London midday: Stocks turn south again
5th May 2010 12:19
Having recovered all the way back to last night's closing level shortly after 11:00am the Footsie headed south again for the remainder of the morning as the US futures markets suggested Wall Street will open lower. On a busy day for trading announcements Next is the most conspicuous faller despite
Read moreLondon open: Heading lower again
5th May 2010 08:47
Footsie has turned sharply after a steady opening half-hour as a number of gloomy comments about consumer spending have hit sentiment already shaky following yesterday's heavy falls on global markets. Next expects profits this year to be at the top end of market forecasts after sales in the first
Read moreSales still sluggish at Sage
5th May 2010 07:37
Better control of costs enabled accountancy software giant Sage to post a healthy rise in interim profits, though sales fell again albeit a slower rate than this time last year. Pre-tax profits in the six months to March rose to £159.6m from £139.2m, on sales of £719m, down 4% from £748m. Underlyin
Read moreWednesday preview: Pru, L&G, Sage
4th May 2010 15:52
FTSE 100 companies Sage, Legal & General, Liberty International, Next and Prudential are scheduled to give trading updates on Wednesday while Chilean copper miner Antofgasta will issue a quarterly production report. The Pru will announce the terms of its $20bn rights issue to fund the acquisition o
Read moreWeek Ahead: Sage, Aberdeen Asset, Smith & Nephew
30th Apr 2010 11:53
It's a shortened week next week thanks to the May bank holiday and as usual Wednesday and Thursday look like being the busiest days, with FTSE 100 companies Sage, Legal & General, Liberty International and Next reporting on Wednesday and Vedanta, Morrison's, Schroders, Smith & Nephew and RSA Insuran
Read moreLondon close: Volcano disruption holds back shares
19th Apr 2010 16:47
Trading was overshadowed by the volcano cloud that is keeping planes grounded across Europe, with updates on the impact of the disruption appearing throughout the day, but the leading share index finished just a few points lower. British Airways fell after saying it estimates that lost passenger an
Read moreLondon afternoon: RBS defies the trend
19th Apr 2010 14:37
The FTSE 100 briefly dropped below 5700 over the lunchtime session as share prices continued to drift lower. Travel stocks remain the big story as the major players start to count the cost of the disruption from the Icelandic volcano cloud. IATA, the international air transport association, has es
Read moreBroker snap: Sage, Hargreaves Lansdown, Pace
19th Apr 2010 13:50
Though sorry to see Paul Walker go, Panmure Gordon thinks Sage chief executive Paul Walker could not have chosen a better time to announce his decision to step down, as the going should start to get easier now for whoever succeeds him. "An ability to drive 'growth' is the key ask for the new CEO [c
Read moreBroker snap: Panmure predicts soggy Sage share price
19th Apr 2010 13:32
Though sorry to see Paul Walker go, Panmure Gordon thinks Sage chief executive Paul Walker could not have chosen a better time to announce his decision to step down, as the going should start to get easier now for whoever succeeds him. "An ability to drive 'growth' is the key ask for the new CEO [c
Read moreSector movers: Software stocks in demand
19th Apr 2010 13:16
GB Group is among the stocks lifting software and computer services stocks higher on a busy day for the sector. The identity management business said it expects to report profits significantly better than the revised market expectations despite difficult market conditions. Profit before interest,
Read moreLondon midday: Shares still under a cloud
19th Apr 2010 12:28
UK shares remain under a cloud, with travel stocks coming under selling pressure as the disruption from the Icelandic volcano cloud continues to disrupt air travel. IATA, the international air transport association, has estimated that the airlines industry has lost $250m per day from the grounding o
Read moreLondon open: Air travel woe dominates
19th Apr 2010 08:46
Travel problems continue to dominate the market with the UK flight ban extended to tomorrow at the earliest. More than 100,000 customers of TUI Travel due to return home yesterday were left stranded by the ongoing flight ban imposed after the eruption of the volcano in Iceland last week. Currently,
Read moreLondon pre-open: Decline to continue
19th Apr 2010 07:48
After Friday's shake-out the downward trend looks set to continue at the start of this week with City traders forecasting the Footsie will open around 30 points lower. More than 100,000 customers of TUI Travel due to return home yesterday were left stranded by the ongoing flight ban imposed after t
Read moreSage boss to up roots
19th Apr 2010 07:04
The Sage Group has confirmed that its chief executive, Paul Walker, has announced his intention to stand down after 16 years at the helm of the accountancy software company. Responding to speculation in the press the company said that Walker, who has been with the group for 26 years, will give up t
Read moreLondon close: Paltry gains for FTSE 100
12th Apr 2010 16:36
Footsie closed just a few points in the blue after an unusually sluggish day, even for a Monday. In the absence of any blockbusting company news much of the share price activity has been generated by newspaper or broker comment. Antofagasta was one of many laggards in a soft mining sector after
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