Sunday newspaper round-up: Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Vedanta, Immigration
17th Oct 2010 13:21
Two of the world's largest mining companies are set to abandon a £70 billion merger of their iron-ore operations after Europe indicated it would block the deal. BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto wanted to put their Australian operations into a joint venture that would have controlled about a third of the w
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Mothercare, WH Smith, Standard Chartered...
15th Oct 2010 06:40
Yesterday's second-quarter trading update from Mothercare was rather a mixed bag with the majority of the good news due to the babycare retailer's "rapid" international growth. The UK retail market was still "uncertain" and the City was taking a guarded view of the company's prospects. The retailer
Read moreFriday newspaper round-up: HSBC, Dollar, Equitable Life...
15th Oct 2010 06:31
HSBC is close to walking away from a £5bn ($8bn) plan to buy Nedbank in South Africa, after a two-month period of exclusive talks with majority owner Old Mutual expires this weekend. The bank is not in a position to make an offer for Nedbank before the period of exclusivity finishes, according to p
Read moreGermans block Rio/BHP deal
14th Oct 2010 16:55
German competition authorities are set to block Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton's attempt to merge their Western Australian iron ore operations. The German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) says that its current intention is to prohibit the proposed iron ore joint venture. This makes it difficult to envisage
Read moreLondon close: Weak end to dull day
14th Oct 2010 16:35
Leading shares closed lower on a poor day for the banks and a tumble for African Barrick. Fears that Standard Chartered's rights issue yesterday could be the start of a flood of cash calls unsettled Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays. Metal prices are back on the rise as the dollar heads
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie bottoms out
14th Oct 2010 14:17
Leading shares trod water over the lunchtime session, leaving Footsie still stranded in the red. Banks remain in the doldrums. Fears that Standard Chartered's rights issue yesterday could be the start of a flood of cash calls has unsettled Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays. Metal prices
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Cash call fears hit banks
14th Oct 2010 14:00
Banks are leading the Footsie lower as investors worry that they will follow the lead of Standard Chartered and ask for more cash. RBS is the worst performer but Barclays and Lloyds are close behind. Miners are on the rise, except for African Barrick Gold, as metals prices are firming. Rio Tin
Read moreLondon midday: Downward drift quickens
14th Oct 2010 11:56
US markets may be expected to open firmer but London is determined to go its own way today, heading lower, despite a buoyant mining sector. Metal prices are back on the rise as the dollar heads in the opposite direction. That is not enough to prevent gold miner African Barrick Gold taking a tumble,
Read moreLondon open: Footsie builds on gains
14th Oct 2010 08:24
London has crept higher following yesterday's gains, with a stream of updates giving investors plenty to ponder. Starting with the bad news, African Barrick Gold has suspended 40% of the mining department at its Buzwagi mine in Tanzania following a fuel theft it suspects was an inside job. The shar
Read moreLondon pre-open: Advance expected to continue
14th Oct 2010 07:35
London is expected to pick up where it left off yesterday with solid gains foreseen. City traders think the FTSE 100 index will open about 17 points firmer. Mining stocks are in focus early on. The third quarter was more of the same for mining giant Rio Tinto with operations running at or close to
Read moreRio Tinto going flat out
14th Oct 2010 07:02
The third quarter was more of the same for mining giant Rio Tinto with operations running at or close to capacity. "This quarter we achieved record production in iron ore, alumina and coking coal," said chief executive Tom Albanese. Mined copper and gold were down 19% and 33% respectively on third
Read moreLondon close: Strong gains for FTSE 100
13th Oct 2010 16:36
Footsie moved up gear following a strong start on Wall Street, and was nearly posting triple-digit gains at trading's close. US stocks are going well following strong results from processor group Intel and banking giant JP Morgan and strong indications from the Federal Reserve that further stimulus
Read moreLondon afternoon: Still up over 1%
13th Oct 2010 14:45
The leading index broke above 5,750 briefly ahead of the opening bell on Wall Street, its highest since the end of April, led by a powerful mining sector. US stocks have started well - the Dow Jones is up almost 70 points - following strong results from Intel and JP Morgan and strong indications fr
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners stimulated by US hopes
13th Oct 2010 13:31
Xstrata, Vedanta Resources, Anglo American and Rio Tinto are higher on hopes of a fiscal stimulus in the US. Oil services group Petrofac is upgraded to 'overweight' from 'equal-weight' by broker Morgan Stanley, which thinks business opportunities in Britain, Iraq and Algeria will boost the company
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie boards the Fed express
13th Oct 2010 12:05
Hints from the US Federal Reserve that it will resume its bond buying programme sooner rather than later galvanised the UK market in the morning session with mining stocks going particularly well. Xstrata, Anglo American, Rio Tinto and Antofagasta are the pick of a mining sector buoyed by the pros
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