FTSE 250 movers: Yell up 20% after revenue hike
23rd Jul 2009 15:06
Weakness in the pound has given investors in directories group Yell something to shout about. The shares are up 20% after revenue in the three months to 30 June rose 1.5% to £475.3m from £468.4m a year earlier. On a constant currency basis, however, revenue dipped 10.4%. Shares in Tate & Lyle bou
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie regains 4,500
23rd Jul 2009 13:46
The Footsie's eight day winning streak looks set to become nine days as the blue chip index hit 4,500 again amid more gains for US stocks. On the positive side, miners Fresnillo, Kazakhmys, Vedanta Resources, Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, ENRC, Xstrata and Lonmin are all among the top ten risers on hope
Read moreLondon midday: OfWat report dilutes equity strength
23rd Jul 2009 11:54
The Footsie's eight day winning streak is in danger of coming to an end today as utility companies weigh down the blue-chip index after water regulator Ofwat outlined proposals for lower water bills. The water regulator's draft proposals would see the average annual water bill fall by £14 to £330 b
Read moreOfwat calls for 4% bill reductions
23rd Jul 2009 07:38
Shares in water companies fell heavily after the water regulator Ofwat outlined proposals on pricing over the next five years that were less generous than they hoped. Ofwat's plans would see the average water bill fall by £14 to £330 before inflation between 2010 and 2015, while leaving leave room
Read moreBroker tips: Water companies, Carnival, Taylor Wimpey
19th Jun 2009 13:19
Cruise operator Carnival's second quarter trading update yesterday has been generally well received by the investment analyst community, with Evolution, Numis and Charles Stanley all making positive noises. Charles Stanley said the second quarter figures were ahead of prior guidance and market cons
Read moreBroker snap: GS raises price targets of water companies
19th Jun 2009 13:15
Ahead of the five-yearly pricing review by Ofwat, the water industry watchdog, Goldman Sachs has been running the rule over the water companies, with mixed results. The US bank has reduced its price target for Northumbrian Water to 237p from 262p, and has a "sell" recommendation on the stock. It al
Read moreThursday's newspaper round-up: Standard Chartered, Sportingbet, BAE
4th Jun 2009 06:01
There may be some volatility ahead for Standard Chartered, as Questor thinks that global stock markets may retrench after recent gains, so some investors may wish to wait and see what happens, but Questor is including its shares in the portfolio today. Buy, says the Telegraph. If the US Department
Read moreWednesday preview: British Airways, Northumbrian Water, Sportingbet
2nd Jun 2009 17:13
It’s not been a good week for the airline industry and there is more potential for gloom on Wednesday when British Airways publishes its May traffic figures. Just over a week ago British Airways announced it had slipped into the red in the year to March 31 as conditions continued deteriorating to
Read moreMD to step down at Northumbrian Water
28th May 2009 15:53
John Cuthbert, managing director of Northumbrian Water Group, is pulling the plug on his career in the water industry next year. Cuthbert will remain in place for the duration of the impending 2009 Periodic Review by the water regulator Ofwat and retire at the end of the company's financial year on
Read moreLondon close: Footsie limps back into positive territory
27th May 2009 17:02
The movements of London's blue-chip index looked as if they were being directed by the grand old Duke of York today, with the index starting the day on the up, then heading lower over the lunchtime session before finishing roughly where it started. Sterling moved above $1.60 for the first time sin
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie drifts into the red
27th May 2009 14:58
London's leading shares are mixed in quiet trading. Hopes of receiving a lift from a strong start on Wall Street have been dashed, with the US market trading indecisively as London as traders await the release of US existing home sales data. Water companies receive a boost ahead of the sector's res
Read moreBroker tips: Water companies, ITV, Johnston Press, Topps Tiles
27th May 2009 12:27
Brokers are queuing up to reappraise the water companies ahead of the sector's results season, which starts this week. After Merrill Lynch weighed in yesterday with downgrades for Pennon and Northumbrian Water, Credit Suisse has dealt another blow to Pennon, chopping its price target from 667p to 6
Read moreBroker snap: Rally in water stocks to continue, says CS
27th May 2009 12:08
Brokers are queuing up to reappraise the water utility companies ahead of the sector's results season, which starts this week. After Merrill Lynch weighed in yesterday with downgrades for Pennon and Northumbrian Water, Credit Suisse has dealt another blow to Pennon, chopping its price target from 6
Read moreBroker tips: Cable & Wireless, water companies, Holidaybreak
26th May 2009 13:13
Telecommunications group Cable & Wireless has been stuck in reverse since its results last Thursday, which were below many analysts' expectations. Credit Suisse has responded to the disappointing figures by downgrading its earnings forecasts 'to reflect a more cautious outlook and recent currency m
Read moreBroker snap: Water companies sunk by downgrade
26th May 2009 12:53
Water companies are firm favourites of income investors but Merrill Lynch warns that in a potentially deflationary environment, shareholders should not be expecting much in terms of dividend growth. Merrill Lynch has cut its ratings on Pennon and Northumbrian Water from 'neutral' to 'underperform'
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