Lloyds and RBS should split says Myners
13th Dec 2010 13:47
Lloyds Banking and Royal Bank of Scotland, Britain's two state-controlled banks, should be split up according to the former City minister Lord Myners. "The future lies in less monolithic institutions, with more fluid entries into and out of the banking sector," the Labour peer wrote in the FT today
Read moreLondon close: Footsie clings to lead
9th Dec 2010 16:40
A weak morning session on Wall Street did London no favours Thursday, although the big banks helped the leading index to only its second close above 5,800 in over three weeks. Barclays, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland were top of the pile. HSBC also did well, but fellow Asia-focused player Stand
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie keeps climbing
7th Dec 2010 12:18
Footsie has been moving steadily upward as higher commodity prices boost resource stocks after a US tax cut extension improved optimism on global economic growth. US president Barack Obama has said that he will agree to a two-year extension on tax-cuts from the Bush era, while on this side of the A
Read moreLondon open: Blue chips firmer
7th Dec 2010 08:47
London's blue-chips have opened firmer with resources stocks in demand and a solid update from Tesco providing some encouragement for buyers. Miners and oil stocks lead the risers with the price of crude edging up towards the $90 per barrel mark. Essar, Fresnillo and Antofagasta are the best of the
Read moreMonday newspaper round-up: De la Rue, IMF, Lloyds...
6th Dec 2010 06:24
Banknote printer De La Rue, which also has a contract with the Home Office to print passports, is expected to confirm to the stock market today that it received an audacious bid from the privately owned printer Oberthur Technologies. Oberthur, a 168-year-old company that prints euro notes circulate
Read moreLondon close: Triple digit gains for FTSE 100
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 moreLondon afternoon: Footsie jumps 120 points
1st 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 moreLloyds takes two more from Santander
1st 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 moreWednesday newspaper round-up: Santander, Euro crisis, Tesco...
1st 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 moreLondon close: Shares slump as eurozone saga continues
29th 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 moreLondon afternoon: Euro-zone fears resurface
29th 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 moreLondon midday: Footsie deep in the red after reversal
29th 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 moreLondon open: Banks lead market higher
29th 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 moreLondon close: Rally falters as eurozone worries continue
26th 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 moreLondon afternoon: Losses pared
26th 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
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