London midday: Defensives left behind
19th Mar 2010 12:10
Risers outnumber fallers by around four to one among FTSE 100 constituents as the market continues to enjoy a sentiment boost from an impromptu and upbeat trading update from Lloyds Banking Group. Lloyds will be profitable on a combined businesses basis in 2010, chief executive Eric Daniels claimed
Read moreSector movers: Lloyds buoys banking sector
19th Mar 2010 10:52
Lloyds leads the banking sector after giving an impromptu and upbeat trading update ahead of a presentation at the Morgan Stanley european financials conference today. Lloyds will be profitable on a combined businesses basis in 2010, chief executive Eric Daniels claimed Friday. Daniels said trading
Read moreShire chairman raises £1.5m from disposal
9th Mar 2010 16:22
Matthew Emmens, the chairman of pharma company Shire, has raised nearly £1.5m from a share sale. Emmens sold 33,302 American Depositary Shares (ADSs) at an average price of $66.44. Each ADS is equivalent to three ordinary shares. The selling price was equivalent to £14.70 a share. Last week, Emm
Read moreLondon close: Footsie hits 18-month high
5th Mar 2010 17:00
Strong economic data from the US sent Footsie to its highest levels since late 2008. The leading share index closed a whisker shy of the 5,600 point mark. A much better than feared read on US non-payrolls sparked the surge. The US jobs figures showed 36,000 jobs were lost in February, compared wit
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie through 5,600, 18-month high
5th Mar 2010 16:07
London's blue-chips have surged forward to an 18-month high and climbed above 5,600 for the first time since late 2008. A much better than feared read on US non-payrolls has spaeked today's surge, with the Dow adding 100 points and miners surging higher alongside bank shares. The US jobs figures s
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie powers on
5th Mar 2010 11:58
London's blue-chips are nearing a 52-week high on renewed optimism over the banks, a good morning for miners and despite a mixed read on UK factory gate inflation. The cost of goods at the factory gates in February was 4.1% higher than a year earlier, a tad above the 4% annual gain expected by eco
Read moreLondon open: Footsie rising again
5th Mar 2010 08:47
UK equities have opened firmly helped by another good session on Wall St and more gains for the banks. Schroders, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays and Standard Chartered lead the financials higher, while Fresnillo, Lonmin and Xstrata are strong among the miners. Swiss group Glencore International
Read moreFriday tips round-up; Schroders, Aggreko, Standard Chartered
5th Mar 2010 06:52
The stock market may still be one fifth below its record high, but Schroders has surpassed its turn of the century peak. Yesterday's full-year results from the FTSE 100 fund manager revealed that its total assets under management had risen to £148bn. The company's willingness to continue sitting on
Read moreLondon close: Resurgent Footsie breaches 5,500 points
3rd Mar 2010 16:52
A good start on Wall Street helped jolt Footsie out of its sluggish start, helping the leading share index close above 5,500 points for the first time since January. Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered, the only FTSE 100 company to deliver results today, led the way after it defiantly said it will
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Standard stars after impressive figures
3rd Mar 2010 14:46
Standard Chartered roared to the top of the FTSE 100 risers after a seventh year of record profits in a row. Profit before taxation in 2009 rose 13% to $5.15bn and operating income increased by 9% to $15.2bn. On a constant currency basis, profit before taxation was up 18% and operating income up 14
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie ambles into positive territory
3rd Mar 2010 13:56
The blue-chip index moved into positive territory over the lunchtime trading session helped by expectations of a firm start on Wall Street. Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered, the only FTSE 100 company to deliver results today, defiantly said it will pay its executives bonuses after another recor
Read moreLondon midday: Market remains mixed
3rd Mar 2010 11:51
The market's indecision this morning was typified by the insurance sector where the blue-chip index's best and worst performers were to be found. RSA Insurance is the weakest blue-chip after the company said yesterday that it expects to make around £30m in payouts as a result of the Chilean earthqu
Read moreLondon open: Cautious start for blue chips
3rd Mar 2010 08:44
A weak end to trading in the US last night has pulled London back from yesterday's six-week high. Some big names going ex-dividend have added to the early weakness. Standard Chartered defiantly said it will pay its executives bonuses after another record year in 2009, with income and profits slight
Read moreLondon pre-open: US dampens enthusiasm
3rd Mar 2010 07:40
A decent lead evaporated to almost nothing in the US last night and that's expected to pull London back from yesterday's six-week high in early deals. Standard Chartered said it has decided to pay its executives bonuses after another record year in 2009, with income and profits slightly above marke
Read moreStandard Chartered hits another record
3rd Mar 2010 07:08
Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered said it has decided to pay its executives bonuses after another record year in 2009, with income and profits slightly above market forecasts. "We pay for good performance and we do not reward failure. And we have continued to produce record income and profits on
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