FTSE 100 movers: Barclays and Glencore fall after annual results, Taylor Wimpey higher
3rd Mar 2015 13:44
Shares in Barclays fell after the bank set aside a total of £1.25bn for provisions to cover litigation costs related to ongoing probes into mis-selling PPI and rigging foreign exchange rates. The news came as Barclays reported a pre-tax loss of £532m for the fourth quarter. Commodities trader and mi
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks rebound, British Land boosted by acquisition
2nd Mar 2015 13:18
Banking stocks such as Barclays and RBS topped the risers as share prices rebounded after a weak outing last week following some poorly-received annual results. 2014 figures from Barclays, the last UK lender to report, are due out on Tuesday. Intertek, the product testing and certification outfit, w
Read moreBroker tips: IAG, RSA, William Hill
2nd Mar 2015 11:35
Credit Suisse has hiked its target price for International Airlines Group from 678p to 750p after the British Airways and Iberia owner beat estimates with its annual results last week. The bank reiterated its 'outperform' rating, saying "quality [is] shining through" at the airline conglomerate. UB
Read moreUBS upgrades RSA Insurance to 'neutral', but caution remains
2nd Mar 2015 10:08
UBS said it remains cautious about RSA Insurance but has upgraded its rating on the stock from 'sell' to 'neutral', saying that the market's expectations have been reset following last week's annual results. "RSA faces challenges achieving its targeted 12-15% return on tangible equity (ROTE) but thi
Read moreLondon close: FTSE edges higher to new record close
26th Feb 2015 16:48
London's FTSE 100 managed to inch higher to a new record high on Thursday as improving economic data across Europe and positive developments in Ukraine boosted markets after a slow start. The UK benchmark index finished the day up 14.35 points at a new closing high of 6,949.73, up 0.2% on the day an
Read moreSector movers: RSA drags non-life insurers lower as results underwhelm
26th Feb 2015 15:14
Underwhelming results from RSA were weighing down on the non-life insurance sector on Thursday despite the FTSE 100 company swinging to a profit and recommencing its dividend payment. RSA, the third-largest insurer in the UK, reported a pre-tax profit of £275m for 2014, compared with a £244m loss th
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Standard Chartered soars on new CEO, RBS dips after missing forecasts
26th Feb 2015 14:16
Standard Chartered surged after appointing former JPMorgan boss Bill Winters as its new chief executive, as it confirmed current head Peter Sands will step down in June. The bank also announced that chairman John Peace will step down in 2016. Mining stocks were on the rise as metal prices improved,
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks holding steady on a busy day
26th Feb 2015 12:20
UK stock markets were rangebound on Thursday morning on a busy day for corporate earnings and economic data, as investors maintained a cautious approach following the record peaks reached earlier in the week. London's FTSE 100 was up just 0.04% at 6,938.10 by midday, trading within a narrow range of
Read moreLondon open: Influx of earnings and economic data keeps stocks flat
26th Feb 2015 08:24
UK stocks were more or less flat on Thursday morning with markets fluctuating at record highs amid a barrage of corporate earnings and economic data. The FTSE 100 was up just 0.03% at 6,937.80 early on. The index set a closing all-time high of 6,949.63 on Tuesday, having reached an intraday record o
Read moreLondon pre-open: Stocks to edge lower amid flurry of earnings and data
26th Feb 2015 07:38
UK stocks were expected to fall for a second day on Thursday after reaching an all-time high earlier in the week, with investors digesting a flurry of corporate earnings and economic data. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open six points lower than Wednesday's close of 6,935.38. On Tuesday, th
Read moreRSA Insurance Group returns to profit, recommences dividend
26th Feb 2015 07:14
RSA Insurance Group returned to annual profit and recommenced its dividend as it announced its chief financial officer is stepping down. The company posted a pre-tax profit of £275m, up from £244m loss in 2013 following the disposal of businesses as part of a restructuring. It was slightly below the
Read moreRSA Insurance sells stake in Indian joint venture
18th Feb 2015 07:30
FTSE 100 insurer RSA has sold its minority holding in Royal Sundaram Alliance, its joint venture in India. The company has agreed to offload its 26% stake for £46m to its joint venture partner Sundaram Finance Limited. The transaction is expected to result in a gain on sale of around £16m and an ad
Read moreLondon close: Greek fears rattle stocks, but miners limit downside
9th Feb 2015 16:35
London's FTSE 100 had trimmed losses by the end of the session but still finished in the red as ongoing concerns about the future of Greece weighed on market sentiment. "Eurozone equities are being ground down by Greek fears, and financial stocks across the EU are bearing the brunt of the sell-off,"
Read moreCredit Suisse upgrades RSA Insurance on capital return potential
22nd Jan 2015 09:07
RSA Insurance's shares were given a boost on Thursday by an upgrade by Credit Suisse from 'neutral' to 'outperform', as the bank delivered an upbeat outlook for the UK insurance sector. Credit Suisse said that RSA's delivery on cost and operating return targets will "provide capacity for a sharp imp
Read moreLondon close: Stocks inch higher in shortened session as Santa Rally continues
24th Dec 2014 12:46
The UK stock market closed a half-session in positive territory on Christmas Eve to extend its winning streak into the seventh straight day. With trading volumes low - many European markets were already closed for Christmas - London stocks were rangebound for most of the session as investors refrain
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