Broker tips: Pub groups, Aviva, Debenhams
22nd Oct 2009 12:26
The decision by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) not to investigate the beer tie which forces pub tenants to buy their beer from their landlords has prompted a surge in the share prices of the pub groups, and this presents a good opportunity to reduce exposure to cash-strapped Enterprise Inns, Charl
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie off worst but still lower
22nd Oct 2009 12:12
Footsie is off its worst but is still showing hefty falls as miners and insurers lead the market lower. Platinum miner Lonmin has again unsettled the mining sector as it saw a 20% decline in production of the precious metal in the fourth quarter after having to shut down mines for safety reasons an
Read moreBroker snap: Enterprise still a sell, despite OFT verdict
22nd Oct 2009 11:44
The decision by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) not to investigate the beer tie which forces pub tenants to buy their beer from their landlords has prompted a surge in the share prices of the pub groups, and this presents a good opportunity to reduce exposure to cash-strapped Enterprise Inns, Charl
Read moreLondon close: Blue chips falter after recent strength
15th Oct 2009 16:38
London closed lower as bumper profits at US investment bank Goldman Sachs failed to spark Wall Street, which has retreated from the 10,000 mark hit last night. Goldman Sachs reported quarterly earnings per share of $5.25 versus the $4.24 predicted. Revenue of $12.37bn was much better than the $11.0
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks stuck in red
15th Oct 2009 15:13
Bumper profits at US investment bank Goldman Sachs have failed to ignite fresh buying interest on Wall Street, leaving London weaker as resource plays struggle. Goldman Sachs pitched in with forecast-busting third quarter numbers, but that's not been enough to extend the Dow's gains above 10,000. T
Read moreLondon midday: Sainsbury's soars on Qatar rumours
15th Oct 2009 12:12
J Sainsbury is the stand-out riser so far on talk that the Qatar investors in the supermarket are looking to build on their current 26% stake, but it is no more than rumours so far. Otherwise Footsie is marking time, but that could change after bumper figures from Goldman Sachs. The banking giant r
Read moreLondon open: Shares add to stellar gains
15th Oct 2009 08:19
London's top stocks are adding to yesterday's gains in early trading after the Dow Jones closed above the key 10,000 barrier for the first time in over a year. Miner Xstrata said today that it has no intention of making an offer for rival Anglo American. The announcement came after a put-up or shu
Read moreFood focus lifts Marston's
15th Oct 2009 08:03
Focusing on its 'F-plan' - food, families, females and forty/fifty-somethings - helped tenanted pub group and brewer Marston's post flat turnover in the six months to October 3 in spite of poor summer weather and fragile consumer confidence. Like-for-like sales fell by 0.6% over the whole year, but
Read moreBroker tips: Whitbread, Marston's
9th Oct 2009 13:12
Better than expected results from US rival Marriott and a ratings upgrade from Barclays Capital gave a boost to hotels and coffee bar group Whitbread Friday morning. BarCap has upgraded the stock from 'underweight' to 'overweight' ahead of Whitbread's interim results on October 13. 'We believe tha
Read moreBroker snap: Panmure gives Marston's benefit of the doubt
9th Oct 2009 13:09
Ahead of next week's trading update from real ale brewer and pub landlord Marston's, broker Panmure Gordon has turned less bearish on the stock. Panmure Gordon now rates the shares a 'hold', up from 'sell', having adjusted its earnings forecasts in the wake of the brewer's recent rights issue. Whi
Read moreLondon close: Footsie dips into the red
23rd Sep 2009 17:05
A late swoon saw London's blue-chip index give up the gains of the morning to close marginally lower on the day, as investors banked profits ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision this evening on US interest rates and its quantitative easing (QE) programme. The morning's gains had been achieved on
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie nears intra-day high
23rd Sep 2009 14:01
The market's climb regained momentum over the lunchtime session. Investors have been put in the mood to buy by the prospect of the Bank of England increasing its quantitative easing programme some time in the future. The minutes to the most recent meeting of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy co
Read moreLondon midday: Market rises despite cash calls
23rd Sep 2009 11:55
The market is off the top but still in positive territory, despite a flood of fund raising announcements this morning. Property group Liberty International shares have been hit by a placing today of up to 56.1m new shares, increasing its shares in issue by just under 10%. The fund raising comes l
Read moreBroker tips: Pub groups, Barratt, Atkins
23rd Sep 2009 11:03
Swiss bank UBS has called time on a gaggle of big pub groups, claiming the share prices have risen too far on a heady cocktail of improving consumer sentiment, England's qualification for the World Cup and changes to the rules on pub gaming machine stakes and prizes. UBS reckons the share prices of
Read moreBroker snap: UBS swears off pub groups
23rd Sep 2009 10:49
Swiss bank UBS has called time on a gaggle of big pub groups, claiming the share prices have risen too far on a heady cocktail of improving consumer sentiment, England's qualification for the World Cup and changes to the rules on pub gaming machine stakes and prizes. UBS reckons the share prices of
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