London close: FTSE gains on financials as US consumer inflation surprises
15th Feb 2017 17:15
(ShareCast News) - London stocks ended Wednesday higher as investors considered news that UK's jobless rate held steady at end-2016, with forecast-busting US inflation numbers helping boost global markets led north by financials. The FTSE 100 ended the session up 0.47% or 33.85 points at 7,302.41, s
Read moreSector movers: Financials, insurers pace gains as interest rates rise
9th Feb 2017 16:07
(ShareCast News) - Interest rate sensitive stocks such as life insurers and banks recovered some of their poise as government bond yields bounced back from their recent lows. Significantly, traders cited comments from US president Trump during the afternoon saying he would have "something phenomenal
Read moreSector movers: Cyclicals bounce back, Evraz in the lead
1st Feb 2017 15:46
(ShareCast News) - There was a clear split in the market on Wednesday as cyclicals bounced back and the more defensive segments of the market were relegated to the bottom of the pile. Thus, shares in Prudential and Aviva were to be seen pacing gains among life insurers as yields on benchmark 10-year
Read moreSector movers: Miners boosted by yuan strength
5th Jan 2017 15:35
(ShareCast News) - Miners and oil related companies were leading the pack north after China's currency rose for a second day, boosting prices for most commodities. As of 0720 GMT the onshore yuan was trading at 6.8120 against the US dollar and was up by 0.80% against the greenback, its best level si
Read moreFriday broker round-up
18th Nov 2016 18:17
(ShareCast News) - Tesco: HSBC reiterates buy with a target price of 260p. Sage: Goldman Sachs reiterates buy with a 870p target. Aggreko: Barclays stays at overweight with a 1000p target. Prudential: Barclays reiterates overweight with a 1748p target. IQE: Canaccord keeps at buy with a 51p targe
Read moreBofA Merrill upgrades St James's Place to 'buy'
18th Nov 2016 10:18
(ShareCast News) - Bank of America Merrill Lynch upgraded St James's Place as it took a look at the insurance sector on Friday, reversing some of its post-Brexit conservatism in the wake of a significant rise in bond yields. It upped St James to 'buy' from 'neutral' and lifted the price target to 1,
Read moreUK asset managers breath sigh of relief after 'benign' FCA probe
18th Nov 2016 07:46
(ShareCast News) - The financial watchdog is planning a tougher clampdown on UK asset management companies as it feels the sector has enjoyed big profits for many year by not competing very hard on prices and fees, though analysts said the industry will breathe a sigh of relief at the lack of bite f
Read moreThursday broker round-up
17th Nov 2016 13:00
(ShareCast News) - Kingfisher: HSBC reiterates hold with a target price of 380p. Astrazeneca: Berenberg reiterates buy with a 55p target. Aggreko: Jefferies stays at hold with a 750p target. Easyjet: Barclays reiterates equal-weight rating with a 1000p target. Amec Foster Wheeler: UBS keeps at ne
Read morePrudential nine-month new business profit up, to boost divi by 5% a year
16th Nov 2016 08:08
(ShareCast News) - FTSE 100 insurer Prudential reported a jump in new business profit for the first nine months of the year and said it plans to boost its dividend by 5% a year. New business in the first nine months of the year rose to £1.97bn from £1.66bn in the same period a year ago, with annual
Read moreFriday broker round-up
11th Nov 2016 09:55
(ShareCast News) - Imperial Brands: JP Morgan keeps at neutral with a target price of 3660p. Standard Life: Berenberg stays at buy 416p target. Barclays: Societe Generale upgrades to buy with a 235p target. UBM: Barlcays reiterates equal-weight with a 755p target. Derwent London: Goldman Sachs ke
Read moreLondon close: Blue chips slide, led by gold-exposed miners amid profit-taking
10th Nov 2016 17:01
(ShareCast News) - London blue-chip stocks fell on Thursday as traders took profits stoked by Donald Trump's election win, with gold-exposed miners, pharmaceutical and US rates-sensitive utilities all flopping. The FTSE 100 ended the session down 1.21% to 6,827.98 points, somewhat out of kilter with
Read morePrudential sells Korean life insurance business
10th Nov 2016 08:46
(ShareCast News) - FTSE 100 financial services group Prudential has agreed to sell its life insurance business in Korea, PCA Life Assurance, to Mirae Asset Life Insurance for £119m. Prudential said the sale was consistent with its strategy of allocating its capital to markets where it is well positi
Read moreBroker tips: Compass, Prudential, Inmarsat
7th Nov 2016 11:03
(ShareCast News) - Jefferies on Monday downgraded its rating on Compass Group to 'hold' from 'buy' but raised its target price to 1,475p from 1,450p ahead of the catering company's full year results later this month. "Although Compass is a quality compounder with attractive total shareholder return
Read moreMerrill adds Prudential to 'Europe 1' list
7th Nov 2016 08:47
(ShareCast News) - Bank of America Merrill Lynch reiterated its 'buy' rating on Prudential, adding the stock to its Europe 1 List, which is its department-wide list of best research ideas. Merrill pointed out the shares have dropped 26% this year in US dollar terms and said its analysis of the group
Read moreBroker tips: United Utilities, Prudential, service sector
13th Oct 2016 13:50
(ShareCast News) - United Utilities got a boost on Thursday as Societe Generale upgraded the stock to 'buy' from 'hold', noting that recent share price weakness now implies a total shareholder return of 18%. The stock has underperformed the FTSE 100 by 11% since the 2 October Tory Party conference.
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