London close: Shares jump after sluggish start
24th Jan 2011 16:46
Shares put their early indecisiveness behind them to close with good gains after a decent start on Wall Street. Banks were weak after comments by the head of the Independent Banking Commission over stricter capital rules and possible separation of the retail and investment bank arms. The political
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks edge higher
24th Jan 2011 14:49
After a morning of indecision, leading shares pushed on over the lunch time session, despite the weakness of the banking sector. Banks are weak after comments by the head of the Independent Banking Commission over stricter capital rules and possible separation of the retail and investment bank arms
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Ocado continues to rise
24th Jan 2011 14:10
Online grocer Ocado is continuing its recent surge to head the risers of the FTSE 250. The share price has risen 40 points over the last month and has jumped around 80 points since the start of December. The group, whose main customer is Waitrose, reported a fourth quarter sales increase of 27.4% ea
Read moreLondon midday: Banks hold back FTSE 100
24th Jan 2011 12:13
Shares are still seeking direction as banks fall back. The sector is weak after comments by the head of the Independent Banking Commission over stricter capital rules and possible separation of the retail and investment bank arms. The political problems in Ireland have also unsettled the mood. RBS
Read morePremier Foods sells Quorn business to private equity
24th Jan 2011 09:48
Premier Foods has sold its vegetarian foods business to a private equity consortium for £205m as it seeks to reduce its debt burden. Premier, whose most famous brands include Hovis bread and Sharwood's cooking sauces, sold the division to Exponent Private Equity, whose current portfolio includes th
Read moreLondon close: Lower finish after weak US jobs data
3rd Dec 2010 16:51
Footsie closed in the red after a sluggish day's trading, with the calm only briefly interrupted by jitters following weak US jobs data in the afternoon. Non-farm payrolls increased by 39,000 during the month, down from a revised increase of 172,000 in October and well short of expectations that ab
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie dives on US jobs data
3rd Dec 2010 14:30
Jobs growth slowed sharply in the US in November and unemployment unexpectedly rose, which was not the result the market had been hoping for. The data sent shares on this side of the pond into a dive, and pushed Footsie into the red. Non-farm payrolls increased by 39,000 during the month, down fro
Read moreLondon midday: Shares still sluggish ahead of US jobs figure
3rd Dec 2010 12:10
The strong gains of the past couple of days have given way to sluggishness as traders pause for breath and await US jobs data later in the afternoon. Non-farm payrolls in the world's biggest economy are due at lunchtime. In company news here, mining giant Rio Tinto is to be the junior partner in
Read moreLondon open: Lacklustre start ahead of US jobs
3rd Dec 2010 08:52
Footsie has drifted lower with the freezing temperatures and transport chaos keeping many City folk away from work. All eyes will be on the US non-farm payrolls report at lunchtime, but ahead of that data there has been some profit taking after the big gains of the previous two days. Mining giant
Read moreLondon pre-open: Cautious start ahead of US jobs data
3rd Dec 2010 07:33
London is set to creep higher at the outset but with the eagerly awaited US jobs data due out this afternoon investors look to be reluctant to over commit themselves. City traders expect the FTSE 100 will open up with a single digit rise. Mining giant Rio Tinto is to be the junior partner in a joi
Read moreNestlé wants Premier Foods Quorn unit
3rd Dec 2010 07:03
Premier Foods admitted today it has received bids for its meat-free business from multinational food groups and private equity firms in response to speculation that Nestlé is the buyer. Shares in the Hovis bread and Branston Pickle owner rose 12% yesterday on talk the Swiss consumer foods giant is
Read morePremier Foods gets offers for canning ops
17th Nov 2010 07:44
Premier Foods, the Hovis bread, Bisto gravy and Branston pickle group, has received approaches for its East Anglian canning operations, which could lead to a sale of the unit. The company said back in August that it was "open minded" about disposals as long as they deliver shareholder value and spe
Read moreTesco's Premier spat
29th Oct 2010 13:43
Premier Foods believes that it can resolve its dispute with Tesco, which is refusing to stock some lines of Hovis bread, in the next few weeks. Premier tried to pass on higher wheat costs but Tesco was having none of it. It has stopped selling the majority of Hovis bread products but does still sel
Read moreLondon close: Blue chips can't sustain early gains
28th Oct 2010 16:30
After going into a slump just ahead of midday, Footsie picked up over the lunch time session, helped by expectations of a firm start on Wall Street. The Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell grew earnings by 18% in the third quarter compared with a year ago, while the underlying figure rocketed
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stuck in consolidation mode
28th Oct 2010 14:53
After going into a slump just ahead of midday, Footsie picked up over the lunch time session, helped by expectations of a firm start on Wall Street. The Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell grew earnings by 18% in the third quarter compared with a year ago, while the underlying figure rocketed
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