MPs call on Lloyds to provide evidence on failed Co-op deal
4th Jun 2013 13:49
Lloyds Banking Group's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer have been summoned to provide evidence on its failed deal to sell more than 630 branches to The Co-operative Group, according to Sky News on Tuesday. The Treasury Select Committee has invited Sir Win Bischoff and Antonio Horta-Osorio to sh
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 down one per cent as volatility continues
31st May 2013 11:26
The volatile trade seen over the past week continued on Friday with investors turning nervous ahead of another raft of economic indicators from the US later on. "European markets have taken a leg lower this morning as traders look to scale back risk heading into the month's end, with the central ba
Read moreLondon open: Markets down as traders await economic data
31st May 2013 08:21
Stocks sank sharply on Friday morning, continuing the volatile pattern seen over the past week, as traders cautiously awaited more economic figures from the States. Stocks gained slightly yesterday as a worse-than-expected second reading of US gross domestic product growth and a rise in jobless cla
Read moreLondon pre-open: Stocks to pull back ahead of data
31st May 2013 07:44
Markets are expected to open slightly lower this morning as traders take caution ahead of the weekend as they await a number of leading economic indicators from the US. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open down 13 points from yesterday's close of 6,657. Stocks gained slightly yesterday des
Read moreLloyds sells US mortgage-backed securities for 3.3bn pounds
31st May 2013 07:06
UK banking group Lloyds is to sell a portfolio of US residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS) for 3.3bn pounds as it continues to dispose of non-core assets to boost capital. The portfolio has a book value of £2.7bn so the bank will pocket a gain of £540m before tax on the sale which will be u
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
30th May 2013 08:19
AMEC: Morgan Stanley reduces target price from 1220p to 1100p and retains an underweight rating. Amlin: JP Morgan takes target price from 360p to 400p maintaining an underweight rating. Brewin Dolphin: Canaccord Genuity raises target price from 230p to 285p and reiterates a buy recommendation. C
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: Capita, Google, Mark Carney...
30th May 2013 06:48
The Telegraph says that outsourcing group Capita has secretly planned to shut down two O2 call centres and cut up to 1,200 jobs as part of the big deal it signed with the network provider last week. Financial Times says that Google is to launch a new gadget called the MotoX through its Motorola sub
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: Darty, UK banks, German banks...
29th May 2013 06:40
Electricals retailer Darty could slash jobs in an effort to cut costs in its core French region as it copes with a weaker economy, The Independent reports. The Guardian says that Britain's 'Big Four' banks - comprised of Lloyds, HSBC, RBS and Barclays - will have cut 189,000 jobs worldwide in just
Read moreLondon close: Stimulus hopes drive triple-digit gains for FTSE 100
28th May 2013 16:49
While hopes have now faded for a long-term continuation of stimulus measures in the US, speculation surrounding continued monetary easing in Europe and Japan sparked a huge surge on equity markets on Tuesday. After reaching a 13-year high on Wednesday, the FTSE 100 dropped sharply in the latter par
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks bounce back after recent sell-off
28th May 2013 11:20
UK markets were registering impressive gains on Tuesday morning with hopes of continued monetary easing in the Eurozone lifting sentiment as stocks bounced back following last week's sharp sell-off. After reaching a 13-year high on Wednesday, the FTSE 100 dropped sharply in the latter part of last
Read moreLondon open: Stocks surge as markets play catch up after long weekend
28th May 2013 08:30
UK markets surged in early trading on Tuesday with traders wasting no time in playing catch up as they returned to their desks following the three-day weekend. After reaching a 13-year high on Wednesday, the FTSE 100 dropped sharply in the latter part of last week on fears of a scaling back of stim
Read moreTuesday broker round-up UPDATE
28th May 2013 07:25
AG Barr: Investec increases target price from 562p to 591p, while downgrading from buy to add. Canaccord Genuity downgrades to hold with a target price of 570p. Amara Mining: Cantor Fitzgerald cuts target price from 81p to 63p and retains a buy recommendation. Compass Group: Nomura ups target pric
Read moreLondon close: Markets tumble as stimulus hopes fade
23rd May 2013 16:20
The recent bullish mood on equity markets quickly faded on Thursday as mixed messages from the Federal Reserve and a slowdown in China sparked a heavy sell-off on the FTSE 100, which lost more than two per cent of its value. Answering questions in Congress last night was Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke w
Read moreSector movers: Miners and banks fall as risk appetite wanes
23rd May 2013 15:12
Growth concerns hammered markets across the globe on Thursday, with banking and mining stocks bearing the brunt of the sell-off in London as the impressive year-to-date rally ran out of steam. As such, there were no sectors in the UK in positive territory by the afternoon, with every category eithe
Read moreLondon midday: Rally runs out of steam after Bernanke comments
23rd May 2013 11:32
Markets tumbled by around two per cent on Thursday morning as investors chose to take profits in the aftermath of comments from the head of the US Federal Reserve and a disappointing reading of manufacturing activity in China. The FTSE 100 had surged to a fresh 13-year high high of 6,840 the day be
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