15th Sep 2010 06:32
BP was subject to an investigation in the North Sea which found new staff were not trained to "basic safety standards" - six months before its Gulf of Mexico accident. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) began its inquiry after a complaint by a worker on the Clair rig off the Shetlands, near to w
Read more14th Sep 2010 12:02
Footsie has been unable to make early gains stick and despite the strength of resource stocks is hovering close to its starting point for the day. Inflation data did little to boost sentiment, with the annual inflation rate remaining unchanged at 3.1% in August against expectations of a slight eas
Read more14th Sep 2010 08:50
Footsie has defied predictions of a fall early on and has pushed on again. The index has been rising steadily now for nearly two weeks. Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland are two of the best performers as banks go well again in the wake of the new Basel III guidelines announced yesterday. Rio Tint
Read more13th Sep 2010 16:42
Shares continued rising Monday as they reacted positively to new banking regulations and Chinese economic data. London is up for the fourth session in a row and trading higher for the eleventh day out of twelve, up at a new four-month high. Stocks haven't been this high since 30 April. Banks were
Read more13th Sep 2010 15:27
The leading index is near its best levels of the day following a strong start on Wall Street, fuelled by new Basel III bank rules and impressive Chinese factory output. London is up for the fourth session in a row and trading higher for the eleventh day out of twelve, up at a new four-month high. S
Read more13th Sep 2010 12:20
London's strong start to the day has continued with banks, miners and the odd sprinkling of bid talk giving buyers lots to bite on. Banks are among the top risers after a less stringent than feared Basle III decision by the European banking body. Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds are both in demand
Read more13th Sep 2010 08:38
Blue chips have moved higher first thing, extending last week's three-day winning streak to a fourth session following Basle III and bullish data out of China. Markets in the Far East surged following news that Chinese industrial production jumped a better than expected 13.9% year on year in August
Read more10th Sep 2010 16:38
Modest gains on Wall Street failed to spur London into action and the leading share index closed just a few points higher. US shares were boosted by economic figures showing wholesale inventories jumped by 1.3% in July, ahead of estimates, and sales at distributors rose by 0.6%. Among companies he
Read more10th Sep 2010 16:05
Financials are pushing the Footsie higher. Interdealer broker ICAP is the best performer with Aviva, 3i, Admiral, Lloyds and Legal & General not far behind. Miner ENRC continues to decline because of its dispute with First Quantum concerning ENRC's acquisition of a majority interest in Camrose Re
Read more10th Sep 2010 14:39
We're little changed from last night's close as Wall Street opens, with a largely bright financials sector offset by mostly weaker commodity plays. Most banks have done well - Barclays excluded - on hopes that new banking rules announced this weekend will be favourable. Regulators are meeting this
Read more10th Sep 2010 12:01
On a quiet day on the company news front Footsie is flat, with banks advancing on hopes that new banking rules announced this weekend will be favourable, but miners falling back. Regulators are meeting this weekend to thrash out rules on banks' capital. Royal Bank of Scotland leads the sector on ho
Read more10th Sep 2010 08:51
London has opened flat with little sign of that changing after a lacklustre first hour. US shares tailed off towards the end of day on Wall Street and that has had some impact. Banks are still going well ahead of the new capital rules to be unveiled by BIS on Monday. Royal Bank of Scotland leads th
Read more10th Sep 2010 06:40
Morgan Sindall will today announce the acquisition of the bulk of Connaught's social housing repairs operations in a deal that will save thousands of jobs across the country. While the deal, believed to be worth between £20m and £40m, will secure the future of about 2,500 jobs, thousands more rema
Read more9th Sep 2010 16:38
Investors were back in love with banks Thursday which, coupled with a big session for the miners, pushed the leading index to a new four-month high. The FTSE 100 finished not far off its best levels above 5,500. It was the first tim eit had traded above the big figure since May 4. British lenders
Read more9th Sep 2010 15:52
Banks are leading the Footsie's rise with Barclays and RBS topping the best performers. Lloyds is also boosted by the sale of its debt holding in housebuilder Crest Nicholson. Miners such as Xstrata and Vedanta are recovering even though metals prices are weak. Chip designer ARM continues to r
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