Olympics director goes for gold at SSE
14th Nov 2011 16:17
Director general of the UK Government Olympic Executive Jeremy Beeton has bought up shares in Scottish and Southern Energy, of which he is a non-executive director. Beeton, who joined the board on 1 July 2011, has purchased 1,000 shares at 1,325p per share for a total of £12,250. The FTSE 100 co
Read moreLondon midday: Financials take a hit as Italian bond yields jump
9th Nov 2011 12:14
Despite a modest start, the Footsie took a tumble during morning trade and stood at its lowest levels of the day by lunchtime, as the focus turned to Italy's soaring borrowing costs. Financials were leading the decline on the blue chip index. ITALIAN BOND YIELDS KEEP ON RISING Yields on benchmark
Read moreWednesday broker round-up - UPDATE
9th Nov 2011 09:58
Admiral: Nomura puts buy rating and 1,900p target under review Admiral: Investec keeps sell rating and 843p target. HSBC: Evolutions Securities keeps sell rating and 650p target. British American Tobacco: Alpha Value downgrades to reduce from add. Regus: Credit Suisse upgrades from neutral to o
Read moreLondon open: One in the eye for Admiral
9th Nov 2011 08:56
In keeping with most markets across the globe, London is on the up in the wake of the decision by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to proffer his resignation. Look below the surface, however, and you will see that the top-share index's modest rise is largely due to the strength of mining st
Read moreSSE sees 25% drop in pre-tax profit
9th Nov 2011 07:37
Gas and electricity group SSE saw its adjusted profit before tax fall 25.4% for the half year to September. Pre-tax profit dropped from £385.5m in 2010 to £287.4m for the same six month period this year, mainly as a result of wholesale gas prices being 40% higher than in the previous year. The f
Read moreSector movers: Engineers fall over Weir
7th Nov 2011 15:52
A spot of old-fashioned Scottish realism seems to be dragging down the share price of Glasgow based engineering giant, Weir Wroup, and with it the industrial engineering sector. As was the case with its August trading update, the numbers looks all right but the company has been talking down its own
Read moreMonday broker update: Smith&Nephew, IAG, Tate&Lyle -UPDATE
7th Nov 2011 09:19
Taylor Wimpey: Peel Hunt keeps at sell. XChanging: Peel Hunt stay at sell. Tullet Prebon: Singer Capital keeps at buy. Bovis Homes: Panmure Gordon stays at hold. Rotork: Panmure Gordon upgrades to buy from hold. Lonrho: Panmure Gordon keeps at buy. Hammerson: Panmure Gordon keeps at buy. Smi
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Aegis, Endace, SSE
2nd Nov 2011 06:28
The Independent looks at the media marketing agency Aegis which upped its guidance on profits for 2011 yesterday. Although the shares fell slightly yesterday revenue growth grew 11.2% and the global reach of the company, with established operations in Brazil and China suggest it can weather Europe'
Read moreLondon midday: Miners tumble as Japan intervenes
31st Oct 2011 12:15
The miners dragged the Footsie over 1% lower by midday after Japan's intervention into the currency markets and Chinese demand worries spurred a fall in commodity prices. London's blue chip index remains firmly in the red at the 5,641 mark, down from Friday's close of 5,702. In economic news, the g
Read moreSSE hits back at Ofgem margin claims
14th Oct 2011 11:38
Gas and electricity group SSE has hit back at claims by the energy regulator OfGem that profits energy companies make from each customer a year have increased to £125. Ofgem says that its margin estimate is based on an average dual fuel bill of about £1,345 a year and that, though margins are like
Read moreThursday newspaper round-up: Europe banks, SSE, BP
13th Oct 2011 06:04
Europe's banks may be asked to accept losses of up to 50% of their holdings in Greek sovereign debt, it emerged yesterday. The call could come after EU leaders gather for a summit on October 23 to forge a once-and-for-all solution to the crisis that has engulfed the eurozone, according to officials
Read moreSector movers: String of updates boost miners
12th Oct 2011 15:24
A string of updates from mining firms helped the sector rise by an average 2.6% on Wednesday afternoon, with blue chip BHP Billiton among the best performers on the FTSE 100 by 15:38. BHP announced this morning that it has given the green light for US$1.2bn to be invested in the first phase of the
Read moreUPDATE: Wednesday broker round-up: Goldman takes down Man and SSE
12th Oct 2011 09:16
Man: Goldman Sachs takes target price down to 230p from 290p. Scottish & Southern: Goldman Sachs adds to 'Conviction sell' list. Imperial Tobacco: Credit Suisse reiterates overweight. United Utilities: Morgan Stanley downgrades to 'neutral'. Robert Walters: Credit Suisse retains at neutral and
Read moreSSE to provide jolt to cosy electricity market
12th Oct 2011 08:11
SSE, the utility company formerly known as Scottish and Southern Electricity, has confirmed press reports that it is to shake up the UK power market by putting its electricity supply up for auction on the open market. SSE described the move, which will put pressure on other suppliers to follow suit
Read moreSSE's dividend cover in its established range
30th Sep 2011 08:21
Utility firm Scottish and Southern Electricity had reassuring news for its legion of income-hungry shareholders as it said it is on course to increase its dividend by at least two percentage points more than retail price inflation, despite a heavy capital expenditure programme. The company said tha
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