London open: Flat start ahead of payroll figures
6th Nov 2009 08:37
London's top stocks have made a cautious start as investors reflect on more huge losses at British Airways and Royal Bank of Scotland. Later today the keenly watched US monthly non-farm payroll figures also come out. British Airways reported a record loss of £292m and urged Unite to withdraw its p
Read moreSmith & Nephew profits sprint ahead
6th Nov 2009 07:35
Smith & Nephew's pre-tax profit jumped 45% in the third quarter and the knee and hip joint supplier expects a good outcome for the full year. Pre-tax profit for the three months to 26 September grew to $173m from $119m a year ago, lifting it to $495m for the nine months from $402m in 2008. Trading
Read moreLondon close: Sainsbury leads retreat
7th Oct 2009 17:03
After yesterday's 2.26% gain on the Footsie the blue-chip index took a small step backwards today, with half an eye on the US market where the third quarter results season is about to get underway. Supermarket chain Sainsbury was the worst performing blue-chip as sales growth figures disappointed.
Read moreSector movers: S&N downgrade hurts healthcare equipment stocks
7th Oct 2009 15:20
Smith & Nephew is leading the health care equipment sector lower after the broker UBS downgraded the hip and knee specialist to 'neutral' from 'buy.' UBS is worried about tightening health budgets in the US. Carphone Warehouse, whose second quarter trading statement is due tomorrow, is helping lift
Read moreLondon afternoon: Weak Wall St. undermines Footsie
7th Oct 2009 14:48
A soft opening by Wall Street prompted London's blue chips to take a step back, though plenty of firm features are still to be found. Supermarket Sainsbury's is off a few points after a 4.6% rise in like-for-like sales excluding fuel in the quarter to 3 October came in lower than expected. Exclud
Read moreSunday tips round-up: Smith & Nephew, Chesnara, Coal of Africa
4th Oct 2009 11:31
Among US health care proposals under consideration is a possible $4bn (£2.5bn) annual tax on companies that produce medical products. This could dock around 11% off earnings at Smith & Nephew, which makes artificial hips and knees and does some 45% of its business in the US. The case for buying Smi
Read moreSainsbury's new chair Tyler opens account
17th Sep 2009 16:29
New Sainsbury's chairman David Tyler wasted no time in opening his account, snapping up £167,000 of shares in the supermarket chain today. The former finance boss of GUS, who joins the board at the start of next month and becomes chairman on 1 November, paid 334.3p each for 50,000 shares. Tyler ta
Read moreLondon close: Footsie nears 52-week high
16th Sep 2009 17:03
London raced ahead today, with the FTSE 100 crashing through the 5100 barrier near to a 12-month high, though it stopped short of racking up a triple-digit rise. Mining stocks were responsible for a large proportion of the index's rise as metals prices headed north following comments from Federal
Read moreTechMARK movers: Smith & Nephew, Optos up
16th Sep 2009 15:13
Knee and hip joint supplier Smith & Nephew said it is launching two extensions to the ALLEVYN Ag range of dressings; ALLEVYN Ag Gentle Border and ALLEVYN Ag Gentle. 'The addition of these two new ALLEVYN Ag variants will undoubtedly add to the growing success of ALLEVYN and will enable us to maint
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie consolidates gains
16th Sep 2009 14:30
The number of FTSE 100 constituents in the red today is in single figures as investors chase up share prices in the wake of relatively upbeat comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke last night. Bernanke said the US recession 'is very likely over at this point,' prompting an advance by gl
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie breaks through 5100
16th Sep 2009 11:58
Leading shares rose steadily throughout the morning session pushing the FTSE 100 index through the 5100 barrier. Mining stocks are responsible for much of the rise as metals prices head north after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the US recession 'is very likely over at this point' in a s
Read moreSmith & Nephew launches new antimicrobial dressings
16th Sep 2009 10:05
Knee and hip joint supplier Smith & Nephew said it is launching two extensions to the ALLEVYN Ag range of dressings; ALLEVYN Ag Gentle Border and ALLEVYN Ag Gentle. 'The addition of these two new ALLEVYN Ag variants will undoubtedly add to the growing success of ALLEVYN and will enable us to maint
Read moreComment: Predators stalking big game
11th Sep 2009 13:37
Merger mania has been sparked this week by the Kraft bid for Cadbury and the proposed joint-venture between the UK operations of mobile phone operators Orange and T-Mobile, with pundits posing the question: who’s next? Stockbroker Killik has identified five big names that might be on the takeover m
Read moreLondon close: Blue chips surge continues
30th Jul 2009 16:42
Corporate newsflow and resurgent miners sent Footsie to within a whisker of its highest close this year. Investors piled into blue chips after a string of household names reported earnings this morning. Triple-digit gains for the Dow added to the upward momentum in the afternoon. Telecoms giant
Read moreLondon afternoon: Miners push Footsie higher
30th Jul 2009 14:48
Corporate news-flow and resurgent miners are driving Footsie higher today, with the benchmark index adding to its gains over the lunch-time session. Telecoms giant BT racked up a double-digit percentage gain in the morning after quarterly figures that were not as bad as feared. EBITDA (earnings b
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