FTSE 100 movers: Pearson plunges on refund demands, Unilever higher on strong Q1
16th Apr 2015 13:38
Publishing group Pearson plummeted on reports that the Los Angeles Unified School District is seeking a refund from the firm and its technology partner, Apple, over a botched $1.3bn effort to supply students with iPads, BAE Systems dipped following a downgrade from 'buy' to 'neutral' from analysts a
Read moreLondon midday: Greek fears hit sentiment as stocks retreat ahead of US session
16th Apr 2015 11:54
Ongoing uncertainty over Greece gave investors an excuse to take profits on Thursday, with UK stocks pulling back from record levels ahead of what is expected to be a busy session in the States. "Fears over Greece continued to dominate Thursday morning, leaving the Eurozone indices in a sorry state
Read moreMorrisons to cut 720 head office jobs and recruit 5,000 shop floor staff
16th Apr 2015 11:41
Supermarket group Morrisons plans to cut up to 720 roles at its head office in order to start recruiting for 5,000 shop floor staff. The move, aimed at cutting costs, is under consultation and will last for at least 45 days, the company said on Thursday. "We need a simpler, faster and cost-conscio
Read moreBroker tips HSBC, Shell, BP, Morrisons, Tullow, Aberdeen
14th Apr 2015 11:34
Investec has recommended investors to 'sell' shares of global banking giant HSBC, downgrading the stock from 'hold' after a "very disappointing" set of annual results last month. In spite of the weak results, which were some 33% below consensus, HSBC's UK shares have rebounded 10% over the past mont
Read moreShore Capital applauds as Morrison's CEO "imposes his authority"
14th Apr 2015 09:14
Broker Shore Capital has applauded the rapid swishing blade of Morrison's new chief executive David Potts, who on Monday night removed the seventh of the 10 board members in place when he started in March. Analyst Clive Black welcomed the cultural change Potts is driving, including, crucially, bette
Read moreTuesday newspaper round-up: Greece, Morrisons, Labour
14th Apr 2015 07:11
According to the Financial Times, Greece is preparing for a debt default if it can't reach a deal with creditors by the end of the month. A government official was cited as saying: "We have come to the end of the road [...] If the Europeans won't release bailout cash, there is no alternative [to a d
Read moreMorrisons trading director steps down
13th Apr 2015 17:52
WM Morrison Supermarket has announced the departure of its trading director Casper Meijer. The company, one of the UK's 'big four' supermarket chains, said Meijer has decided against living in Britain as his family is in the Netherlands. "We both believe now is the right time for this crucial role
Read moreLondon close: FTSE snaps four-day losing streak on China hopes and upbeat data
30th Mar 2015 16:45
London's Footsie managed to hold on to gains by the close on Monday, snapping a four-day losing streak, as hopes for stimulus in China and strong economic data gave sentiment a boost. The FTSE 100 finished up 0.53% at 6,891.43, though it remains well below its record closing high of 7,037.67 reached
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Kingfisher surges as French acquisition falls through, miners higher
30th Mar 2015 13:29
Kingfisher surged after revealing its deal to acquire French rival Mr Bricolage will not go ahead as a result of shareholder and board opposition to the terms of the deal. Some Mr Bricolage franchisees are thought to fear the store closures that would be necessary for Kingfisher to win regulatory ap
Read moreLondon midday: Chinese stimulus hopes drive UK stocks higher
30th Mar 2015 11:57
UK stocks were in positive territory on Monday for the first time in five days as speculation about stimulus in China buoyed sentiment. Positive economic data also helped the mood in London, with UK mortgage approvals and Eurozone consumer confidence rising more than expected. The FTSE 100 was up 0
Read moreBroker tips: M&S, Carnival, UK grocers
30th Mar 2015 11:39
Societe Generale has lifted its target price for Marks & Spencer from 492p to 524p but maintained a 'hold' rating on the high street retailer, saying it sees little upside from current levels. Ahead of trading update on Thursday, the broker said it no longer reckons M&S will produce a meaningful rec
Read moreGoldman downgrades Morrisons as headwinds persist for UK grocers
30th Mar 2015 09:10
Structural headwinds are persisting for UK grocers, with low inflation and falling calorie intake presenting a problem across the supermarket industry, according to Goldman Sachs. The bank downgraded its recommendation on Morrisons to 'neutral' on Monday, saying the stock has now reached its target
Read moreLondon open: Stocks snap losing streak on central bank hopes
30th Mar 2015 08:35
UK stocks were snapping a four-day losing streak on Monday morning as hopes for central bank support repaired sentiment. London's FTSE 100 was up 0.58% at 6,894.60 early on. "The FTSE saw tentative gains this morning as the UK index tried to stall the four consecutive days of huge losses that saw t
Read moreMorrisons shake-up sees five senior execs check out
24th Mar 2015 10:46
Supermarket group Morrisons has announced a major management reshuffle, with five senior executives axed less than 10 days after new chief executive David Potts got his feet under the table. Potts said he aimed to put together a "a leaner management board, with the aim of simplifying and speeding up
Read moreLondon close: FTSE 100 books new all-time highs to close above 7000
20th Mar 2015 16:52
Dovish central banks and fading worries about Greece exiting the Eurozone propelled the London market to record fresh all-time highs on Friday. At Friday's close, the FTSE 100 index stood strong at 7022.51, up 0.8% on the day, off a touch from its session high of 7024.21. "The FTSE 100's landmark m
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