FTSE 250 movers: Rightmove leads the way
26th Feb 2010 12:46
Cost-cutting and an increase in average online spending helped property website Rightmove improve underlying profit in 2009, but income fell 1% at the pre-tax level. The group is currently the best FTSE 250 performer, up more than 8%. Profit before tax fell to £37.8m in the 12 months to 31 December
Read moreLondon midday:Stocks off the top
26th Feb 2010 12:22
Hopes that Footsie would claw back all of yesterday's losses look less likely to be realised after share prices came off the top late in the morning, though most stocks are still trading in positive territory. Serco remains the best performer among Footsie stocks. The outsourcing group increased t
Read moreLondon open: Footsie makes bright start
26th Feb 2010 08:50
London's blue chips have made a bright start after the late pick-up on Wall Street overnight, even though there is some disappointment with the figures from Lloyds Banking. The state-controlled bank joined sector peers Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland in reporting better than expected figures.
Read moreLondon pre-open: Stellar gains ahead
26th Feb 2010 07:37
London's blue chips are expected to open sharply higher, with banking shares likely to be in focus after Lloyds reported full-year figures. Traders anticipate a 60 points gain when the market opens. Lloyds Banking joined sector peers Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland in reporting better than expe
Read moreRightmove cost-cutting helps '09 numbers
26th Feb 2010 07:19
Cost-cutting and an increase in average online spending helped property website Rightmove improve underlying profit in 2009. Underlying operating profit for the 12 months to 31 December rose 2% to £41.9m on revenue down 6% to £69.4m. Pre-tax profit fell 1% to £37.8m from £38.2m. Revenues for the s
Read moreFriday preview: Lloyds' turn on the stand
25th Feb 2010 17:08
Lloyds Banking finally gets its turn at bat on Friday now that sector peers Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) have left the crease. After both peers delivered better than expected figures the pressure will be on Lloyds' chief executive Eric Daniels to justify the £2.3m bonus he elected not
Read moreLondon close: Strong finish for FTSE 100
29th Jan 2010 16:38
Footsie gave up a recent weak spell to finish the week with good gains. Whitbread was the star performer. Following an investor day yesterday, Barclays Capital raised its price target on the Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner to 1,700p from 1,600p. The broker thinks Whitbread will benefit from new
Read moreLondon midday: RBS unit sued for $8bn
29th Jan 2010 12:10
After a mid-morning dip blue-chips are on the rise again, though it is not the sort of advance that is likely to change investors' view that January was a month to forget. For once, the miners are not moving in lock step with each other. Sector giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton are firmer, while go
Read moreHousing confidence bounces back
25th Jan 2010 08:21
Confidence over the UK housing market is surging back according to the latest survey from online estate agent Rightmove. The number of respondents expecting a rise in prices this year was 53% compared to just 10% this time last year. Miles Shipside, commercial director at Rightmove, said the num
Read moreLondon close: Miners eclipse banks to send index lower
3rd Dec 2009 16:35
London closed on a low note as a good day for bank shares was offset by dips for the miners and oil groups. Banking shares marched forward despite an assertion by influential US bank Goldman Sachs that commodity prices are set to rise in 2010. Goldman Sachs also seems to be out of step in its view
Read moreRightmove hit as Google eyes UK housing market
3rd Dec 2009 12:40
Share in online estate agency Rightmove dropped by 10% on a report that US online giant Google is to move into the UK property market. The FT said this morning that Google is looking at the UK after opening a property portal in Australia last August. That portal allows estate agents to list proper
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Google property plans spook Rightmove
3rd Dec 2009 12:36
Shares in Rightmove have been hit by a report that internet search giant Google is considering entering the UK property market. The Financial Times said Google, having launched a property website in Australia in August, aims to enter the UK market next year. Investors have raised a glass to improv
Read moreLondon midday: Shares lack direction
3rd Dec 2009 12:11
Banking shares are still marching forward but gains are countered by weakness among miners, despite an assertion by influential US bank Goldman Sachs that commodity prices are set to rise in 2010. Goldman Sachs also seems to be out of step in its view of banks today, having downgraded the sector to
Read moreRightmove chairman's £1.24m gain
1st Dec 2009 15:06
Scott Forbes, chairman of residential property website operator Rightmove, has exercised options over 600,000 shares and immediately sold them all. The exercise price was 335p a share so there was a gain of 206.32p a share. That is an overall profit of £1.24m. Forbes retains 619,000 shares, or 0
Read moreShell non-exec takes first stake
9th Nov 2009 15:59
Hans Wijers, a non-executive director at the Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, has spent just less than £90,000 on a stake in the firm. He took 5,000 shares at €19.96 (1,789.81p), which represents his sole holding in the group. Shares in Shell have rallied strongly since earlier in the year, when they
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