Sector movers: Defensive pharma stocks fall as Santa Rally continues
23rd Dec 2014 16:18
Pharmaceutical and healthcare stocks were leading the fallers on Tuesday as investors dumped defensive assets amid a continued pre-Christmas rally. UK stocks have risen for six straight days as markets rebounded strongly following a recent sell-off. While more cyclical sectors such as construction
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Kingfisher and Centrica boosted by disposals as miners dip
22nd Dec 2014 14:32
Home improvement retailer Kingfisher edged higher after agreeing to sell a controlling 70% stake in its B&Q China business to Wumei Holdings for £140m. "I am delighted to have found a strong retail partner who will help us to release the financial value of our business in China," said new boss Véron
Read moreSmith & Nephew's chief executive Bohuon slams reports of Sanofi appointment
27th Nov 2014 14:58
Smith & Nephew's shares rose after chief executive Olivier Bohuon reportedly told employees he has no intention of leaving the company following speculation that he was taking the helm of Sanofi. Bohuon told employees at a town hall meeting in Switzerland that he was "very happy" at the company, acc
Read moreLondon close: UK stocks retreat from two-month high as Petrofac, miners fall
24th Nov 2014 16:23
A wave of M&A news failed to give UK markets a boost on Monday as investors took profits after stocks hit their highest in two months the previous session. The FTSE 100 finished 0.3% lower at 6,730 with a massive drop in the share price of oilfield services firm Petrofac and weakness in the mining s
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Petrofac shares slide on profit warning
24th Nov 2014 16:05
Petrofac's share price dropped by a quarter after the group scaled back its profit assumptions, saying that depressed oil prices and the timing of deliveries will result in a weaker bottom line. The company said net profits for 2014 will be at the lower end of the guided $580m-600m range, but would
Read moreStryker said to be mulling a bid for Smith & Nephew, shares rise
24th Nov 2014 13:45
US medical technology outfit Stryker is laying the groundwork of another bid for British rival Smith & Nephew. The manufacturer of surgical implants has been in discussions with advisers regarding the possible financing of a deal and the potential anti-trust hurdles which it might face, should it pr
Read moreSix-month cooling-off period comes to an end for Astrazeneca and Smith & Nephew bidders
23rd Nov 2014 14:28
This week will see the end of the six-month cooling-off periods that followed the takeover bids made for healthcare groups Astrazeneca and Smith & Nephew. This means that their respective suitors will once again have the opportunity to put in another offer. Stryker, the US orthopaedic group that e
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
12th Nov 2014 09:07
Aberdeen: UBS lowers target price from 465p to 450p and downgrades from buy to neutral. ASOS: Societe Generale reduces target price from 5000p to 4450p, while leaving its buy recommendation unchanged. BG Group: Deutsche Bank reduces target price from 1400p to 1300p and keeps a buy recommendation.
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
5th Nov 2014 10:02
Associated British Foods: Exane raises target price from 3600p to 3700p, keeping its outperform rating. Citi reduces target price from 3200p to 3100p, while upgrading to buy. AVEVA: Liberum Capital reduces target price from 1500p to 1400p and keeps a hold recommendation. Investec reduces target pric
Read moreFriday broker round-up UPDATE
31st Oct 2014 09:36
Afren: Deutsche Bank lowers target price from 110p to 105p, leaving its hold recommendation unaltered. Aviva: Barclays ups target price from 397p to 420p and reiterates its equal-weight rating. Barclays: Deutsche Bank lowers target price from 300p to 295p and leaves its buy recommendation. Country
Read moreLondon close: FTSE ends session with modest gains
30th Oct 2014 16:36
The top tier closed slightly higher on Thursday, as a strong performance by Smith & Nephew was offset by losses amongst the mining sector. The FTSE 100 ended the day 9.68 points higher than on the previous day at 6,463.55. Investors were paying attention to what analysts called an "artificially hig
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Smith and Nephew rises after first quarter results
30th Oct 2014 16:14
Medical devices maker Smith & Nephew rose strongly after it posted a 3% increase in both revenue and profit for the third quarter, thanks to an improvement in its emerging and international markets units, recent product launches and investment in the sales force. On an underlying basis, turnover cli
Read moreThird quarter turnover and profit both rise 3% at Smith and Nephew
30th Oct 2014 12:03
Medical devices maker Smith & Nephew posted a 3% increase in both revenue and profit for the third quarter, thanks to an improvement in its emerging and international markets units, recent product launches and investment in the sales force. On an underlying basis, turnover climbed from $1,027m to $1
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Tesco leads downside after profits slide
23rd Oct 2014 14:46
Tesco led the downside after its first-half trading profits fell 39.4% at constant exchange rates to £937m. Tesco's chairman Sir Richard Broadbent announced his own succession process had begun, as the company's UK like-for-like sales fell 4.6%. Although its pension deficit surged from £2.6bn to £3.
Read moreTuesday tips round-up: BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Glencore
14th Oct 2014 06:58
Anyone wishing to peer into the future might be advised to observe the goings-on in north-western Australia. They will find 3-km long robo-trains careening through the landscape. It is precisely these futuristic machines which have allowed BHP to drastically reduce the cost of bringing new supplies
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