London afternoon: US rally lifts Footsie
18th Jun 2009 15:03
Better than expected US dole queue figures have lifted Footsie in the afternoon session, despite very mixed economic data here at home. Mortgage lending eased in May from the month before and was 58% lower than the same time last year, figures showed today. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) s
Read moreLondon midday: Economic data knocks retailers
18th Jun 2009 12:02
Leading shares drift lower after disappointing retail sales and weaker mortgage lending in May. The economic data proved to be a double-whammy for DIY retailers Home Retail and Kingfisher, which feature prominently among the main fallers. Elsewhere in the retail sector fashion chain Next and Currys
Read moreLondon open: Miners and banks on the rise
18th Jun 2009 08:17
Miners and banking shares are leading London's top stocks higher in early dealings following recent heavy falls. In the mining sector, Xstrata is the strongest performer, closely followed by Kazakhmys, Fresnillo and Antofagasta. Banks are also in demand, with both Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds
Read moreLondon close: Footsie clings to gains
16th Jun 2009 16:39
London's benchmark index finished just above flat, reversing earlier gains, as Wall Street started in a lacklustre fashion. Tesco's first quarter trading update was well received. Like-for-like (LFL) sales growth came in at the top end of expectations, helped by a resumption of growth in non-food
Read moreLondon afternoon: Shares crawl higher
16th Jun 2009 14:19
London's blue-chip index edged higher over the lunch-time session, helped by expectations of a moderately firmer start on Wall Street. Tesco's first quarter trading update has been well received. Like-for-like (LFL) sales growth came in at the top end of expectations, helped by a resumption of gro
Read moreLondon midday: Lloyds leads rally
16th Jun 2009 12:04
Footsie is making a valiant attempt to claw back yesterday's losses but its progress is being impeded by a weak mining sector. Tesco's first quarter trading update has been well received. Like-for-like (LFL) sales growth came in at the top end of expectations, helped by a resumption of growth in n
Read moreLondon close: Triple digit fall for Footsie
15th Jun 2009 17:09
Footsie suffered a triple digit fall today with virtually all blue-chip stocks except defensive favourites such as utilities having their foot jammed hard down on the reverse pedal. Resource stocks led the decline as metals and oil prices moved lower. Platinum miner Lonmin was the weakest stock in
Read moreLondon afternoon: Prices steady at lower levels
15th Jun 2009 14:32
The market moved sideways over the lunch-time session, with the Footsie remaining deep on the red, despite a more upbeat assessment of the economy's prospects from the CBI. The employers' organisation reckons the UK could be out of recession by the end of the year, but any better sentiment was almo
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Lloyds shines in gloomy session
15th Jun 2009 14:18
Lloyds Banking Group is one of just a handful of blue chip risers Monday after the Times said Commonwealth Bank of Australia has joined the bidding for its third-party funds business, Insight. The newspaper said the business is expected to raise as much as £300m for Lloyds. Drugs giant AstraZeneca
Read moreLondon midday: Dollar rise knocks resource stocks
15th Jun 2009 12:04
London had a difficult morning despite a more upbeat assessment of the economy's prospects from the CBI. The employers' organisation reckons the UK could be out of recession by the end of the year, but any better sentiment was almost immediately squashed by the IMF saying the opposite. It believes
Read moreLondon open: Weak start for blue chips
15th Jun 2009 08:37
London's blue chips have fallen sharply with the miners taking the biggest hit. Platinum miner Lonmin leads the fallers after it shut down its Number One furnace. The group's initial estimate is that a full repair of the vessel is likely to take around 30 days. Other miners are also under pressure
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Lloyds, Addax Petroleum, Friends Provident
14th Jun 2009 09:56
Lloyds Banking will lose an estimated £450m on Admiral Taverns, the pub giant, in what is believed to be one of the biggest write-offs it will be forced to take on a single investment. The group's Bank of Scotland arm had lent more than £850m to Admiral, owner of more than 2,000 pubs, to finance a
Read moreTechnical Analysis: Banks treading water
12th Jun 2009 11:02
Banks have again been in the spotlight this week with speculation growing about the government's withdrawal from ownership of large stakes of RBS and Lloyds as well as Northern Rock. Further adding to the mix has been Barclay's sale of its fund management arm to BlackRock for £8.1bn, and the upgrad
Read moreLondon close: Banks boost Footsie late
11th Jun 2009 16:33
London rallied strongly late on, helped by gains for banks, which outweighed profit taking among the big mining stocks and weakness among oil users as the price of crude rose again. Speculation is growing about the timing of the government's withdrawal from ownership of large stakes in Royal Bank
Read moreLondon afternoon: Banks in demand
11th Jun 2009 14:47
London is having a languid day, with Footsie lacking direction. Banks are strong but their gains are counterbalanced by losses on mining stocks. Banks are in focus as speculation grows about the timing of the government's withdrawal from ownership of large stakes in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), L
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