FTSE 250 movers: William Hill bets on full year targets
21st Apr 2011 13:33
Bookmaker William Hill is the best performer after reporting an 11% rise in revenues in the 13 weeks to 29 March. "We have seen excellent growth across our business in the first quarter, enabling us to remain confident in our expectations for the full year," chief executive Ralph Topping said. Rival
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 seeking direction
21st Apr 2011 12:03
Shares have paused for breath following sharp jump yesterday. William Hill raced ahead after the bookmaker reported good growth in its retail and online operations in the 13 weeks to 29 March. Total revenues were up by 11% from the same period a year ago, with retail seeing an 8% rise and online r
Read moreLondon open: Rally continues after Wall Street surge
21st Apr 2011 08:37
Another stonking performance by US stocks overnight has sent shares higher still, with this morning's company updates also sparking buying interest. William Hill raced ahead after the bookmaker reported good growth in its retail and online operations in the 13 weeks to 29 March. Total revenues were
Read moreEarthquake to cost Lancashire about $75m
21st Apr 2011 08:03
Insurance underwriter Lancashire Holdings, which has more than recovered from the share price tumble it suffered in the wake of the Japanese earthquake, said it expects to take a $75m hit from claims arising from the natural disaster. The estimate of the net impact from the Tohoku earthquake and su
Read moreBroker tips: Shell, Lancashire, Tullow
16th Mar 2011 13:20
Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) still looks like a safe place to be, until 2012 at least, according to Evolution Securities. The broker says that the group's programme of improvement in project management and business units' performance is far from over. "This lends credibility to the new targe
Read moreBroker snap: Forecasts downgraded at Lancashire
16th Mar 2011 13:07
RBS lowers its profit forecast for insurance underwriter Lancashire Holdings, but warns that figures remains under review ahead of further clarity on the Japanese earthquake. The insurance group announced yesterday that to date in the first quarter of 2011, net losses are estimated to be in the ran
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Heritage hit by oil prices
15th Mar 2011 15:48
The FTSE 250 index is down 2% as fears of a nuclear catastrophe in Japan continue to weigh down on sentiment. Falling oil prices have hit Heritage Oil which is down over 13%. Insurance underwriter Lancashire Holdings is also making losses after saying it is too early to give a meaningful estimate o
Read moreToo soon to estimate Japan losses, says Lancashire
15th Mar 2011 07:49
Insurance underwriter Lancashire Holdings said it is too early to give a meaningful estimate of costs relating to the tragic loss of life and significant property damage in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami. A further announcement will be made once information becomes available to make a m
Read moreNorth America boss offloads Pearson shares
2nd Mar 2011 17:47
Will Ethridge, chief executive of Financial Times publisher Pearson's North American education division, has sold a big chunk of shares in the company. He disposed of 33,000 American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) for $16.83 (£1,033p) a time or a total of nearly £350,000. News of the share sale comes
Read moreAsian Citrus directors buy after interims
1st Mar 2011 16:40
Two directors of AIM-quoted and Hong Kong-listed Asian Citrus have made significant investments in the Chinese orange grower. Non-executive director Hon Peregrine Moncreiffe has invested nearly £294,000 by acquiring 400,000 shares at an average price of 73.39p each. That takes his shareholding to
Read moreTuesday tips round-up: Mondi, Helphire, Lancashire
22nd Feb 2011 06:57
Mondi is one of those perennial biggest companies that rarely makes the headlines, but that may be about to change. The papermaker, which is listed in Britain and in Johannesburg, sits just outside the FTSE 100, but a whacking 111% increase in its full-year dividend to 20 cents yesterday and a renew
Read moreLancashire beats expectations
21st Feb 2011 15:32
Insurance underwriter Lancashire reported a much better that expected pre-tax profit. The profit of $339m compared with a consensus figure of $265m.The combined ratio is 55%,which is likely to be one of the best in the sector. There was a $25m loss relating to BP's Deepwater Horizon, while the cos
Read moreLondon close: FTSE 100 slips back
8th Nov 2010 16:43
Shares were on balance slightly lower as trading closed, with investors continuing to pause for breath following the strong gains seen last week on the back of the renewal of quantitative easing in the US. Rolls-Royce was a late riser after the aero-engineer said it was making progress n its invest
Read moreLondon afternoon: Investors cautious ahead of G20 meeting
8th Nov 2010 13:47
The Footsie drifted lower over the lunchtime session, hitting a new low for the day, as the afterglow of the Fed's quantitative easing boost begins to fade. There was also an element of caution ahead of this week's Group of 20 meeting in South Korea. It's been an unusually busy Monday for company r
Read moreBroker tips: SSE, Lancashire, China Meditech
8th Nov 2010 13:40
Nomura has downgraded its stance of power and water utility Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) to 'reduce' due to a risk of lower earnings and a possible threat to the dividend. The broker has cut its SSE earnings forecast for 2012 and 2013 by 7% and 11% respectively because of a weaker power price
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