Results to be at top-end for St. Modwen
1st Jun 2011 09:01
Property regeneration specialist St. Modwen Properties has revealed that half-year results should come in at the top end of management (and consensus) expectations, "both in terms of profit and net asset value growth." Results in the six months to 31 May have been helped by its residential land por
Read moreLondon close: Flat finish for FTSE 100
21st Apr 2011 16:53
Shares calmed down at the end of a volatile week, though there were some interesting company updates for traders to get their teeth into ahead of the Easter break. Data search software firm Autonomy stormed ahead after releasing full-year figures in the afternoon. It posted record earnings in the f
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 seeking direction
21st Apr 2011 12:03
Shares have paused for breath following sharp jump yesterday. William Hill raced ahead after the bookmaker reported good growth in its retail and online operations in the 13 weeks to 29 March. Total revenues were up by 11% from the same period a year ago, with retail seeing an 8% rise and online r
Read moreLondon open: Rally continues after Wall Street surge
21st Apr 2011 08:37
Another stonking performance by US stocks overnight has sent shares higher still, with this morning's company updates also sparking buying interest. William Hill raced ahead after the bookmaker reported good growth in its retail and online operations in the 13 weeks to 29 March. Total revenues were
Read moreLondon pre-open: Wall Street provides tailwinds
21st Apr 2011 06:59
Another stonking performance by Wall Street overnight means the revival in London looks set to continue, with City traders tipping the top share index will crash through the 6,000 barrier and open around 36 points higher at 6,058. Strong trading in the nine weeks to 27 March leave Sports Direct con
Read moreThursday preview: Autonomy, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey
20th Apr 2011 18:26
In a nod towards its US-centric focus, data search software firm Autonomy will announce its first quarter results at 1:00pm, UK time, on Thursday, and although the first three months of the year do not typically set the tone for the company's year, Singer Capital Markets thinks the announcement will
Read moreLondon close: Shares give up gains as Libya worries persist
7th Mar 2011 16:39
Shares closed in the red having spend most of the day in the blue after recovering from a weak start. Once again, the Libya turmoil has been casting a shadow. Oil prices are still an issue. Light crude rose to a 30-month high above $106 on Monday as fighting rages in Libya while reports that the un
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks consolidate gains
7th Mar 2011 14:18
Shares came off the top at the beginning of the afternoon before recovering some of their poise toward the end of the lunch time session as futures markets indicated a moderately firm start in store on Wall Street. Oil prices are still an issue. Light crude rose to a 30-month high above $106 on Mon
Read moreSt. Modwen gets Wolverhampton go-ahead
2nd Mar 2011 16:11
Neighbourhood regeneration specialist St. Modwen Properties said it has secured the first detailed planning approval under its joint venture agreement with Persimmon. Wolverhampton City Council has granted approval for 314 homes, with an expected end value of £50m, to be built as part of the £150m
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Ocado surges on Goldman upgrade
1st Mar 2011 14:22
Delivery firm Ocado, whose biggest customer is Waitrose, is surging today after Goldman Sachs upgraded its rating to a 'buy', from 'hold', as the recent share price performance has provided investors with a good buying opportunity. However heading the other way is United Business Media, which has f
Read morePersimmon rebuilds profits
1st Mar 2011 07:42
Housebuilder Persimmon proved today it's as a good as its word, reporting underlying profits in line with January's prediction, and sales have been "encouraging" since the beginning of the year. Profit before tax and exceptional items jumped to £95.5m in 2010 from just £7m the year before on revenu
Read moreTuesday preview: Xchanging, UBM, Persimmon
28th Feb 2011 15:51
Results from troubled business process outsourcing firm Xchanging should be interesting, given its shock profits warning on 9 February which coincided with the abrupt departure of chief executive and founder, David Andrews. In terms of meeting expectations for 2010, everything is fine and dandy, w
Read moreLondon close: Stocks fall as nervousness sets in
28th Jan 2011 16:51
Shares were nursing big losses by the end of the day as more gloomy economic figures stoked nervousness. Consumer stocks were under the cosh after UK consumer confidence in January slumped in January, as the VAT rise kicked in. Insipid weekly trading figures from department store group John Lewis h
Read moreLondon afternoon: Confidence blow for equities
28th Jan 2011 14:50
Leading shares are lower, with consumer stocks under the cosh after UK consumer confidence in January slumped in January, as the VAT rise kicked in. Insipid weekly trading figures from department store group John Lewis have not helped sentiment. The GfK NOP Consumer Confidence Index dropped eight p
Read moreBroker snap: Bovis shares too high
14th Jan 2011 12:46
While Bovis Homes has beaten consensus for 2010, broker Peel Hunt says that "almost anything is better" in the housebuilding sector as the shares are too expensive in comparison to its peers. On Friday, the group stated that margins will be at least 7%, more than half a percentage point better than
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