London midday: China worries weigh
17th Sep 2012 11:47
China is weighing on UK investors' minds as speculation mounts that the Chinese authorities might not spring into action to juice up the world's second largest economy as quickly as previously thought. Adding weight to that view is the decision by economists at Citigroup to cut their forecast for
Read moreLondon open: Footsie dips below 5900, as China worries simmer
17th Sep 2012 08:23
UK stocks have opened on the back foot with traders agitating over possible delays to the Eurozone´s plans for a banking union, as Germany calls for a more measured approach and a slower pace. Also weighing on sentiment is market chatter pointing to the possibility of a slower policy response from
Read moreSmith & Nephew CFO off to Reckitt
17th Sep 2012 07:44
Medical technology business Smith & Nephew has lost its Chief Financial Officer to consumer goods multi-national Reckitt Benckiser. Adrian Hennah will leave the company at the end of December, with the search for his successor already underway. Chief Executive Olivier Bohuon thanked Hennab for his
Read moreMonday broker round-up
10th Sep 2012 09:13
Barclays: UBS raises target from 205p to 235p, buy rating unchanged. Chariot Oil & Gas: Peel Hunt downgrades to sell, target cut from 150p to 40p; Merchant Securities downgrades to sell, target cut from 232p to 29p. Debenhams: Seymour Pierce raises target from 80p to 100p, hold rating kept. Euras
Read moreWednesday broker round-up
15th Aug 2012 09:47
AB Foods: UBS raises target from 1,330p to 1,400p, buy rating unchanged. AVEVA: Jefferies ups target from 1,800p to 2,300p, buy recommendation maintained. Balfour Beatty: Investec maintains sell rating and 210p target. CLS Holdings: Peel Hunt ups target from 639p to 720p, hold rating kept. CRH:
Read moreBroker tips: RBS, Smith and Nephew, Ophir
3rd Aug 2012 11:12
Investec has reiterated its 'buy' recommendation and 300p target price for part-nationalised lender Royal Bank of Scotland after the group's in-line first-half results, saying that it expects a recovery in profitability from next year onwards. "It's not all bad. While MPs and regulators focus their
Read moreBroker snap: Smith and Nephew making strategic progress
3rd Aug 2012 11:09
Jefferies has raised its target price for medical devices maker Smith and Nephew from 740p to 780p and reiterated its 'buy' rating for the stock, saying that the group's first-half results showed that progress is being made on its strategic priorities. "Smith & Nephew's 1H results demonstrated prog
Read moreFriday broker round-up
3rd Aug 2012 08:17
Avanti Communications: Jefferies maintains buy rating and 600p target. BAE Systems: BarCap cuts target from 380p to 370p, equal weight rating kept. Cairn Energy: AlphaValue downgrades to sell. FlyBe: HSBC initiates coverage with overweight rating and 90p target. Hammerson: Credit Suisse lifts ta
Read moreLondon close: Markets tank as Draghi dampens sentiment
2nd Aug 2012 16:48
- Draghi fails to give markets a boost - BoE maintains rates and QE - RBS leads the downside on one-charges, nationalisation rumours Equity markets across Europe tanked on Thursday afternoon in spite of a positive start, after the European Central Bank (ECB) dashed hopes of immediate action to stem
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: RBS down on government plans and fine
2nd Aug 2012 14:37
According to the Financial Times, the government is considering buying up the remaining shares in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) that it does not already own in an effort to kick start lending to businesses, news which pushed the stock into the bottom spot on the FTSE. The paper claims ministers are b
Read moreLondon midday: BoE holds fire; all eyes now on the ECB
2nd Aug 2012 11:44
- BoE maintains rates, QE - ECB decision in focus - RBS lower on nationalisation speculation While the policy-makers at the Bank of England (BoE) did what most were expecting - leaving interest rates and quantitative easing (QE) unchanged - UK stocks were trading firmly higher on Thursday morning
Read moreThursday broker round-up
2nd Aug 2012 10:00
Aggreko: Investec keeps buy rating and 2,520p target. Antofagasta: UBS lifts tagged from 850p to 870p, sell rating unchanged. BAE Systems: Investec maintains hold rating and 290p target. Drax: AlphaValue downgrades to reduce. ENRC: UBS cuts tagged from 640p to 615p, buy rating maintained. Filtr
Read moreLondon open: Markets look to the ECB for a boost
2nd Aug 2012 08:57
- Fed holds fire on further stimulus - BoE and ECB decisions expected later today - ECB expected to do 'whatever it takes' The Footsie rose moderately on Thursday morning in spite of the Federal Reserve disappointing US markets last night, as investors looked ahead to key policy decisions in the UK
Read moreSmith and Nephew ramps up divi
2nd Aug 2012 07:22
Medical devices specialist Smith & Nephew has whacked up its dividend as it embarks on a progressive dividend policy on the back of the success of its recent restructuring. The group, which has been restructured to report along two divisional lines, Advanced Surgical Devices (ASD) and Advanced Woun
Read moreThursday preview: Lots of interest in the BoE meeting
1st Aug 2012 17:22
On Thursday, the Bank of England announces its interest rate decision and for the first time in years, we cannot blithely assume that the rate will be kept the same. The terrible second quarter gross domestic product number has raised the prospect of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) count
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