Shore Capital cautious on UK grocers as price war intensifies
8th Apr 2014 10:33
The outlook for profits across the UK grocery sector is 'highly constrained', according to Shore Capital, which raised concerns about rising pricing contagion. The broker has retained its 'sell' ratings for supermarket rivals Tesco and WM Morrison and online grocer Ocado. "We have harboured growin
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Momentum stocks under selling pressure
7th Apr 2014 15:52
Ocado, Rightmove and PayPoint were registering heavy losses on Monday as technology-focused stocks bore the brunt of the wider market sell-off. UK markets were following last week's trend in the States where high growth, 'momentum shares' fell sharply as investors booked profits after the recent sur
Read moreLondon open: Stocks pull back from one-month high
7th Apr 2014 08:34
- Stocks track heavy losses in US and Asia - UK markets retreat from highest close since early March - CRH rises despite rivals' merger, housebuilders fall techMARK 2,741.16 -1.06% FTSE 100 6,646.69 -0.73% FTSE 250 16,282.85 -0.92% UK stocks fell sharply on Monday morning as investors booked profi
Read moreSector movers: M&S and Tesco drag retailers lower
4th Apr 2014 14:24
Retail stocks were trading lower on Friday with heavyweights Marks & Spencer and Tesco providing a drag on the sector. M&S was off shopping lists today after Goldman Sachs retained its 'sell' recommendation for the British department store chain, saying that the business could feel the heat from th
Read moreLondon close: Concerns over Ukraine and Russia send stocks lower
14th Mar 2014 16:59
- FTSE closes down 25.89 at 6,527.89 - Ukraine and China give lower sentiment - UK construction output 1.8 per cent in January techMARK 2,765.31 -0.77% FTSE 100 6,527.89 -0.40% FTSE 250 16,124.92 -0.38% Ongoing concerns about Ukraine and China ensured a poor finish to the week for UK stocks. The
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Spirent Comms lifted by reports of new technology
14th Mar 2014 15:46
Spirent Communications was higher on reports it has launched a new piece of technology which is used to address the ultra-high bandwidth requirements of modern communication networks. Rajesh Rajamani, Market Segment Leader, was quoted as saying: "Spirent continues to advance the boundaries of next
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Home Retail leaps on profit outlook
13th Mar 2014 15:51
Home Retail, the owner of UK retail chains Argos and Homebase, rose strongly after it forecast annual profits above expectations after good trading in the last couple of months. It said it expects group benchmark pre-tax profit in the year to March 1st to be slightly ahead of the top end of market
Read moreWM Morrison making 'difficult decisions' to adjust to changing market - UPDATE
13th Mar 2014 15:05
- Turnaround aimed at carving a 'clear position in the market' - Company investing to cut prices and re-adjust promotions - Morrisons 'needs to adjust' to changing market, says CEO WM Morrison's shares were trading at levels not seen since 2006 after its profit guidance for this year missed consens
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Ocado, Hikma Pharmaceuticals
13th Mar 2014 10:09
Ocado's share price is riding on a lot of assumptions. So much so that in a rational market its shares should not be where they are and they should not be headed any higher. At the moment it is trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of 200 and even if it meets forecasts that would still leave share
Read moreLondon open: Markets hold at one-month low as WM Morrison sinks
13th Mar 2014 08:20
- WM Morrison sinks after annual results and review - Supermarket stocks sink sharply - Chinese data misses forecasts, again - Home Retail impresses with full-year guidance techMARK 2,813.76 -0.12% FTSE 100 6,616.81 -0.06% FTSE 250 16,313.25 -0.08% UK markets opened broadly flat on Thursday as a r
Read moreWM Morrison swings to annual loss, unveils major turnaround
13th Mar 2014 07:00
- Major investment programme announced - Underlying profits fall 13 per cent, turnover down two per cent - Dividend up 10 per cent - Exit from non-core activities announced and property disposals Supermarket group WM Morrison said it will undergo a major turnaround and cut prices after it swung to
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Hikma Pharmaceuticals jumps after strong 2013
12th Mar 2014 14:43
Powerful revenue growth from its generic drugs and solid growth elsewhere helped Hikma Pharmaceutical post impressive results for 2013. Group revenue increased 23% to $1,365m and a 30% strengthening of operating margins from improvements in the Generics and Injectables businesses helped group prof
Read moreOcado Q1 sales jump 22.6 per cent
12th Mar 2014 07:17
- Quarterly sales rise sharply - Tie-up with Morrisons.com progressing well - Expects to grow with, or slightly ahead of, the market forecasts Online grocer Ocado said solid trading momentum continued with first quarter sales jumping 22.6% and expects to grow in line with, or slightly ahead of, mar
Read moreSector movers: Industrial metals firm as Ukraine worry eases
6th Mar 2014 16:06
As Ukraine tensions eased and metal prices firmed, the industrial metals and mining sector climbed to the top of the sector leader board on Thursday. FTSE 250 steelmaker Evraz was one of the biggest gainers, up 4% partially due to its strong Russian connections. The food and drug retailer sector
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Essar, Barclays, Rolls-Royce
16th Feb 2014 17:56
The billionaire Indian Ruia family will this week offer to buy back the part of Essar Energy it does not own for less than a fifth of what investors paid for shares four years ago, the Sunday Times said. The Ruias are working on the final touches of an offer that will be a blow to the London market
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