London close: Miners push Footsie higher
2nd Dec 2009 17:09
Despite being weighed down by a number of ex-dividend stocks, Footsie finished the day in positive territory, with gains on miners outweighing losses on banks. With metals prices hardening, miners were in demand. Lonmin was the best performer after being raised to 'buy' by Investec, which also upgr
Read moreTechMARK movers: Sage on the up
2nd Dec 2009 15:56
Accounting software supplier Sage received mixed responses from analysts after reporting its full year figures. Investors, though, were broadly positive and pushed up the share price. There was a small decline in revenues and profits. Revenue, adjusted for foreign exchange movements, fell 4% to £1
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie in the blue
2nd Dec 2009 14:52
Though banks are still looking sickly, Footsie has struggled into positive territory on the back of a strong mining sector. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) remains the biggest faller among blue-chips, with lingering concerns about its exposure to Dubai World's debt now overshadowed by with newspaper r
Read moreBroker tips: Barclays, Sage, Brewin Dolphin
2nd Dec 2009 13:21
UK banks have been under the cosh since news of the Dubai debt situation broke last week but their shares are still not cheap enough, according to Credit Suisse. 'UK bank share prices have fallen 10% in the last two weeks, but we calculate that they still imply long-term ROTE [return on tangible eq
Read moreBroker snap: No surprises at Sage
2nd Dec 2009 13:12
Panmure Gordon, a long time fan of Sage, has retained its 'buy' rating on the software firm after final results that were as boringly predictable as one might expect from a company that serves the accountancy trade. The broker notes that the debt situation and US growth were both 'a bit better' tha
Read moreLondon midday: Banks get battered
2nd Dec 2009 12:11
After yesterday's strong gains, equities come off the boil today with banks, in particular, getting hammered, on enduring fears over exposure to Dubai debt. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking are the big fallers among blue-chips, while elsewhere in the banking sector Barclays is also o
Read moreSector movers: Sage lifts software sector
2nd Dec 2009 11:02
Sage, which makes accountancy computer packages, is helping lift the software and computer services sector higher after it upped its dividend and said conditions have stabilised in the second half. The total dividend has been increased by 3% to 7.43p per share (2008: 7.21p per share). The group sai
Read moreLondon open: Flat start for Footsie
2nd Dec 2009 08:41
London's blue chips have made a flat start despite gains for miners as gold hit a new record high. The metal rose above $1,200 per ounce again overnight in Asia as investors sought refuge from a weak dollar and Dubai's woes. Lonmin, Vedanta and Kazakhmys are all going well. Offsetting that are som
Read moreLondon pre-open: Flat start ahead
2nd Dec 2009 07:33
London's blue chips look set to open largely unchanged from yesterday's close, though commodities are likely to be in focus after gold hit a new record high. Gold rose back above $1,200 per ounce again overnight in Asia as investors sought refuge from a weak dollar and Dubai's woes. In corporate n
Read moreSage ups full-year dividend
2nd Dec 2009 07:03
Newcastle-based accountancy software firm Sage upped its dividend and said conditions have stabilised in the second half. The total dividend has been increased by 3% to 7.43p per share (2008: 7.21p per share). The group said the rise is reflecting the strength of cash flows and its robust business
Read moreWednesday preview: Sage, Brewin Dolphin, Construction PMI
1st Dec 2009 15:13
Newcastle-based accountancy software firm Sage's full year results are likely to be in line with expectation but patchy. The group said at the third quarter stage that it was budgeting for continued tough trading conditions in the final quarter of its financial year. Its US division, in particular
Read moreWeek Ahead: Thomas Cook, TUI, Sage
27th Nov 2009 11:33
Package tour giants Thomas Cook and TUI Travel are both set to declare full year results next week. It has not been a great year in terms of demand for expensive foreign holidays but both companies have cut capacity in anticipation of reduced demand, plus there were signs of a last minute rush to
Read moreBroker tips: Income stocks, miners
23rd Oct 2009 13:13
US bank Citigroup has been casting its eye on income shares and reckons the sectors to focus on are telecoms and insurance, which look cheap when compared to banks and utilities. The US bank says UK equities still look good value on a dividend basis, and highlighted telecoms giant Vodafone and mini
Read moreBroker snap: Look to equities for income, Citi says
23rd Oct 2009 13:11
US bank Citigroup has been casting its eye on income shares and reckons the sectors to focus on are telecoms and insurance, which look cheap when compared to banks and utilities. The US bank says UK equities still look good value on a dividend basis, and highlighted telecoms giant Vodafone and mini
Read moreLondon close: Fed optimism bolsters Footsie gains
21st Aug 2009 16:31
Footsie finished with strong gains going into the weekend after US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said prospects for a return to global growth look good. 'After contracting sharply over the past year, economic activity appears to be levelling out, both in the United States and abroad, and th
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