London open: UK stocks surge on Fed rate-hike delay speculation
7th Apr 2015 08:42
UK stock markets were doing their best to play catch-up on Tuesday morning as investor risk appetite returned after the four-day weekend. London's FTSE 100 was up 1.15% at 6,911.92 in early trading. The Easter weekend has worked wonders for the markets, with the European indices looking reinvigorat
Read morePremier Oil, Falkland Oil and Rockhopper find oil and gas in Falklands project
2nd Apr 2015 09:31
Oil and gas explorer Premier Oil said it has discovered oil and gas at the Zebedee well in the Falklands Islands. The FTSE 250 group, which owns 36% of the well, said it discovered 81 feet of net-oil net reservoir and 55 feet of net gas-bearing reservoir from the Zebedee well, in which Falkland Oil
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Homeserve higher on strong winter trading, oil stocks and miners lower
27th Mar 2015 13:13
Homeserve was trading higher after a reassuring trading statement that revealed trading in its busy winter period had been "good" and in line with its full-year targets. Management was also pleased with levels of customer growth across the international businesses, having reported good customer numb
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Balfour higher on cost saving pledge, miners and oil stocks lower
25th Mar 2015 13:55
Shares in UK construction firm Balfour Beatty rose as it pledged to implement cost saving measures after reporting deep losses last year which forced it to suspend its dividend. Housebuilder Bellway surged as profits jumped to a record high in the first six months of its financial year, prompting th
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: IPF higher on upgrade, oil stocks and miners lower
24th Mar 2015 14:15
Shares in International Personal Finance shot up after Berenberg Bank upgraded its rating on the stock to 'buy' from 'hold'. "While FX and regulatory fears are weighing on the shares, IPF is exposed to significant long-term growth opportunities," said Berenberg. Hospital group Spire Healthcare saw i
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Retailers and energy stocks surge, ex-dividend insurers lower
19th Mar 2015 13:44
Supergroup made strong gains after Investec said a focus on retail execution and UK profit maximisation was a "major opportunity". The broker reiterated its 'buy' rating, with analyst Kate Calvert adding: "We see material growth opportunities, not only in maximising UK profitability by optimising it
Read moreSector movers: Oil stocks extend gains as Budget confirms North Sea tax breaks
18th Mar 2015 15:07
Confirmation by chancellor George Osborne of budgetary measures to ease the pain in the struggling oil industry gave energy producers and services stocks another big lift on Wednesday. The 2015 Budget, the last of the current parliament, revealed new tax allowances worth £1.3bn in total to stimulate
Read moreLondon close: Energy stocks lift markets ahead of Budget, as investors await Fed
17th Mar 2015 16:32
After dipping into the red around midday, UK stocks rallied into the close with the FTSE 100 finishing 0.5% higher on the back of decent gains in the oil sector ahead of Wednesday's Budget statement. Rumours about potential tax breaks for North Sea oil and gas producers were providing energy stocks
Read moreSector movers: Tax break hopes drive energy stocks higher ahead of UK Budget
17th Mar 2015 14:42
Hopes about tax breaks in the North Sea energy industry were providing stocks in the oil producing and services industry with a much-needed boost on Tuesday, even as the price of crude continued to tumble. Danny Alexander, chief secretary to the Treasury, signalled that North Sea oil and gas produce
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Afren lower on debt-for-equity swap, retailers and health stocks higher
16th Mar 2015 14:11
Afren's share price was extending Friday's losses when the company proposed a debt-for-equity swap with lenders to keep it afloat. The deal will lead to a substantial dilution of shareholders' interests. More broadly, oil stocks tumbled on declining Brent crude prices, with Premier Oil and Nostrum O
Read moreSector movers: Oil stocks drops as IEA warns of further crude declines
13th Mar 2015 15:51
A fall in oil prices was hitting shares in the energy sector on Friday after the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that crude may have further to fall. In its monthly report, the Paris-based institution said that the partial rebound that occurred at the start of the year seems to have paused
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Esure slides on profits woe, Inchcape higher on earnings growth
10th Mar 2015 14:16
Insurer Esure topped the fallers after saying that annual profits declined 12.8% on the back of challenging conditions in the insurance market and costs associated with the takeover of Gocompare, leading to some big broker downgrades. Premier Oil was also trading lower despite news it has started ga
Read morePremier Oil starts gas production in Indonesia
10th Mar 2015 08:17
Premier Oil announced it has started its gas production in the Pelikan field in Indonesia. The group said both its Pelikan and Naga fields are expected to deliver additional reserves into Singapore under its long-term gas contracts. Premier Oil believes the delivery of the two fields will increase
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Ladbrokes up after maintaining dividend, Playtech achieves record revenue and earnings
26th Feb 2015 14:18
Ladbrokes was boosted as it revealed it will not cut its 2015 dividend, despite posting a 14% drop in annual profit. Analysts had expected the group to make the cut to help fund marketing expenses, but the group will maintain an 8.9p dividend per share this year. In December, the group began a searc
Read morePremier Oil suspends dividend payment due to oil price fall
26th Feb 2015 09:19
Oil producer Premier Oil suspended its dividend for the full year after swinging from a profit to a loss due to the fall in oil prices. The group said that it would not be prudent to propose a dividend payment as its focused on preserving cash and maintaining access to liquidity. The decision follo
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