Boss' s wife splashes out on Standard Life shares
11th Mar 2011 17:18
The wife of Standard Life's chief executive has spent nearly £300,000 on a stake in the insurer, the day after the company announced it had a "good" 2010. Caroline Nish, wife of David, bought 125,000 shares at 2,24p a time, taking the couple's stake to about 550,000 shares. The UK's fourth-largest
Read moreLondon close: Shares fall back as oil rallies
9th Mar 2011 16:53
A drop in the oil price failed to gain ground as the Libya violence continued, sending shares firmly into the red. Attacks against rebel-held towns in western Libya continued, helping oil prices to win back some recent losses. Traders are worried that violence could erupt in other oil-producing Ar
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Restaurant Group rises on profit growth
9th Mar 2011 15:36
The Restaurant Group saw shares jump after the performance at its Garfunkel's outlets helped profits grow by 17% in 2010. Also wanted is acquisitive engineering conglomerate Halma which has its cheque book out again, buying Swiss company Medicel for around £46.6m. Heading the other way is speciali
Read moreLondon afternoon: Downward drift continues
9th Mar 2011 14:16
Blue-chip shares drifted lower still over the lunchtime session though a number of bright spots can be found, particularly among second liners. Insurer Prudential is in demand after saying it made 20% more in 2010 than it did the year before as Asia raced ahead of the US as the UK company's bigges
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 seeking direction
9th Mar 2011 12:02
Shares are moving in both directions after updates, but the FTSE 100 sits a few points lower. Insurer Prudential is in demand after saying it made 20% more in 2010 than it did the year before as Asia raced ahead of the US as the UK company's biggest earner. Group operating profit before tax on a Eu
Read moreLondon open: Early falls despite Pru show of strength
9th Mar 2011 08:43
London has slipped lower in early dealings, despite good numbers from Prudential and a strong performance on Wall Street overnight as oil prices fell back. Insurer Prudential made 20% more in 2010 than it did the year before as Asia raced ahead of the US as the UK company's biggest earner. Group o
Read more'Superb' Garfunkel's lifts TRG
9th Mar 2011 08:03
Tourists flocking to its Garfunkel's outlets in Central London helped The Restaurant Group come though the weather, ash clouds and recession last year in decent shape. Profits in 2010 rose by 17% to £56.5m, from £48.3m, on revenues up 7% at £466m. Like-for-like sales fell by 1%. TRG's food outlets
Read moreLondon close: More gains for FTSE 100
12th Jan 2011 16:43
Strong financial and mining stocks helped to drive the top share index higher Wednesday, while M&A activity and company updates had some FTSE 250 constituents soaring. HSBC went well, helped by a "buy" recommendation from Barclays Capital, but fellow banks Standard Chartered and Barclays were also
Read moreLondon afternoon: Miners and banks lead the advance
12th Jan 2011 14:35
Footsie is continuing to keep its head above water, not to mention 6,000, but it is largely thanks to the strength of miners and financial stocks, with the latter in demand after Portugal's bond auction proved relatively successful. HSBC is the best performing financial, helped by a "buy" recommend
Read moreBroker tips: Barratt Developments, Restaurant Group, NCC
12th Jan 2011 12:42
Financial services firm Matrix places Britain's largest housebuilder Barratt Developments in its 'add' category as the group reported trading in line and recovering margins. The broker notes that net asset value per share (209p estimated for 2011) remains a primary driver of value for the group, an
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks add more gains
12th Jan 2011 12:07
Miners continue to keep the FTSE 100 in the blue, adding to yesterday's gains, while three stocks in the FTSE 250 are posting triple-digit gains. Supermarket giant J Sainsbury had its best Christmas ever, with better than expected sales, a growing market share and a record number of customers desp
Read moreBroker snap: Restaurant Group shows resilience
12th Jan 2011 10:39
Charles Stanley Securities advises its clients to add more shares in The Restaurant Group (TRG) to their plate after the company announced that profits should be just ahead of market consensus, showing "resilience despite a tough year." Analyst James Dawson says that a drift-off in 2010 like-for-li
Read moreLondon open: Early gains for blue chips
12th Jan 2011 08:50
London has pushed on again in early dealings with miners leading the way and a mixed morning so far for retailers. Supermarket giant J Sainsbury had its best Christmas ever, with better than expected sales, a growing market share and a record number of customers despite the snow. Like for like sa
Read moreRestaurant Group to beat consensus
12th Jan 2011 07:47
Restaurant Group, which owns the Garfunkel's, Chiquito and Frankie and Benny's chains, expects full-year profits to be "just ahead" of the market consensus. Turnover for the 53 weeks to 2 January was up 7% on the 52 weeks last year, or 4% when this year's extra week is taken off. Revenue had risen
Read moreLondon close: Footsie little changed
11th Nov 2010 16:44
Footsie closed little changed, which wasn't a bad result given a triple-digit loss for the Dow when it opened. Ireland was the story breaking as the trading day closed. Yields on benchmark Irish bonds rose to over 9% on reports that the EU might have step in and bail the country out. José Manuel
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