Broker tips: UK banks, Carpetright, Dragon Oil
24th Jul 2012 10:49
Investec has reiterated its 'buy' ratings for all five major UK banks, saying that while the first-half results season will be 'unexciting', lenders are unlikely to provide a negative surprise. The broker labels Barclays (target price of 240p) as a "key value play" and its top pick in the sector. M
Read moreBroker snap: Investec positive on UK banks ahead of results reason
24th Jul 2012 09:55
Investec has reiterated its 'buy' ratings for all five major UK banks, saying that while the first-half results season will be 'unexciting', lenders are unlikely to provide a negative surprise. "With limited scope for negative surprise on impairments and with a predictable weak outlook for revenues
Read moreLondon open: Market extends losses on euro worries
24th Jul 2012 08:29
- Footsie continues to fall as Spanish yields rise - Moody's turns 'negative' on Germany, Netherlands and Luxembourg - Miners, banks provide a drag in London - Moody´s criticizes gradualist approach to crisis resolution - Goldman Sachs AM President calls for radical ECB action -BBC UK stocks edged
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Financials and miners dive on Eurozone worries
23rd Jul 2012 14:54
Financial peers Aviva, RBS and Schroders, and mining stocks Evraz, Vedanta, Kazakhmys, ENRC and Anglo American were heavy fallers as investors fled for 'safer' assets on the back of concerns about Spain's financial health and renewed speculation about a Greek exit from the Eurozone. Fund manager A
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie drops nearly 100 points on euro fears
23rd Jul 2012 11:42
- Spanish and Greek concerns weigh on stocks - Spanish yields continue to soar - Chinese policy-maker warns of slowing growth Concerns about Spain's financial health and renewed speculation about a Greek exit from the Eurozone sank European markets on Monday morning, prompting US stock futures to t
Read moreLondon open: Markets drop on Eurozone debt concerns
23rd Jul 2012 08:25
- Banks and miners dent the Footsie - Eurozone concerns dampen sentiment - Spanish 10-year bond yield at 7.556 per cent European stocks dropped sharply on Monday morning as concerns about the Eurozone debt crisis provoked fear on equity markets. London's Footsie lost 1.5% of its value in the openi
Read moreLondon close: Time to cut the Gordian knot?
20th Jul 2012 17:07
- Spanish bond yields soar - Sicily´s non-collected receivables rise to EUR 15.7bn - Valencia asks Madrid for help - Resolution leads the Footsie lower Equity markets across Europe tanked on Friday afternoon, presumably on the back of concerns over Spain's financial health, with capital markets in
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Resolution falls after cancelled cash return
20th Jul 2012 15:51
Shares in UK life insurance and asset management group Resolution dropped sharply after the group cancelled the cash return of 250m pounds set for the first half of 2012 due to "uncertainty" in the markets. The group said that the decision was based on its estimated capital position as at the end
Read moreSector movers: Miners suffer after Wen's comments
16th Jul 2012 15:20
Risk aversion saw the mining, personal goods and banking sectors fall on Monday as concerns over the global economic outlook saw investors flee for safety. Mining peers Kazakhmys, Randgold, Vedanta Resources and Polymetal were among the worst performers on London's benchmark index after Chinese Pre
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: RBS, Glaxo, National Grid
15th Jul 2012 15:34
Two powerful private equity consortiums are secretly planning to bid for Direct Line, the giant insurer owned by Royal Bank of Scotland ? a move that would scupper a planned float. RBS is expected to push the button on a London listing of Direct Line in September. Two American buyout giants, Blackst
Read moreAnother 11 banks hit by LIBOR scandal
13th Jul 2012 09:21
The LIBOR rate fixing scandal is spreading like wildfire just a few hours after it was revealed that US Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner wrote to the Bank of England back in 2008 regarding concerns about the possible distortion of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) - the rate at which b
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks surge after UK production data
10th Jul 2012 11:53
- UK industrial production beats estimates - Eurogroup gives Spain more time - Oil stocks rise after Norwegian lockout prevented London's FTSE 100 index rose strongly on Tuesday morning with resource stocks and banks providing a lift after some better-than-expected UK industrial production data. U
Read moreAsda expands personal finance business
10th Jul 2012 10:59
Asda, the supermarket chain owned by Walmart, has unveiled plans to re-brand and expand its personal finance arm, conveniently taking advantage of widespread disatisfaction with banks following the recent LIBOR scandal and system failure at Natwest. Asda Money will now sell a number of finan
Read moreRBS quits Dubai Group debt talks, news agency says
9th Jul 2012 17:16
Royal Bank of Scotland and two other lenders have abandoned talks on restructuring Dubai Group's $10bn debt and threatened to bring unprecedented legal action against the investment vehicle of Dubai's ruler, sources close to the matter have told Reuters. Some observers believe the above is no more
Read moreMonday broker round-up
9th Jul 2012 08:13
BAE Systems: Jefferies reiterates buy recommendation and 350p target. Britvic: Societe General cuts target from 450p to 400p, buy rating unchanged. Filtrona: Citigroup downgrades to neutral, target lifted from 470p to 515p. Genel Energy: Oriel Securities initiates with buy recommendation. Halfor
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