2010 08:30
Lloyds Banking chief executive elect António Horta-Osório has recruited two senior executives from current employer Santander as he prepares for a major overhaul of the UK bank's senior management. Horta-Osório, who takes over at Lloyds from Eric Daniels next March, has appointed Juan Colombas as c
Read more1st Dec 2010 06:39
Santander in the UK has been seriously weakened after its outgoing chief executive António Horta-Osório raided its management team for two senior bankers, who will join him at Lloyds. The departures, which mean that Santander has lost three key board directors within a month, has prompted speculati
Read more29th Nov 2010 16:45
The leading share index closed with triple-digit losses Monday as jitters over the eurozone debt situation continued to plague the markets. Financial markets are still betting either Portugal, Spain, or both, will need a rescue deal similar to the €85bn Irish bail-out, rubber-stamped over the weeke
Read more29th Nov 2010 14:18
Thoughts that the euro-zone boil had been lanced by the agreement of a bail-out package for Ireland have proved premature, with rising Spanish bond yields suggesting that the prospect of Spain being the recipient of an EU/IMF aid package cannot be ruled out. An underwhelming response to the latest
Read more29th Nov 2010 12:30
The leading share index is now firmly in the red after giving up the strong gains it was posting this morning. Markets remain jittery over the eurozone debt crisis. The euro hit new lows against a basket of currencies this morning, despite claims by European politicians that the €85bn Irish bail-o
Read more29th Nov 2010 08:54
UK shares have made a bright start to the week led by the banks after Ireland signed up to the EU/IMF bail-out at the weekend. Royal Bank of Scotland is the best performer. It has the largest exposure of the UK banks to Ireland. Lloyds, Barclays and HSBC are all going well. Bank of Ireland, meanwh
Read more26th Nov 2010 16:53
A sharp rally following earlier heavy losses nearly lifted Footsie into positive territory in the afternoon but the rally fizzled out and the leading share index closed lower, with European debt concerns still looming large. Portugal is currently going down the path trodden by Ireland and denying i
Read more26th Nov 2010 14:39
After briefly dipping below 5600 this morning Footsie more or less halved its losses over the lunchtime session, though heavy falls are still being sustained by miners and banks. Portugal is currently going down the path trodden by Ireland and denying it is in need of a bail-out and, as with Irelan
Read more26th Nov 2010 13:28
Banks continue to decline because of worries about the euro-debt crisis with Lloyds and RBS leading the way. Rio Tinto says that capital spending will probably be around US$13bn in the 18 months to December 2011. That didn't prevent the share price declining along with other miners. Centrica, whi
Read more26th Nov 2010 12:01
The leading share index's losses are almost in the triple-digits now as worries over the euro-debt crisis persist. Portugal's insistence that it is not under pressure to follow Ireland in accepting a bail-out failed to reassure investors. Bond yields in Portugal and other debt-plagued eurozone coun
Read more26th Nov 2010 06:36
The eurozone's emergency bailout fund may have to be boosted further if it fails to reassure financial markets, a member of the European Central Bank's governing council has said. Axel Weber, who is President of the Bundesbank, said that EU governments' €750bn (£640bn) facility ought to be adequate
Read more25th Nov 2010 06:02
Britain's biggest banks are working on a joint plan to cut bonus payouts and boost lending to small business. As political pressure grows ahead of January's bonus round, The Times has learnt that senior executives from Barclays, HSBC, Standard Chartered and Royal Bank of Scotland held discussions l
Read more24th Nov 2010 16:44
Footsie put its early uncertainty behind it to close with good gains, helped by strong jobs figures from the US which cheered global markets following the jitteriness of the last couple of days. First-time jobless claims fell by a bigger than expected 34,000 to 407,000 in the week ended 20 November
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