London open: Footsie flat despite mining strength
29th Mar 2012 09:23
- Miners rise strongly, led by Rio - Imperial has smoking second quarter - FirstGroup drops on the FTSE 250 It was a cautious start for UK stocks, with London's blue chip index trading flat early on, not far off the 5,800 level. The FTSE 100 has not closed below this level in over three weeks. Ey
Read moreLondon close: UK GDP, Eurozone concerns weigh on stocks
28th Mar 2012 16:40
- UK Q4 GDP weaker than first thought - RSA leads ex-div stocks lower - Comments from ECB's Weidmann weigh on markets Just a dozen or so stocks on the FTSE 100 finished in the blue on Wednesday as the benchmark index sank a whole percentage point to its lowest level of the day. A weaker-than-expe
Read moreRio Tinto receives binding offer for aluminas business
28th Mar 2012 14:59
Mining giant Rio Tinto has received a binding offer for its specialty aluminas business from HIG. The companies have agreed a period of exclusivity and Rio Tinto will respond to the binding offer following consultation with the relevant European works councils. Guy Elliott, Chief Financial Offic
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Compass, Enquest, Rio Tinto
28th Mar 2012 06:49
Tempus in The Times defends catering and contract cleaning group Compass from rather pernickety analyst notes about slowing growth. For the first half of the year organic growth (that is, stripping out acquisitions) was 5% versus the previous year's 5.5%. Tempus points out Compass is still a cash
Read moreLondon close: Oil and gas stocks slump after North Sea gas leak
27th Mar 2012 16:27
- Elgin gas leak weighs on stocks - Wolseley, Compass disappoint after updates - Banks rise, RBS wanted on speculation UK stocks slumped in afternoon trade as earlier optimism quickly faded with consumer confidence data from the US disappointing late on. Meanwhile, oil and gas heavyweights were pro
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: RBS in top spot following sale speculation
27th Mar 2012 14:09
RBS was in pole position following several reports which claimed that UK Financial Investments, the body which administers public holdings in RBS, has held meetings with Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund to sell between 10 and 30 per cent of the government's stake. Kazakhmys was on the up after th
Read moreLondon midday: Gains pared despite strong performance by banks
27th Mar 2012 11:55
- Government may cut stake in RBS - Defensives sold off - Resolution could split before sale The Footsie was nearly back where it started by midday, after gains were trimmed as heavy losses for Resolution, Compass and utilities stocks weighed on the blue chip index. The earlier rise for London's
Read moreLondon open: RBS leads the rise early on
27th Mar 2012 08:46
- Government may cut stake in RBS - Rio Tinto considers offloading diamond interests - Resolution could split before sale A strong performance by the banks helped push the FTSE 100 higher on Tuesday morning as the market continues to be boosted by recent comments by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben
Read moreDiamonds aren't forever, Rio Tinto mulls divestment
27th Mar 2012 07:24
Multi-metal mining titan Rio Tinto is thinking about offloading its diamond interests and has begun a strategic review of the business. Rio, which currently has interests in diamond mines in Australia, Canada, Zimbabwe and India, said that its strategy is to operate "large, long-life, expandable as
Read moreLondon midday: German Ifo survey lifts the mood
26th Mar 2012 11:37
- Germany's IFO index rises for fifth straight month - Concerns about Spain still on investors' minds - Aberdeen leads rise on FTSE 100, Ophir surges on FTSE 250 UK stocks managed to extend gains by Monday lunchtime after a confidence survey from Germany rose to a seven-month high. Germany's Ifo b
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: BT tops the charts on pension news
23rd Mar 2012 13:53
BT was the top blue-chip performer after the telecoms titan said it will pay off its pension deficit within 10 years. The company announced that it has reached agreement with the trustees of the BT pension scheme that the funding deficit was £4.1bn at June 30th 2011, well down from the £9bn valuatio
Read moreLondon midday: Miners drag Footsie lower
23rd Mar 2012 11:55
- Footsie on track for worst weekly performance YTD - Miners fall, Randgold still hampered by Malian concerns - BT rises on pension deficit arrangement After a strong start, a sell-off in the mining sector dragged the Footsie into the red by lunchtime. Rising commodity prices did little to lift the
Read moreLondon close: Stocks slump on global manufacturing data
22nd Mar 2012 16:57
- PMIs disappoint from China and Eurozone - Miners down on demand concerns, Randgold plummets on Malian military coup - Broker downgrades weigh on stocks After a steep fall early on, London's blue chips traded broadly sideways for the remainder of the day as gloomy economic data weighed on senti
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Rangold Resources down on reports of military coup
22nd Mar 2012 14:22
Shares in gold miner Randgold Resources sank into the bottom spot on the back of reports of a military coup in Mali, the country where two of its three main projects are located. According to media reports, rebel troops have taken over Malian state radio and television and have announced that they
Read moreLondon midday: Macro data weighs on stocks
22nd Mar 2012 11:43
- PMIs disappoint from China and Eurozone - Miners down on demand concerns, Randgold plummets on Malian military coup - Broker downgrades weigh on stocks The Footsie was firmly lower by lunchtime as a result of heavy losses in the mining sector on the back of some gloomy economic data from China.
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