AstraZeneca rallies on double upgrade from Morgan Stanley
2nd Dec 2015 10:00
(ShareCast News) - Pharmaceutical stocks got a boost on Wednesday as Morgan Stanley double upgraded AstraZeneca to 'overweight' from 'underweight' and said it was among its top picks. The bank, which lifted AZN's target price to 5,300p from 4,300p, said it has underperformed dramatically over the pa
Read moreMonday broker round-up
16th Nov 2015 08:56
(ShareCast News) - Halfords Group: Berenberg Bank upgrades to hold, reduces target price to 375.00p. Restaurant Group: Nomura upgrades to neutral, cuts target price to 635.00p. Poundland Group: Peel Hunt Limited initiates new coverage with a buy, sets target price at 400.00p. Diploma: Peel Hunt Li
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Standard Chartered results drive market down
3rd Nov 2015 13:22
(ShareCast News) - The FTSE 100 had a rollercoaster start to the day on Tuesday, but was down 12.29 points (0.19%) by mid-afternoon to 6,349.51. The biggest faller was Standard Chartered after it posted a disappointing set of third quarter results. The bank said they were hit by challenging market c
Read moreTuesday newspaper share tips: Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Shire under the microscope
3rd Nov 2015 11:20
(ShareCast News) - Pharmaceuticals were on the newspaper pundits' agenda on Tuesday after Hikma Pharmaceuticals caused a bit of pain. The FTSE 100 company warned on Monday that its generics division is performing below expectations due to slower-than-expected growth in sales for its gout treatment M
Read moreShire agrees acquisition of Dyax Corp for up to 6.5bn dollars
2nd Nov 2015 11:01
(ShareCast News) - Shire has agreed the $5.9bn acquisition of Dyax Corporation, a US-based biotech with a rare-diseases pipeline offering strong growth potential, and said it remains interested in pursuing evasive rival Baxalta. Still smarting from its rebuffed $31bn summer bid to acquire Baxalta, t
Read moreLondon close: Stocks drop as third quarter UK GDP slows more than forecast
27th Oct 2015 16:48
(ShareCast News) - London stocks finished on the back foot on Tuesday after a worse-than-forecast slowdown in third quarter UK economic growth. UK gross domestic product rose 0.5% in the third quarter compared to 0.7% in the second quarter, well below estimates for a 0.6% increase, the Office for Na
Read moreShire jumps on positive lifitegrast trial results
27th Oct 2015 11:34
(ShareCast News) - Shire rallied after the Dublin-based pharmaceuticals company reported positive results from a study on its lifitegrast treatment for dry eye disease. The study showed the treatment met primary and secondary endpoints, significantly improving patient-reported symptoms of dry eye di
Read moreBroker tips: WPP, Shire, Anglo American
26th Oct 2015 11:30
(ShareCast News) - WPP's shares declined on Monday on the back of third quarter like-for-like sales missing analysts' estimates, but Investec issued the advertising giant an 'add' rating, citing growth in digital and emerging markets. In a note to investors, Investec analyst Steve Liechti said while
Read moreShire slumps after Credit Suisse cuts price target, earnings forecast
26th Oct 2015 10:23
(ShareCast News) - Shire Pharmaceuticals declined on Monday after Credit Suisse cut its price target and forecasts for 2016 earnings. Analysts at the Swiss broker said while Shire has leading positions in pricing power and top line growth, there are "multiple overhangs" including the proposed Baxalt
Read moreShire reiterates full-year guidance despite decline in profit in the third quarter
23rd Oct 2015 12:28
(ShareCast News) - Pharmaceuticals group Shire reported a decline in pre-tax profit for the third quarter but reiterated its full-year earnings guidance. In the three months to the end of September, the Irish firm posted a 20.8% year-on-year drop in pre-tax profit to $455.5m, as an increase in integ
Read moreFriday preview: Shire's Baxalta bid and lifitegrast in focus at third quarter interims
22nd Oct 2015 12:37
(ShareCast News) - Drugmaker Shire will report its third quarter interims on Friday and analysts are raising doubts on the proposed takeover of US biotechnology firm Baxalta. Shire has offered $30bn for Baxalta as the company wants become a leading business in rare diseases. However, the value of th
Read moreLondon close: Footsie underperforms on weakness in commodities
19th Oct 2015 16:44
(ShareCast News) - The top flight index underperformed as commodity markets weakened on the back of soft Chinese fixed asset investment and industrial production figures. By the closing bell the Footsie was to be seen down by 25.71 points at 6,352.33. In the commodities space meanwhile, three-month
Read moreLondon open: Investors focus on positives from Chinese data
19th Oct 2015 08:11
(ShareCast News) - Stocks moved higher at the start of trading as investors chose to focus on the positives from the raft of Chinese macroeconomic data published before the start of trading. As of 09:12 the Footsie was up 12.85 points at 6,390.85, while the Shanghai Stock Exchange's Composite Index
Read moreShire assures lifitegrast dry-eye drug on track despite FDA knock-back
19th Oct 2015 07:12
(ShareCast News) - Shire has attempted to reassure the market that its lifitegrast dry-eye treatment remains on track for planned launch next year, after revealing over the weekend that US regulators wanted to see more data . On Friday the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) knocked back lifiteg
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Shire's schadenfreude as FDA holds up AstraZeneca
16th Oct 2015 14:03
(ShareCast News) - The FTSE 100 was up 28.77 points (0.45%) mid-afternoon Friday to 6,367.44 as hopes of further stimulus measures by the European Central Bank increase on the back of continued low Eurozone inflation figures. Shire PLC led the risers on the back of news from AstraZeneca that the US
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