London open: Banks, supermarkets give FTSE 100 a lift
6th Oct 2014 08:37
Decent gains from banking and supermarket stocks gave the FTSE 100 a boost on Monday morning as the UK's benchmark index continues to recover after hitting a 10-month low last week. The Footsie was trading 0.4% higher at 6,554 early on, rising for the second straight day after falling to 6,446.39 la
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Tesco, Supermarkets, BP
5th Oct 2014 17:19
Tesco is planning a boardroom purge after a string of profit warnings and the revelation of a £250m hole in its accounts, the Sunday Times said. The retailer was planning to unveil up to three non-executive directors 10 days ago but the accounting problem put the announcement on hold. Patrick Kenned
Read moreLondon close: ECB conference sends FTSE sliding more than 100 points lower
2nd Oct 2014 17:15
London's blue chips ended Thursday's session more than 100 points lower, as the European Central Bank (ECB) conference disappointed traders. The FTSE 100 closed 111.13 points below the opening bell, at 6,446.39. The ECB decided to keep key rates unchanged and unveiled further details of its asset-b
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Hargreaves rises after Numis upgrade
2nd Oct 2014 16:19
Hargreaves Lansdown was one of just a handful of stocks to rise on Thursday, driven higher by Numis which upgraded its rating on the stock to 'buy'. Readacross from its US peer United Rentals sent shares in Ashtead into the red. Sainsbury continued its path lower following a disappointing update th
Read moreMorrisons to match prices with Aldi and Lidl - UPDATE
2nd Oct 2014 13:25
Morrison Supermarkets has unveiled plans for a price-match scheme where it will compare prices with discount chains Aldi and Lidl as well as its larger rivals. The move is the first of its kind with Morrison being the first to price-match against either of the two German discounters. Under the pric
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks in the red as ECB rate decision edges closer
2nd Oct 2014 11:29
UK stocks were starting to come off their earlier losses around midday, having fallen sharply early on ahead of the European Central Bank (ECB) rate decision. At the midday point, the FTSE was 13.95 points lower at 6,543.57. Although the ECB is not expected to adjust its current rate, there was spe
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Petrofac shares lifted by Credit Suisse upgrade
29th Sep 2014 16:06
Credit Suisse drove Petrofac shares higher after upgrading the stock from 'neutral' to 'outperform', target 1,340p. However, analysts at Morgan Stanley wrote that the return of aggressive bidding by contractors as they seek more MENA work - given slowdowns elsewhere – may impact Petrofac's order int
Read moreFormer Morrison's executive charged with insider dealing at Ocado
29th Sep 2014 15:32
A former executive at WM Morrison has been charged with insider dealing, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) revealed on Monday. The UK watchdog has charged Paul Gerard Coyle, former treasurer and head of tax at the supermarket, with two offences of insider dealing. The FCA said the offences rela
Read moreAldi sales continue to rise thanks to increasing market share
29th Sep 2014 11:06
Discount food retailer Aldi has posted another jump in annual pre-tax profit as it continues to race ahead in the price war with the so-called "big four" supermarkets. Aldi reported a record £260.9m for 2013, although this represented a slowing down of growth by almost half compared to that se
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Easyjet shares take off thanks to comments from Jefferies
26th Sep 2014 16:23
Shares in Easyjet flew higher after Jefferies said the airline was situated to benefit from the recent problems with Air France-KLM, which has been forced to cancel numerous flights due to pilot strike action. The broker also predicted the group would have a positive finish to the year. Astrazeneca
Read moreSector movers: Retailers and miners lead the downside on the FTSE
22nd Sep 2014 14:23
The supermarket sector was firmly in the red on Monday after Tesco was forced to admit that it had over-stated its first half profit guidance by £250m. The company has suspended four of its executives, including the UK managing director, and said it plans to investigate the matter. The food retaile
Read moreShore Capital upgrades Morrisons to 'hold', welcomes new strategy
15th Sep 2014 10:40
Shore Capital has upgraded its rating for struggling supermarket chain Wm Morrison, saying that it sees an "improved risk-reward balance" after the company's woeful first-half performance. The broker, which put its 'sell' recommendation under review after Morrisons' interim results on 11 September,
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks gain but Scottish uncertainty limits upside
12th Sep 2014 12:12
UK stocks were making gains on Friday as investors shrugged off weak construction data and picked up some bargains after equity markets hit a three-week low the previous session. London's FTSE 100, which has traded within a tight range for the whole week, was 0.2% higher at 6,815 by midday after clo
Read moreLondon open: UK stocks bounce off three-week low but gains limited
12th Sep 2014 08:51
UK stocks edged higher on Friday but choppy trading continued with investors concerned about the potential impact from a 'yes' vote on Scottish independence next week. Supermarket stocks were among the best performers as Morrisons extended gains made the previous session, while banks advanced, thoug
Read moreSector movers: Retailers fall as Next and Home Retail disappoint
11th Sep 2014 13:00
Poorly-received updates from the likes of Next and Home Retail Group ensured that the UK-listed general retail sector was firmly in the red on Thursday afternoon. High street giant Next delivered a solid first half with both sales and profits ahead of the company's original expectations, but under a
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