London 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
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks take a beating
26th 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 moreLondon midday: Shares slide amid euro concerns
26th 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 moreFriday newspaper round-up: Euro crisis, Standard Chartered, Retail sales...
26th 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 moreThursday newspaper round-up: British banks, Irish banks, PIGS
25th 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 moreLondon close: US jobs data lifts sentiment
24th 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
Read moreLondon 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
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