Persimmon's Jonathan Davie lays foundations
5th Mar 2010 16:23
Persimmon non-executive Jonathan Davie started building a stake in the housebuilder with the purchase of £42,000 in shares. Davie, who was appointed to the board on January 1, bought 10,000 shares at 419.9p a time. His purchase comes soon after the company said it completed 8,976 house sales last
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Carillion, IPF, Arriva...
4th Mar 2010 06:03
It's ten years since Carillion was spun off from Tarmac and two years since it formally dropped out of the FTSE construction sector. Yesterday's full-year results showed that Carillion generated £118m of profits in 2009 from support services, up from £20m ten years ago and accounting for more than h
Read moreLondon close: Resurgent Footsie breaches 5,500 points
3rd Mar 2010 16:52
A good start on Wall Street helped jolt Footsie out of its sluggish start, helping the leading share index close above 5,500 points for the first time since January. Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered, the only FTSE 100 company to deliver results today, led the way after it defiantly said it will
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie ambles into positive territory
3rd Mar 2010 13:56
The blue-chip index moved into positive territory over the lunchtime trading session helped by expectations of a firm start on Wall Street. Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered, the only FTSE 100 company to deliver results today, defiantly said it will pay its executives bonuses after another recor
Read moreBroker tips: Pru, Glaxo, Restaurant Group
3rd Mar 2010 13:05
Prudential this week announced the "truly transformational" acquisition of American insurer AIG's Asian business (AIA) for $35.5bn, but Charles Stanley worries that the price tag "looks to be full". It notes that the UK firm is issuing shares at a discount to embedded value to purchase the business
Read moreBroker snap: Restaurant Group on the menu
3rd Mar 2010 12:34
Charles Stanley has added The Restaurant Group to its menu after the Frankie & Benny's restaurant chain's full year underlying profits came in 5% ahead of the broker's forecast. The broker has crunched the numbers and reckons that with full year sales showing a like for like (LFL) decline of 2% in
Read moreLondon midday: Market remains mixed
3rd Mar 2010 11:51
The market's indecision this morning was typified by the insurance sector where the blue-chip index's best and worst performers were to be found. RSA Insurance is the weakest blue-chip after the company said yesterday that it expects to make around £30m in payouts as a result of the Chilean earthqu
Read moreLFL growth returns at Restaurant Group
3rd Mar 2010 08:21
Frankie & Benny’s eateries owner The Restaurant Group said like for like (LFL) sales returned to growth in the latter stages of 2009. ‘The current year has started well - after nine weeks, revenues are 6% ahead of last year and like-for-like sales are up 1%,’ said chief executive Andrew Page, in a
Read moreSector movers: Leisure stocks in demand
8th Jan 2010 11:34
Well-received updates from a handful of leisure stocks have lifted the sector. Pub group Mitchells and Butlers said trading in the new financial year has remained strong, thanks to sales growth across the main brands, but cautioned that it is still cautious on the outlook for consumer spending. Th
Read moreLondon pre-open: Early gains expected
8th Jan 2010 07:34
London's blue chips look set to rise in early dealings Friday morning, with traders expecting the Footsie to add around 23 points. Pub group Mitchells and Butlers said trading in the new financial year has remained strong, thanks to sales growth across the main brands, but cautioned that it is stil
Read moreRestaurant Group to beat profit expectations
8th Jan 2010 07:12
The Restaurant Group, the company behind the Frankie & Bennie's and Chiquito chains, expects full-year profits to be well ahead of the top end of the range of current market forecasts. The group said it has seen a further strengthening in trading since the previous update which covered the 46 weeks
Read moreLondon close: RBS leads the charge
4th Jan 2010 17:12
A strong start to the year on Wall Street gave London a boost, prompting the blue-chip index to finish at its highest point for the day. Part-nationalised lender Royal Bank of Scotland's led the advance after Exane BNP Paribas suggested that 'fundamental (rather than purely speculative) investor in
Read moreLondon afternoon: Buoyant Wall St. lifts London
4th Jan 2010 14:38
Shares added to the morning's gains over the lunchtime session, as investors correctly predicted a firm opening on Wall Street. The sale of Royal Bank of Scotland's Pakistan unit has fallen through after the deal failed to get the necessary regulatory approvals and complete before the 31 December d
Read moreBroker tips: ENRC, Restaurant Group, Ceramic Fuel
4th Jan 2010 12:36
Kazakhstan based mining group Eurasian Natural Resources is sitting pretty in the mining sector, Merrill Lynch reckons, as it will benefit from higher metals prices without suffering the same level of cost increases set to afflict its South African rivals. 'We believe costs for South African produc
Read moreLondon midday: Broker tip lifts RBS
4th Jan 2010 12:10
Leading shares moved into consolidation mode late in the morning session, with resource stocks the best performers. Cairn Energy remains the top gainer on news that the oil explorer has secured a second drilling rig to assist its exploration programme in the Disko West area offshore Greenland in th
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