London close: Shares jump after sluggish start
24th Jan 2011 16:46
Shares put their early indecisiveness behind them to close with good gains after a decent start on Wall Street. Banks were weak after comments by the head of the Independent Banking Commission over stricter capital rules and possible separation of the retail and investment bank arms. The political
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks edge higher
24th Jan 2011 14:49
After a morning of indecision, leading shares pushed on over the lunch time session, despite the weakness of the banking sector. Banks are weak after comments by the head of the Independent Banking Commission over stricter capital rules and possible separation of the retail and investment bank arms
Read moreNGnooncall:Equity markets fairly quiet on slow day for data
24th Jan 2011 13:40
UK UK markets have traded fairly quietly today with the banking sector leading the fallers after the report at the weekend by Sir John Vickers, chairman of the Independent Commission on Banking, said the financial crisis had exposed a "damagingly rickety structure" at the heart of the financial syst
Read moreBroker tips: Marston's, Serco, ASOS
24th Jan 2011 13:31
Pub group and brewer Marston's share price has taken a hit in the last couple of months making what Peel Hunt described as the best operator in the modern pub industry an even bigger bargain. Snow disruption, an "overwhelming exposure" to places with average public sector employment, and the north
Read moreBroker snap: Serco plays down speculation
24th Jan 2011 12:37
Outsourcing giant Serco has confirmed that it is not in talks over acquiring US group SRA International, much to the disappointment of Panmure Gordon, which described it as a missed opportunity for the group to become the "biggest foreign company providing services to the US government." The Teleg
Read moreLondon midday: Banks hold back FTSE 100
24th Jan 2011 12:13
Shares are still seeking direction as banks fall back. The sector is weak after comments by the head of the Independent Banking Commission over stricter capital rules and possible separation of the retail and investment bank arms. The political problems in Ireland have also unsettled the mood. RBS
Read moreLondon open: Cautious start to week
24th Jan 2011 08:51
London is muddling along in the early exchanges despite the decent finish to last week on Wall Street. Banks are weak after comments by the head of the Independent Banking Commission over stricter capital rules and possible separation of the retail and investment bank arms. The political problems i
Read moreLondon pre-open: Week to start well
24th Jan 2011 07:36
A mixed performance in Asia this morning isn't going to upset London, which looks like posting modest gains early on following a decent finish to last week on Wall Street. Futures prices point to a 16-point lead for the FTSE 100 when trading gets underway. In company news, Standard Chartered has a
Read moreSerco not buying SRA International
24th Jan 2011 07:09
Outsource giant Serco has played down weekend reports it wants to buy US homeland security firm SRA International. In a statement Sunday evening, the UK firm said it was "not in any discussions regarding any major transaction at this time," though it did not say whether it had been in discussions p
Read moreMonday newspaper round-up: Barclays, Cocoa, Centrica...
24th Jan 2011 06:42
Bob Diamond will stamp his authority on Barclays next month, when the incoming chief executive announces a radical overhaul of the way it pays its top bankers. According to people close to the plans, Mr Diamond aims to use innovative bonds - so-called contingent convertibles, or cocos - to pay a la
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Bank break-ups, Lloyds, Double-dip...
23rd Jan 2011 10:01
A break-up of Britain's banks came a step closer yesterday after the head of a government financial commission said he was likely to recommend splitting their operations. Sir John Vickers, chairman of the Independent Commission on Banking, said the financial crisis had exposed a "damagingly rickety
Read moreMonday newspaper round-up: Bank bonuses, snow, BSkyB
20th Dec 2010 06:30
George Osborne and Vince Cable will today pile pressure on senior bankers by threatening tax rises and further regulations if they go ahead with another bumper round of bonuses. The Chancellor and the Business Secretary are meeting the chief executives of the five largest banks ? the Royal Bank of S
Read moreLondon close: Flat finish
16th Dec 2010 16:33
It was hard going for the leading index Thursday, with gains among some of the more unfashionable blue chip names just about cancelling losses at BP and heavyweight miners. The FTSE 100 struck a new 2½-year intraday high early in the session, but that was as good as it got, and only a sudden improv
Read moreLondon afternoon: No US lift for FTSE 100
16th Dec 2010 14:54
Footsie is still looking for direction following a mixed start on Wall Street. Oil giant BP is under pressure after news last night that the US government is to sue over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill It filed a civil lawsuit against BP and eight other companies over the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exp
Read moreBroker tips: UK banks, Serco, Misys
16th Dec 2010 14:29
Nomura highlights the attractive valuations of EU banks, but says the sector is volatile and its preference if for northern European commercial banks over those in the south. According to Peace, southern European banks are under a greater earnings risk than the northern sector due mostly to the imp
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