London open: Financials gains, US data eyed
16th Mar 2012 08:52
- Financials stock, Tullow oil lead the rise on the Footsie - Barroso sees improvement in the Eurozone - Oil prices rebound London's blue chip index advanced in the opening hour on Friday on a relatively quiet day for company news. Investors will be looking ahead to industrial production and consum
Read moreLondon close: Miners drag Footsie into the red
14th Mar 2012 16:40
- Miners outweigh financials to drag Footsie lower - Fed expects 'moderate' growth in 2012 - Osborne considering 100-year gilts UK stocks finished the day slightly lower on Wednesday despite an earlier rise as steep falls in the mining sector offset a strong performance by the banks and insurers. T
Read moreSector movers: Vodafone drags telecoms lower
14th Mar 2012 16:18
The mobile telecommunications sector was the worst performer of the day with stocks falling an average 1.96%. Vodafone was a major reason, with the telecoms giant falling 2.2% before the close of trade on Wednesday after being downgraded by Exane BNP Paribas from neutral to underperform. The broker
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Legal and General divi rise sends shares soaring
14th Mar 2012 14:07
The legion of income investors holding shares of Legal and General were cheered by the insurance leviathan's decision to bump up the 2011 dividend by more than a third, well ahead of market expectations. The final dividend in respect of fiscal 2011 has been increased by a whopping 39% to 4.74p per
Read moreLondon midday: Financials jump despite jobs data
14th Mar 2012 11:43
- UK unemployment on the rise - Banking stocks lifted by US stress test results - Legal and General beats forecasts in 2011 Stocks held on to earlier gains by lunchtime on Wednesday despite some gloomy jobs data. Financials were leading the rise, buoyed by the results of the stress tests in the US
Read moreLondon open: Legal and General leads the Footsie higher
14th Mar 2012 08:28
- Legal and General jumps five per cent after solid 2011 - Majority of US banks pass stress tests - Osborne considering 100-year gilts London's blue chips rose strongly on Wednesday morning, led by financial stocks, following on from a surge on Wall Street last night. The Footsie opened up at level
Read moreLondon close: Stocks surge on improving global outlook
13th Mar 2012 16:48
- FTSE 100 at highest levels since last summer - Markets await FOMC, words from Bernanke - Draghi sees signs of 'stabilisation' The Footsie finished at an eight-month high on Tuesday, up a whole percentage point on the day, as financial stocks made gains on the back of an improving global economic
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks extends gains after ZEW survey
13th Mar 2012 11:46
- German ZEW reaches highest level in over a year - Spain to accept Eurogroup's fiscal consolidation request - Miners, banks lead the rise on the Footsie Stocks were extending gains by lunchtime after a German confidence survey smashed expectations. Meanwhile, US stock futures are pointing to a pos
Read moreBroker snap: Panmure downgrades Standard Life, sees better value elsewhere
13th Mar 2012 11:27
While Panmure Gordon says that Standard Life's full-year results were good and ahead of expectations, the broker had downgraded its rating on the insurance giant from buy to hold. Standard Life reported an IFRS operating profit of £544m, up 28% year-on-year and 14% ahead of Panmure's and consensus
Read moreLondon open: Financials, miners lead the rise
13th Mar 2012 08:38
- Standard Life, Pru in demand after results - Antofagasta, G4S lead the fallers - BoJ maintains rates, ups asset purchases The Footsie rose strongly on Tuesday helped by some well-received full-year results from insurers and a decent performance by banking and mining stocks as risk appetite increa
Read morePrudential gains on Asian growth
13th Mar 2012 08:32
Prudential, the insurance and financial services giant, says growth in Asia has pushed 2011 profits well ahead of the previous year. Operating profit reached £2.07bn, a 7% gain on 2010, driven by a 32% rise in earnings from the Asian life assurance business to £709m. The figures have come in ahead
Read moreTuesday preview: Pru, Standard Life, G4S
12th Mar 2012 15:48
Two insurance giants take to the stage on Tuesday to publish full year results: Prudential and Standard Life. Prudential's recent results have tended to beat expectations, giving rise to share price strength following the release, notes Credit Suisse. The Swiss bank is forecasting pre-tax operatin
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Glencore, Prudential, Pensions
11th Mar 2012 14:39
Glencore has made what is believed to be a £3.5bn approach for Canadian grain giant Viterra in an attempt to bolster its agricultural business in North America. The Sunday Telegraph understands the approach by the commodities and mining giant triggered Viterra's statement to the Toronto Stock Exchan
Read moreWeek Ahead: Prudential operating profit to kiss up to two billion
9th Mar 2012 13:33
Insurance firms will be in focus next week with Prudential and Standard Life set to unveil figures. Representing the High Street we have updates from fashion firm French Connection, pubs groups Marston's and Spirit, hot snacks seller Greggs and Argos-owner Home Retail. Prudential is probably the b
Read moreBroker tips: REITs, Prudential, BBA Aviation
6th Mar 2012 12:01
Jefferies said that the recent earnings season in the real estate investment trust (REIT) sector was 'reassuringly unexciting' and has reduced its net asset value (NAV) forecasts by 2% on average. REIT share prices are up an average of 9% in the year-to-date, with most of this growth coming in Janu
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