FTSE 100 movers: Pearson drives blue-chips up on broker note
16th Dec 2015 14:06
(ShareCast News) - The FTSE 100 continued to rise on Wednesday, with the blue chip market up 65.57 points (1.09%) to 6,083.36 mid-afternoon. Pearson was the day's big winner after Exane BNP Paribas upgraded the educational publisher's stock to 'outperform' from 'neutral'. "Risks of further earnings
Read moreTuesday newspaper round-up: Minimum wage, OPEC, Yahoo, Sports Direct
15th Dec 2015 07:26
(ShareCast News) - George Osborne's decision to raise the minimum wage sharply next year will cost private-sector employers about £1bn, according to a watchdog. The Regulatory Policy Committee, an independent public body that scrutinises government proposals, said the policy would affect 1.7m employ
Read moreBroker tips: Smiths Group, Sports Direct, Aldermore Group
11th Dec 2015 15:38
(ShareCast News) - Smiths Group on Friday was given a ratings upgrade by RBC Capital Markets to 'sector perform' from 'underperform' ahead of the engineer's strategy statement. RBC also raised its target price to 1,050p from 900p, saying that shares in Smiths are "less obviously expensive than they
Read moreGoldman Sachs cuts target price on Sports Direct
11th Dec 2015 14:27
(ShareCast News) - Weakness in Europe led Goldman Sachs to lower its forecasts and price target for Sports Direct. Revenues were now expected to grow by just 1% year-on-year, and not 1.5%, as a result of the weaker pattern to European revenues. The broker also updated its depreciation/amortization
Read moreFriday newspaper share tips: Top up shares in Centrica
11th Dec 2015 10:15
(ShareCast News) - The Times' Tempus thinks it might be the bottom of the decline of Centrica. The utility company said its full year earnings would be in-line with forecasts in a pre-close statement on Thursday at the end of what the British Gas owner admitted was a difficult year. British Gas' re
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Old Mutual hit by rand and rating downgrade, Debt plan drives Glencore up
10th Dec 2015 14:07
(ShareCast News) - The FTSE 100 remained in negative territory on Thursday, sitting down 34.53 points (0.56%) on 6,092.15 by mid-afternoon. Old Mutual, which generates a large chunk of its profits from South Africa, sank as a broker downgrade and weaker rand weighed on the stock. The rand fell near
Read moreLondon midday: Equities slide as BoE keeps interest rates unchanged
10th Dec 2015 11:09
(ShareCast News) - UK equities declined as the Bank of England voted 8-1 to keep interest rates unchanged. The BoE left interest rates at 0.5% and the asset purchase programme at £375bn, as expected by analysts, amid a slowdown in emerging economies, low inflation and a strong pound. The minutes of
Read moreSports Direct first half profit jumps 25%
10th Dec 2015 07:13
(ShareCast News) - Sports Direct International posted a 25% jump in first half pre-tax profit on flat revenue thanks in part to the continued roll-out of large format city stores. For the 26 weeks to 25 October, pre-tax profit came in at £187.3m from £149.7 on revenue of £1.4bn, up just 0.1% from th
Read moreSports Direct expands fitness club business
8th Dec 2015 13:14
(ShareCast News) - Sports Direct International has purchased The Printworks Health Club & Spa in Olympia as it expands its fitness club portfolio. The gym was converted from a former graphics workshop into a state-of-the-art health club and spa by Albion Ventures in 2007. Albion Ventures partner Ch
Read moreFindel gains more support to block Sports Direct appointment
2nd Dec 2015 11:55
(ShareCast News) - After another major shareholder in Findel said it would vote against the appointment of Sports Direct's Ben Gardner to its board, the home shopping group has so far received objections representing almost 44% of its shares. River & Mercantile Asset Management, which owns 5.7% of F
Read moreTuesday newspaper round-up: BHP, Sports Direct, France
17th Nov 2015 07:23
(ShareCast News) - BHP Billiton is reviewing the management of two big operations after the Samarco mudslide in Brazil that killed at least nine people. Andrew Mackenzie, the miner's chief executive, told analysts and investors yesterday that the company was reviewing all of its dams worldwide. He a
Read moreFriday broker round-up
9th Oct 2015 16:28
(ShareCast News) - Ferrexpo: UBS upgrades to neutral, cuts target price to 36.00p. Carillion: Investec Securities downgrades to hold. Target price: 300.00p. Weir Group: RBC Capital Markets downgrades to underperform, bumps down target price to 50.00p. United Utilities Group: Credit Suisse upgrades
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Glencore rises as zinc output cut; Investors happy with StanChart report
9th Oct 2015 13:44
(ShareCast News) - The FTSE 100 was up 63.88 points (1.00%) to 6,438.70 mid-afternoon Friday, rallying on the back of Thursday's release of the Federal Reserve minutes. Glencore again led the risers on the back its decision to cut 500,000 tonnes or around a third of its annual zinc production. The m
Read moreBroker tips: Hays, Weir, Sports Direct
9th Oct 2015 13:21
(ShareCast News) - HSBC downgraded Hays to 'hold' from 'buy' and cut its price target to 140p from 200p. It said Hays' UK growth is slowing, as evidenced by the company's second-quarter trading update, and the bank's bull case was premised on accelerating growth and margin recovery. "Until we get f
Read moreLondon midday: Rally in mining stocks boost equities
9th Oct 2015 11:13
(ShareCast News) - The FTSE advanced on Friday at midday, driven by a rally in mining stocks as metal prices rose. Glencore led mining shares higher as investors welcomed its decision to cut 500,000 tonnes or around a third of its annual zinc production as it looks to combat declining prices. "This
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