London midday: Reckitt, BHP lead markets higher as investors await US jobs
22nd Oct 2013 12:00
Well-received corporate earnings from a number of heavyweight stocks gave markets a boost on Tuesday with the FTSE 100 holding on to a two-and-a-half-month high ahead of some key US data. Trading updates and results from blue chips Reckitt Benckiser, BHP Billiton, GKN and Whitbread all impressed th
Read moreBroker snap: Investec upgrades Reckitt after confident outlook
22nd Oct 2013 09:53
Investec has upgraded its rating for household products firm Reckitt Benckiser from 'sell' to 'hold' on the back of the company's upbeat outlook with its third-quarter results. Figures from the Cillit Bang and Dettol maker beat expectations on Tuesday morning, with like-for-like revenue growth excl
Read moreLondon open: Upbeat earnings lift markets higher ahead of US data
22nd Oct 2013 08:15
Upbeat corporate earnings from a number of heavyweight stocks helped UK markets higher on Tuesday morning as investors showed optimism ahead of some key economic data out later on. The FTSE 100 was trading up 0.1% at 6,659.87 early on, building on gains after hitting a two-and-a-half-month high on
Read moreLondon pre-open: FTSE to open largely unchanged ahead of US data
22nd Oct 2013 07:44
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open around two points lower than yesterday's close of 6,654.20, following a similar pattern in the US as investors tread water ahead of some key economic data out from the US. As a backlog of US data begins to unwind following the government shutdown, all ey
Read moreReckitt ups full-year guidance after decent third quarter
22nd Oct 2013 07:13
- Revenue (excluding RBP) to grow six per cent - Health, Hygiene drives third-quarter growth - Firm launches strategic review into RBP Household products firm Reckitt Benckiser has raised its full-year revenue guidance slightly after a strong third quarter and a decent performance by recent acquisi
Read moreLondon close: Stocks finish flat as markets digest US shutdown, data
1st Oct 2013 16:25
Stocks in the UK finished broadly flat on Tuesday as investors gave a subdued reaction to the news of the first partial US government shutdown in 17 years. Indices across Europe and the States however edged higher today, with London's FTSE 100 bucking the trend given some sharp falls in the heavywe
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks slip on US budget impasse
1st Oct 2013 11:49
UK markets declined on Tuesday for the third straight day as the first partial government shutdown in Washington in 17 years prompted a reduction in risk appetite. The benchmark FTSE 100 index in London was extending losses after closing at a one-month low the day before of 6,562.22, its worst leve
Read moreLondon open: Markets flat as investors digest US shutdown
1st Oct 2013 08:31
UK markets opened broadly flat on Tuesday after the failure by US politicians to agree on a budget prompted the first partial government shutdown in Washington in 17 years. The Senate last night voted down a House of Representatives-passed bill that had called for a one-year delay in President Bara
Read moreReckitt Benckiser issues dual-tranche senior notes
17th Sep 2013 07:41
Reckitt Benckiser, the multinational consumer goods company, has announced that Reckitt Benckiser Treasury Services, its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, has priced its one billion dollar dual-tranche senior notes. The first tranche consists of $500m senior notes due in 2018 and the other $500m d
Read moreLondon close: Markets trim losses to finish flat
13th Sep 2013 16:34
The FTSE 100 trimmed losses on Friday afternoon but markets still finished broadly flat as traders scaled back risk appetite ahead of the weekend with the focus now turning to the Federal Reserve meeting next week. London's benchmark index closed down just 5.18 points at 6,583.80, pulling back slig
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: ITV, Tate & Lyle, Reckitt Benckiser
13th Sep 2013 14:14
ITV was the top riser after Nomura raised its target price from 170p to 200p and reiterated a 'buy' rating for the stock. The broker said that a continuing improvement in the UK economic outlook prompted it to raise its ad forecasts for 2013 and 2014. Tate & Lyle jumped after analysts at Berenberg
Read moreLondon close: Economists nudge GDP forecasts higher
23rd Aug 2013 16:26
Equities moved moderately higher on the second to last Friday of the summer despite economic figures out in the afternoon which revealed a far larger than expected fall in new US home sales. Somewhat ironically, at least for now that won equity markets a small reprieve from the recent incessant cl
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Croda International, WPP, Aggreko
23rd Aug 2013 14:03
Specialty chemical maker Croda International surged after Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock to 'buy' from 'hold' on expectations that top-line growth will pick up. WPP rallied after the advertising agency said its data investment business Kantar acquired The Benenson Strategy Group, a research and c
Read moreLondon close: Stocks fall for fourth straight day
7th Aug 2013 17:00
The FTSE 100 finished in the red for the fourth straight day on Wednesday as worries over a withdrawal of stimulus in the US and an underwhelming statement from the Bank of England (BoE) dampened sentiment. Comments from a number of Federal Reserve officials and the ongoing improvement in US econom
Read moreLondon midday: Markets underwhelmed by Carney's dovish guidance
7th Aug 2013 11:38
The FTSE 100 had sunk sharply by Wednesday lunchtime as markets reacted negatively to the Bank of England's (BoE) new forward guidance and improved growth forecasts. All eyes were on new BoE Governor Mark Carney today as he unveiled the central bank's quarterly Inflation Report in which he was wide
Read more