London afternoon: Rolls celebrates another big order
24th Nov 2010 14:36
Barely a dozen or so FTSE 100 constituents are in the red today as the blue-chip index sets about clawing back some of the losses of the last two days, despite continued concerns about the Irish debt crisis and the military tensions in Korea. Better than expected jobs data from the US put investors
Read moreLondon midday: Shares holding on
24th Nov 2010 12:24
Shares remain in the blue after some well-received company updates this morning, although the euro crisis is still looming in the background. Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) has cut its debt rating for Ireland as the Irish government puts the finishing touches to a four-year plan to
Read moreLondon open: Footsie opens higher
24th Nov 2010 08:46
London has opened better than expected thanks to a rebound by the miners and a smattering of good trading updates. There has also been some easing of tension in Korea, though not in Europe where the EU is heaping pressure on Ireland to agree to its bail-out. UK banks are weak again becasue of the
Read moreLondon afternoon: TUI bid rumour revived
23rd Nov 2010 14:11
With the Dow Jones index expected to register a triple-digit fall when Wall Street opens, sentiment in London has dipped further. Fears of debt contagion in the euro-zone are pushing the banks down, with Barclays, Standard Chartered and Lloyds Banking the hardest hit. Royal Bank of Scotland defies
Read moreLondon midday: Tough morning for blue chips
23rd Nov 2010 11:48
Blue chips have had a difficult morning with the twin concerns of a serious outbreak of fighting in Korea and Irish bail-out worries knocking sentiment. Fears of debt contagion are pushing the banks down, with Barclays, Standard Chartered and Lloyds Banking the hardest hit. Royal Bank of Scotland
Read moreLondon open: Korea and Ireland sink markets
23rd Nov 2010 08:50
Renewed hostilities between North and South Korea and fears that the euro-crisis will spread beyond Ireland have made for a poor start on markets across Europe. Economists are lining up up to say the bail-out proposed for Ireland won't be enough to save the eurozone, while North Korea shelling a So
Read moreTuesday newspaper round-up: Ireland, Rolls-Royce, Spotify...
23rd Nov 2010 06:35
Ireland's €85bn rescue will not be enough to stamp out the eurozone crisis, leading economists warned last night, as George Osborne conceded that British taxpayers may have to bail out other European countries. With the Irish Government on the brink of collapse and the credit agency Moody's predict
Read moreLondon close: Lower finish as Irish relief fades
22nd Nov 2010 16:51
Footsie was nursing significant losses as trading closed after relief over the Irish bail-out gave way to concerns that the problems will now spread to other eurozone countries. Royal Bank of Scotland, which has strong exposure to Ireland on both sides of the border through its subsidiary Ulster B
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie gives up gains
22nd Nov 2010 12:06
Footsie has turned lower as the relief over the EU bail-out of Ireland fades. Miners got a boost on hopes the bail-out will stabilise the global economy but are now mixed. Xstrata is slightly higher but BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto are among the fallers. It's a slow start to the week on the compa
Read moreLondon open: Ireland gives market a lift
22nd Nov 2010 08:42
Markets opened strongly on hopes that Ireland's decision to accept a bail-out will mean some stability for the battered eurozone. Miners are leading the market higher with banks also in demand. Xstrata, Kazakhmys and Vedanta are the best of the metals-focused firms, while Lloyds and Barclays have p
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks and miners await Irish news
19th Nov 2010 13:49
Banks and miners are weak as the market awaits news of financial help for Ireland. BHP Billiton, Kazakhmys and ENRC head the mining fallers. Standard Chartered, Barclays and Lloyds are all sharply lower. Outsourcer Capita, which yesterday said revenue growth in the second half of 2010 had been su
Read moreFriday newspaper round-up: Ireland, OECD, General Motors...
19th Nov 2010 06:33
French and German officials are pressing Ireland to increase its low corporate tax rate in return for an aid package, setting the stage for a showdown over a policy long resented by Dublin's European partners, the FT reports. Ireland views the corporate tax rate, set at 12.5% as the cornerstone of
Read moreLondon close: Battering for miners and banks
16th Nov 2010 17:08
It was downhill almost all the way for Footsie in the afternoon session after the US opened sharply lower, with miners getting a real bashing on the prospect of a slow-down in the Chinese economy. No less an authority than star fund manager Anthony Bolton raised the prospect today, in the first set
Read moreeBay takes Big 4 lenders to task
15th Nov 2010 13:15
Online auction site eBay has joined the chorus of organisations grumbling about a lack of lending to small businesses on the part of banks. The web site's Online Business Index, a bi-annual report into the attitudes and performance of hundreds of online businesses operating on eBay's UK site, indic
Read moreLondon close: Footsie rallies to narrow losses
12th Nov 2010 16:47
Footsie recovered from an early slump to close just a few points lower as well-received company updates nearly cancelled out losses in the mining sector. Miners were big fallers on disappointment with the outcome at the G20 meeting and the possibility of a currency free-for-all. Talk that China is
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