London afternoon: Lloyds provides some cheer
19th Aug 2009 14:14
The bears are back in command today with the blue-chip index in the red, though the size of the decline has been exacerbated by a number of index constituents trading in ex-dividend form. Former Bank of Ireland governor Richard Burrows is to be the new chairman of Lucky Strike maker British Americ
Read moreLondon midday: Shares stable at lower levels
19th Aug 2009 11:54
Equities are back on the slide again today with little hope of a boost from the other side of the Atlantic where the Dow Jones 30 is expected to open around 80 points lower. ENRC is a bright spot despite reporting a 63% slide in pre-tax profits for the first half of 2009. The dividend has been cut
Read moreLondon open: Ex-divs weigh
19th Aug 2009 08:20
Footsie is in the red following yesterday's good gains and despite decent performance on Wall Street overnight. Former Bank of Ireland governor Richard Burrows is to be the new chairman of Lucky Strike maker British American Tobacco when Jan du Plessis steps down from the position on 1 November. B
Read moreLondon pre-open: Weak open predicted
19th Aug 2009 07:37
Sellers are set to win out early Wednesday despite last night's strong performance on Wall Street. Futures prices indicate London's FTSE 100 will lose about 27 points at the start of trade. Former Bank of Ireland governor Richard Burrows is to be the new chairman of Lucky Strike maker British Ame
Read moreTechnical Analysis Snap: Rio gains on disposal
18th Aug 2009 17:07
Rio Tinto was given a minor boost on Tuesday when it received a $2bn offer for the majority of its Alcan Packaging business. As an opportunity to pay down its debt levels to more manageable levels it could not have been better timed. However, over the past few weeks Rio has been stuck in a broad
Read moreLondon close: Stocks in late surge
18th Aug 2009 16:36
A late rally driven by early gains in the US had London back up at session highs, with gains among financial plays easily offsetting a weaker property sector. Investors overcame disappointing US housing starts data that had the blue chip index struggling at session lows mid-afternoon. The annual ra
Read moreLondon afternoon: Gains pegged after US housing data
18th Aug 2009 14:37
Disappointing US housing starts data took the wind out of London's sales over the lunchtime session, though the blue-chip FTSE 100 index remains in the blue. Housing starts are seen as one of the vital signs of the US economy and July's figures disappointed, with the annualised number of housing sta
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners lift blue chips
18th Aug 2009 12:51
Once again mining stocks are in the driving seat but today they are driving the Footsie north, with many stocks recovering some of yesterday's heavy losses. Xstrata, ENRC, Kazakhmys and Antofagasta are the picks of the mining sector, along with cash strapped Rio Tinto, which has received a $2.025b
Read moreLondon midday: Properties left behind in market rally
18th Aug 2009 12:00
Once again mining stocks are in the driving seat but today they are driving the market north, with many stocks recovering some of yesterday's heavy losses. Xstrata, ENRC, Kazakhmys and Lonmin are the picks of the mining sector, along with cash strapped Rio Tinto, which has received a $2.025bn offe
Read moreLondon open: Footsie fights back
18th Aug 2009 08:11
London's top stocks are winning back some of the heavy losses it posted yesterday, with miners among the main risers. Xstrata is the best blue chip performer in early dealings, closely followed by Rio Tinto, Randgold Resources and Kazakhmys. Cash strapped miner Rio Tinto has received a $2.025bn of
Read moreLondon pre-open: Footsie to recoup losses
18th Aug 2009 07:44
Footsie is expected to win back some of the heavy losses it posted yesterday. British Land saw the value of its property portfolio fall to £8.18bn in the first quarter but said the pace of decline has slowed markedly. The group, which has been the subject of intense bid speculation, said £3.2bn (39
Read moreRio Tinto finds buyer for Alcan Packaging
18th Aug 2009 07:03
Cash strapped miner Rio Tinto has received a $2.025bn offer for the majority of its Alcan Packaging business. The binding offer has been received from Amcor and covers the Alcan Packaging global pharmaceuticals, global tobacco, food Europe and food Asia divisions. The deal does not include the rem
Read moreSector movers: Miners fall as markets plunge
17th Aug 2009 12:38
Mining stocks are in the firing line as markets plummet around the world and commodity prices slide. Among the heaviest fallers in the large-cap index are Xstrata, Anglo American and Rio Tinto. Copper prices fell back after stockpiles monitored by the London Metal Exchange rose again. Precious me
Read moreLondon close: US confidence sours sentiment
14th Aug 2009 16:28
Weaker than expected US consumer sentiment data upset the apple cart Friday, giving investors an excuse to bank profits ahead of the weekend. Stockmarkets on both sides of the Atlantic have risen 15% in the past month, so no wonder investors were keen to trim their portfolios. Wall Street headed s
Read moreFriday newspaper round-up: Bank bonuses, British Land, Enterprise Inns
14th Aug 2009 06:21
Senior cabinet ministers are so disappointed with the Financial Services Authority's new pay rules, released this week, they are considering whether legislation may be needed to crack down on bankers' bonuses. A number of ministers, including Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, are understood t
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