London open: Stimulus hopes drive gains early on
30th Apr 2013 09:13
Strong gains for BP, Whitbread and financials stocks ensured that the FTSE 100 was firmly in positive territory on Tuesday morning as traders showed optimism ahead of central-bank meetings later this week. Sentiment across Europe was lifted early on after Swiss banking giant UBS smashed profit expe
Read moreTuesday broker round-up UPDATE
30th Apr 2013 08:20
Aberdeeen Asset Management: Morgan Stanley raises target price from 478p to 548p retaining an overweight rating. Bank of America ups target price from 455p to 475p and leaves its neutral rating unchanged. JP Morgan increases target price from 532p to 573p and maintains an overweight rating. Citigrou
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie flat after recent strong run
29th Apr 2013 12:01
The FTSE 100 had pared gains by Monday lunchtime, pausing for breath after a strong surge last week on anticipation of a potential rate cut from the European Central Bank (ECB) in a few days' time. Recent disappointing economic figures from the Eurozone have sparked hopes that the ECB will move to
Read moreLondon open: Stocks rise as Italy forms coalition government
29th Apr 2013 08:20
UK stock markets opened with decent gains on Monday morning after the weekend saw Italy form a new government, removing some of the political uncertainty that has dampened sentiment over the last few months. The formation brings together Prime Minister-designate Enrico Letta's Democratic Party and
Read moreLondon pre-open: Election of Italian government to provide modest boost to FTSE
29th Apr 2013 07:24
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open up eight points from Friday's close of 6,426, boosted by the news that Italy has sworn in a new government, to be led by Enrico Letta, a Catholic Democrat. US equities ended Friday broadly lower after the Commerce Department unveiled first quarter econom
Read moreLloyds to sell Spanish retail operations to Banco Sabadell
29th Apr 2013 07:09
UK lender Lloyds is to dispose of its loss-making Spanish retail and private banking operations in an effort to continue its strategy of 'rationalising' its overseas presence and ensuring best value for shareholders, the group said on Monday. Lloyds Bank International and Lloyds Investment Espana S
Read moreMonday newspaper round-up: BP, AstraZeneca, Sainsbury's...
29th Apr 2013 06:48
The Telegraph writes that BP's giant underwater oil project offshore Angola has come in four billion dollars over budget after delays set it back a year. According to The Independent, unions are meeting with AstraZeneca in an attempt to convince the pharmaceuticals group to reverse plans to shut do
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: ENRC, Marks&Spencer, Prudential
28th Apr 2013 14:34
In a letter dated April 12th, and seen by The Sunday Times, law firm Dechert alleges that ENRC - the FTSE 100 listed copper miner - engaged in several inappropriate actions, including "payments to African presidents" and $35m of misappropriated cash. The company has denied those claims. Dechert was
Read moreFriday newspaper round-up: UKFI, Barclays, Bank of Japan...
26th Apr 2013 06:43
The Telegraph says Jim O'Neil, head of the UK Financial Investments (UKFI) which manages the government's investments in RBS and Lloyds, has resigned, "deal[ing] a blow to the government's hopes of selling the stakes in the near future". Barclays Chairman Sir David Walker promised investors that he
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: Premier Foods, Lloyds, JPMorgan...
25th Apr 2013 06:40
The Guardian says: "Premier Foods, the firm behind Bisto, Hovis and Mr Kipling, is sitting on a pensions timebomb that risks wiping up to a quarter off the value of retirement savings of 60,000 past and present workers if the debt-laden food manufacturer were to slip into insolvency, according to a
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks flat as ECB rate cut speculation ramps up
24th Apr 2013 11:49
Stocks had trimmed gains and were trading broadly flat by Wednesday lunchtime as markets gave a mixed reaction to weak economic data from Germany with traders guessing at whether the figures will prompt the European Central Bank (ECB) to cut interest rates. However, the cautious mood on market this
Read moreLondon open: Markets extend gains as financial stocks rise
24th Apr 2013 08:20
Strong gains for financial stocks ensured that the FTSE 100 was firmly in positive territory on Wednesday morning, while growing speculation of a rate cut in Europe lifted sentiment. London's benchmark index surged by 2.0% on Tuesday as disappointing purchasing managers' indices from the Eurozone s
Read moreLloyds branch sale falls through as Co-op walks away
24th Apr 2013 07:04
Project Verde, the name given to the planned sale of 630 Lloyds branches to the Co-Operative, is to seek a stock market flotation after the latter walked away from the deal. Lloyds announced on Wednesday morning that despite the commitment of both parties to the transaction, the Co-op board has dec
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: Lloyds, ENRC, Apple...
24th Apr 2013 06:49
The proposed deal to sell more than 600 Lloyds branches to the Co-op have collapsed after the latter said it could not proceed with the transaction, according to the Financial Times. "The cancellation of the deal, originally worth up to £750m under terms struck last summer, is set to be announced
Read moreLondon close: Gains erased as US data disappoints
22nd Apr 2013 16:21
After a strong start, the FTSE 100 slumped into the red by the close on Monday afternoon as disappointing data and corporate earnings from the US dampened the positive mood. Nevertheless, markets on the whole gave a rather muted reaction to Friday's move by Fitch to strip the UK of it prized 'AAA'
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