London midday: Footsie bursts through 5200
9th Nov 2009 11:58
With the price of gold crashing through the $1,100 and other metal prices on the up, miners are leading a strong advance by Footsie. Demand for mining stocks has been spurred by comments at the close of the G20 summit pledging a continuing commitment to providing economic stimulation to the world e
Read moreLondon open: Miners and insurers lead the charge
9th Nov 2009 08:55
Leading shares have made a confident start to the week following the latest G20 meeting, with insurers and miners leading the way higher. A statement issued after this weekend’s G20 summit reassured marlkets that there would be no premature withdrawal of economic stimulus packages. “The recovery
Read moreLondon pre-open: Strong start to week expected
9th Nov 2009 07:35
London looks ready to start the week in style following the latest G20 meeting and after Wall Street found plenty of support at the 10,000 level on Friday afternoon. A statement issued after this weekend's G20 summit reassured marlkets that there would be no premature withdrawal of economic stimulu
Read moreLondon close: Shares shake off US blues
6th Nov 2009 17:15
The Footsie finished a see-saw day in positive territory, shrugging off concerns about the worse than expected US jobless figures, which revealed the US unemployment rate has risen above the 10% level. Banks enjoyed a day in the sun, helped by a positive response to results from Royal Bank of Scotl
Read moreWeek Ahead: Sainsbury, Imperial Tobacco, Babcock
6th Nov 2009 10:57
Supermarket chain Sainsbury issues half-year results on Wednesday, having already warned that it is unlikely to be able to maintain its impressive sales growth, due to the effects of reduced inflation. Excluding the impact of the fuel and the VAT cut announced last November, like-for-like sales wer
Read moreLondon close: Footsie finishes firmer
21st Oct 2009 16:57
After an up and down day, London's blue-chip index finished the day as it started it, in positive territory. Stocks needed the help of a firm start on Wall Street, however, to state a late rally. US shares opened higher after investment bank reported its first quarterly profit in a year after three
Read moreLondon afternoon: Miners a drag
21st Oct 2009 14:38
Mining stocks and a couple of blue-chips going ex-dividend today pushed the Footsie below 5200 in the morning session though the index showed some signs of recovery over the lunch-time session. Smiths Group and BSkyB are the highest profile stocks in the red as a result of trading in ex-dividend st
Read moreLondon midday: Blue chips turn lower
21st Oct 2009 12:03
Footsie's early drift has given way to more substantial falls as US futures point to a lower opening on Wall Street. Smiths Group and BSkyB are the highest profile stocks in the red as a result of trading in ex-dividend status today. Also on the downturn is London Stock Exchange, after Goldman Sach
Read moreLondon open: Quiet start in London
21st Oct 2009 08:54
London's top stocks are moving sideways pretty much despite a late burst on Wall Street and better than expected results after hours from US web giant Yahoo! UK company news is less dramatic. Home Retail reported a 3% rise in half year sales and said trading at both Argos and Homebase exceeded its
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: BHP Billiton, BAA, National Express
21st Oct 2009 06:20
BHP Billiton on Wednesday added its voice to tentative signs of a more broad-based global recovery when the Anglo-Australian mining group reported record iron ore production in the three months ended September. In its latest production report, the world's biggest miner said developed economies wer
Read moreLondon close: Footsie slips back
20th Oct 2009 16:50
There was no shortage of company news to give Footsie direction but it was the release of housing data in the US that ultimately dragged the leading share index into the red. Housing starts increased to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 590,000 last month, up 0.5% above a revised 587,000 in Oct
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie pulled both ways
20th Oct 2009 14:19
Footsie is struggling to find any sense of direction despite some big movements in individual companies' share prices. Fast growing software company Autonomy is finding the market hard to please. Despite another spell of strong organic growth in the third quarter, the shares are the worst performer
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Barclays sale boosts Sainsbury's
20th Oct 2009 14:17
Barclays and J Sainsbury are dominating the FTSE 100 movers today on the back of the same story. Qatar's sovereign wealth fund Qatar Holding is selling 379.22m shares that it is converting from warrants at an exercise price of 197.775p each, but said it will remain a long-term shareholder in the b
Read moreLondon midday: Banks drag Footsie down
20th Oct 2009 12:04
Footsie made a valiant effort to finish the morning in the blue but came up just short, thanks largely to the weakness of financial stocks. Barclays is sharply lower, after Qatar's sovereign wealth fund said it was selling half of the warrants it holds in the bank. Qatar Holding is selling 379.22
Read moreSector movers: Sainsbury bid talk lifts food retailers
20th Oct 2009 10:40
Shares in J Sainsbury are lifting the food and drug retail sector higher amid talk that Qatar's sovereign wealth fund will use the £1.3bn proceeds from the sale of a stake in the bank Barclays to make an offer for the supermarket. Peers Morrisons and Tesco are also higher. Not all is well in the f
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