SSE on course to up profits
31st Jan 2012 07:09
Energy firm SSE said it was on course to deliver an increase in the dividend per share and an increase in pre-tax profits for the financial year to 31 March 2012. This came despite its nine month update showing the number of electricity and gas customer accounts it has Great Britain and Ireland fel
Read moreSector movers: Miners sold off as dollar gains on euro crisis
30th Jan 2012 14:50
The Eurozone crisis sparked a sell-off in the industrial metals and mining sector today, as ongoing talks in Greece and this afternoon's EU summit weighed on market sentiment. The absence of a debt-swap deal in Greece, the downgrade of five Eurozone nations, and a euro-era record high Portuguese 10
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks and miners weigh footsie down
30th Jan 2012 13:18
The banks were in the red as the euro crisis drags on, with Lloyds, Standard Chartered and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) among the worst performers. Lloyds is rumoured to be shaking up its management structure, according to the Financial Times. Sources quoted by Reuters indicate that an announcement
Read moreLondon close: Stocks down on Greek concerns
24th Jan 2012 16:41
- Banks sold off as Greek talks continue. - S&P downgrades three French banks. - IMF cuts world GDP growth forecast. UK stocks were off their intraday lows but still finished firmly in the red on Tuesday, with global markets in negative territory as European leaders continue to argue over Greece
Read moreSector movers: GKN drops on military spending concerns
24th Jan 2012 15:44
The automobiles and parts sector was the worst performer of the day, with sector giant GKN providing a drag in afternoon trading. GKN, the industrial engineering giant, was trading down 3.5% on Tuesday, with reports connecting the fall to the plunge in Chemring's share price, the FTSE 250 military
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Banks dip lower
24th Jan 2012 13:04
Banks are leading the way lower as investors feel the waves of worry over the ongoing Greek talks and the impact of the downgrades on three French banks. Lloyds became the biggest faller after losing more than 5%, closely followed by RBS and Barclays. Shares in the latter have taken a hit from a n
Read moreLondon midday: Banks drag Footsie lower
24th Jan 2012 11:44
- Banks sold off as Greek talks continue. - S&P downgrades three French banks. - Defensives in demand. The banks had dragged London's blue chip index to its lowest levels of the day by lunchtime as eyes continued to be fixed on the Eurozone. While the attention seems to be mostly on Greece, the d
Read moreLondon open: Cairn, financials weigh on Footsie
24th Jan 2012 08:32
UK stocks fell in early trading on Tuesday, giving up some gains made yesterday, as talks in Greece continue to drag on. Despite banks and other private institutions represented by the Institute of International Finance (IIF) having presented yesterday what they considered to be their "maximum offe
Read moreTuesday newspaper round-up: BP, Scottish energy, Coryton
24th Jan 2012 06:45
British and European Union officials are working to persuade the US Congress to exempt a BP project from new American sanctions aimed at stopping Iran's nuclear programme. The $20bn project in the Caspian Sea, called Shah Deniz II, is intended to reduce European dependence on Russian gas. It is bein
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: BoE, Greece, Intermediate Capital
18th Jan 2012 06:36
The Bank of England was plunged into a row with MPs last night after it rebuffed calls for a sweeping overhaul of the way that it is governed. The Bank published a plan for an oversight committee to review the way it makes decisions, as it prepares to take on new powers to monitor and regulate the f
Read moreFriday broker round-up - UPDATE
13th Jan 2012 11:19
Vodafone: Nomura upgrades to buy. Bunzl: UBS cuts to neutral from buy. RSA Insurance: Citi cuts to neutral from buy. BT Group: Nomura upgrades to buy from reduce. RBS: Seymour Price upgrades to buy from reduce. BG Group: JP Morgan raises price target to 1,900p from 1,455p. Tesco: Credit Suiss
Read moreLondon close: Euro worries pull Footsie lower
11th Jan 2012 16:58
Eurozone debt worries weighed on London's stock market today with some disappointing economic data from the region's largest economy dampening the mood. Energy stocks led the decline on the FTSE 100, tracking oil prices lower. SOVEREIGN DEBT CRISIS RUMBLES ON News that German gross domestic produc
Read moreSector movers: SSE falls as EDF cuts gas prices
11th Jan 2012 15:35
UK-listed electricity stocks were providing a drag today, after French utilities giant Electricite de France announced that it would reduce gas bills from its UK arm. Gas and electricity giant SSE, the nation's second-largest energy supplier, was among the worst performers of the day on the FTSE 10
Read moreFTSE 100 Movers: RBS in top spot after cost-saving measures leaked
11th Jan 2012 12:08
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) was on the up after it was reported that its Irish unit is preparing its second round of job cuts in four years as part of an effort to save about €50m ($63.9m), according to two people with knowledge of the plan, a Bloomberg News report said. Meanwhile, SSE became the
Read moreTuesday broker round-up - UPDATE
10th Jan 2012 09:15
Cairn Energy: Oriel upgrades to add from hold. Tesco: Bank of America Merrill Lynch downgrades to neutral from buy. Marks & Spencer: Panmure Gordon reiterates hold and 307p target; Peel Hunt maintains hold and 350p target. Barclays: UBS cuts target from 215p to 199p, neutral rating unchanged. R
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