London close: Four-day rally is over
17th Nov 2009 16:31
The leading index finished near its worst levels of the session as weaker banks and mining heavyweights brought a 4-day winning streak to an end. The dollar's bounce off Monday's 15-month low hurt metal prices. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said last night that the Fed will conduct policy i
Read moreSector movers: Intelek bucks the trend
17th Nov 2009 14:16
Shares in communications electronics group Intelek fall after it reported a drop in first half profits but said it remains confident in the future of the group. Curiously though, the technology hardware and equipment sector is one of today's heaviest falling sectors, with Pace, the set-top box maker
Read moreLondon close: Profit taking trims gains
11th Nov 2009 17:12
Better than expected unemployment figures and some relatively upbeat comments from Bank of England governor Mervyn King propelled Footsie to a new intra-day high for 2009 in the morning session, but stocks came off the top in the afternoon session. The UK unemployment rate, as measured by the Inter
Read moreLondon afternoon: Share prices froth over
11th Nov 2009 14:12
Share prices are coming off the top, though Footsie remains comfortably in positive territory thanks to strong demand for miners and insurers. Miners are wanted as metal prices pick up following news that Chinese industrial output rose to a 19-month high in October. BHP Billiton, Kazakhmys, Rio Ti
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie hits intra-day high for 2009
11th Nov 2009 12:15
The Footsie is hovering around its high for the year of 5300, after better than expected UK unemployment figures. Sentiment was little affected by Bank of England governor Mervyn King saying he thinks inflation will rise above the 2% target set by the government as the impact of quantitative easi
Read moreLondon open: Stocks advance early on
11th Nov 2009 08:34
Buyers have piled into mining heavyweights again as metal prices continue to surge, while trading updates and results give International Power and Sainsbury's a boost. Sainsbury's has posted a healthy rise in profits in the 28 weeks to October 3, but repeated a warning that lower food price inflati
Read moreSSE H1 profit jumps 36%
11th Nov 2009 07:27
Electricity provider Scottish & Southern Energy posted a 36% increase in half year adjusted pre-tax profit as it hiked its dividend 6.1%. Adjusted pre-tax profit rose to £410.5m for the six months to 30 September 2009 from £302.6m before. Revenue was down 12.5% at £8.04bn from £9.19bn the same time
Read moreSSE to buy Irish street lighting business
16th Oct 2009 10:29
Scottish and Southern Energy has agreed to buy the assets of ESB Contracts (ESBC), the street lighting business of Dublin-based ESB, for €6.4m in cash. The acquisition is due to complete on 30 November 2009. ESBC currently maintains around 300,000 street lights in the Republic of Ireland, and its a
Read moreLondon close: Buoyant US lifts FTSE 100
28th Sep 2009 16:37
Footsie put a sluggish start to the day behind it to post strong gains, helped by buoyant showing on Wall Street. There were contrasting fortunes for two stocks dependent on the health of the housing market, with Wolseley on the rise and Home Retail on the slide. Earlier today property research fi
Read moreLondon afternoon: Market cements morning's gains
28th Sep 2009 14:15
London made further headway over the lunchtime session, boosted by expectations of a firm opening on Wall Street. There are contrasting fortunes for two stocks dependent on the health of the housing market, with Wolseley on the rise and Home Retail on the slide. Earlier today property research firm
Read moreLondon midday: Market edges higher despite weak banks
28th Sep 2009 11:59
Leading shares remain mixed, but the Footsie is still in the blue despite weakness from banks and miners. Cash call rumours continue to swirl around the two part-nationalised banks Lloyds Banking and Royal Bank of Scotland while miners are easier despite some upbeat comments from Anglo American bos
Read moreLondon open: Early gains fizzle out
28th Sep 2009 08:47
London's blue-chip have started the week hesitantly desite a rally by Wolseley on hopes its fortunes may have bottomed. Builders' supplies specialist Wolseley racked up losses of more than £1bn last year after a raft of one-off charges. Ongoing pre-tax losses came in at £766m in the year to July, a
Read moreSSE eyes significantly higher H1 pre-tax profit
28th Sep 2009 07:32
Scottish and Southern Energy said it expects adjusted profit before tax for the six months ending 30 September to be significantly higher than the corresponding period in 2008, when it was exceptionally low. For the year as a whole, SSE expects to deliver a moderate increase in adjusted profit befo
Read moreSector movers: Mining rally stops for breath
21st Sep 2009 11:32
Mining stocks have run into profit taking amid weakness in the metals markets. The sector posted good gains last week in line with growing optimism over the prospects for global economic recovery. Even Antofagasta, upgraded today to 'buy' from 'neutral' in a Goldman Sachs mining sector review, is
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
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