WH Smith eyes competitive Christmas
12th Nov 2009 08:44
WH Smith said trading in the current year has started in line with market expectations but the magazine and book retailer said it remains cautious ahead of a competitive Christmas trading period. In the first ten weeks of the financial year group sales fell 1% compared to the same period last year
Read moreFriday tips round-up: WH Smith, Costain, SABMiller
16th Oct 2009 06:45
WH Smith is no longer just a defensive play, as the innovative ways that chief executive Kate Swann has found to expand the format into workplaces shows. The yield is a respectable 3.5%, but trading on 11 times next year's earnings - before yesterday's rise - the shares are at a discount of about 1
Read moreLondon close: Blue chips falter after recent strength
15th Oct 2009 16:38
London closed lower as bumper profits at US investment bank Goldman Sachs failed to spark Wall Street, which has retreated from the 10,000 mark hit last night. Goldman Sachs reported quarterly earnings per share of $5.25 versus the $4.24 predicted. Revenue of $12.37bn was much better than the $11.0
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks stuck in red
15th Oct 2009 15:13
Bumper profits at US investment bank Goldman Sachs have failed to ignite fresh buying interest on Wall Street, leaving London weaker as resource plays struggle. Goldman Sachs pitched in with forecast-busting third quarter numbers, but that's not been enough to extend the Dow's gains above 10,000. T
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Barr toasts Britvic update
15th Oct 2009 14:56
Irn-Bru maker Barr is fizzing after a positive update from fellow soft drinks group Britvic, which served up a 5.6% rise in full year revenue and believes it will deliver a strong set of results for the year ahead. A strong bounce in its bonds and currency hedging funds lifted emerging markets fun
Read moreLondon midday: Sainsbury's soars on Qatar rumours
15th Oct 2009 12:12
J Sainsbury is the stand-out riser so far on talk that the Qatar investors in the supermarket are looking to build on their current 26% stake, but it is no more than rumours so far. Otherwise Footsie is marking time, but that could change after bumper figures from Goldman Sachs. The banking giant r
Read moreLondon open: Shares add to stellar gains
15th Oct 2009 08:19
London's top stocks are adding to yesterday's gains in early trading after the Dow Jones closed above the key 10,000 barrier for the first time in over a year. Miner Xstrata said today that it has no intention of making an offer for rival Anglo American. The announcement came after a put-up or shu
Read moreLondon pre-open: Footsie to add to gains
15th Oct 2009 07:40
Footsie is expected to top up yesterday's strong gains after the Dow Jones closed above the psychologically important 10,000 barrier for the first time in over a year. Miner Xstrata said today that it has no intention of making an offer for rival Anglo American. The announcement came after a put-u
Read moreWH Smith profits climb, announces buyback
15th Oct 2009 07:02
Newsagent chain WH Smith announces full year results that saw profit before tax climb by 8% despite a drop in sales. The group also announced that it is returning up to £35m of cash to shareholders through a rolling share buyback programme. Profit before tax and exceptional items came to £82m in
Read moreThursday preview: WH Smith, Mothercare, SABMiller
14th Oct 2009 17:26
Retailers WH Smith and Mothercare are due to make trading announcements on Thursday. Newsagent chain WH Smith announces full year results that should see profit before tax climb to £81.5m from £76m a year earlier, despite sales that are forecast to dip to £1,327m from £1,352m. Like for like sales a
Read moreWH Smith finance boss sells more shares
25th Aug 2009 16:27
WH Smith's financial director Robert Moorhead has sold nearly £240,000 worth of shares in the newsagent chain. He offloaded 53,896 shares at 445.2p a time and now has 176,504. The firm's shares have rallied since he last offloaded shares in February, pocketing 360.9p a time for 10,197 shares In a
Read moreLondon close: Rio bombshell pulls back Footsie
4th Jun 2009 17:03
Rio Tinto dominated late trading as its deal with Chinese giant Chinalco looked all but dead in the water as the mining giant confirmed it is considering its options. A rights issue to raise up to $15bn could be announced as soon as tomorrow according to reports in Australia. Rio shares slumped by
Read moreLondon afternoon: Rio dives on Chinalco rumours
4th Jun 2009 14:27
Disappointment with the Bank of England's decision not to expand its quantitative easing programme prompted a downturn in the market, wiping out the morning's gains. London's blue-chip index is also struggling with the burden of a weak mining sector, which has moved further into the red after rumou
Read moreLondon midday: Financials lead rally
4th Jun 2009 12:03
The Bank of England's interest rate decision was every bit the non-event economists had been predicting, with the key lending rate left unchanged at 0.25% while no further changes to the quantitative easing programme have been made. Equities remain slightly firmer, with financials recovering some o
Read moreLondon open: Stocks post slim gains
4th Jun 2009 08:22
London's top stocks are posting slight gains in early deals ahead of the Bank of England's interest rate decision later today with supermarkets doing well. Wm Morrison made a good start to the new trading year, with sales growth well ahead of the sector norm. Like for like sales improved by 8.2%, o
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