London open: Sell-off continues as UK resource stocks tank
12th Dec 2014 08:42
The dramatic sell-off on the FTSE 100 continued into its fifth straight day on Friday as a weak finish on Wall Street and disappointing data from China hammered already-fragile sentiment on the market. London's benchmark index was down a staggering 1.3% at 6,377 early on, dropping below the 6,400 le
Read moreLondon midday: UK stocks rise, but gains only modest after sell-off
10th Dec 2014 12:12
Stimulus hopes in China gave UK stocks a small boost on Wednesday though sentiment was still fragile after a global equity rout sent London's stock market to a one-month low the previous session. The FTSE 100 was up just 0.1% at 6,539. The index dropped over 2% to settle at 6,529.47 on Tuesday, its
Read moreLondon open: Stocks bounce off one-month low on Chinese stimulus hopes
10th Dec 2014 08:54
UK stocks edged higher on Wednesday after a steep sell-off sent the FTSE 100 to its lowest levels in more than a month. London's benchmark index was up 0.3% at 6,549 early on, after settling at 6,529.47 the previous day. Political uncertainty in Greece and concerns about lending in China hammered m
Read moreUS oversight of sanction compliance at Standard Chartered extended three years
10th Dec 2014 07:40
Standard Chartered will face a further three years of being under scrutiny from US authorities, after it was fined over £400m in 2012 for breaching American sanctions on Iran. The company announced on Wednesday that it has agreed to extend the deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) entered into in D
Read moreWednesday newspaper round-up: StanChart, G4S/Serco, Oil services firms
10th Dec 2014 07:00
According to The Guardian, Standard Chartered is under fresh scrutiny from US regulators. The bank's two-year deferred prosecution agreement imposed two years ago for US breaching sanctions towards Iran has been extended for three years. US authorities, who have already fined the bank over £400m, ar
Read moreSector movers: UK banking stocks rebound after strong US jobs report
5th Dec 2014 14:37
UK banking stocks were on the rise on Friday, bouncing back after taking a hit earlier in the week following the Autumn Statement, with market sentiment helped by a much better-than-expected US jobs report. Global stock markets jumped after the US Labor Department revealed that monthly non-farm payr
Read moreThursday broker round-up
4th Dec 2014 08:46
Aberdeen: Charles Stanley downgrades to 'hold'. Afren: Canaccord reduces target price from 115p to 65p, while staying with its 'speculative buy' recommendation. Amino Technologies: Northland moves target price from 120p to 130p and retains a 'buy' recommendation. Belgravium Technologies: WH Irelan
Read moreThursday broker round-up
27th Nov 2014 10:15
Amlin: Numis upgrades to 'buy' with a target price of 535p. Amerisur Resources: PeelHunt lowers target price from 58p to 50p and reiterates a 'hold' recommendation. Associated British Foods: Citi raises target price from 3100p to 3700p and maintains its 'buy' recommendation. Avingtrans: FinnCap up
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners jump as China cuts interest rates, oil stocks rise
21st Nov 2014 15:03
Mining stocks were dominating the risers list on the FTSE 100 on Friday after China's central bank surprised with an interest-rate cut in an effort to boost growth, raising hopes that the top metals consumer will be able to avert a hard landing. Anglo American, Fresnillo, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, An
Read moreLondon midday: UK stocks surge on PBoC stimulus, ECB hopes
21st Nov 2014 12:00
UK stocks jumped on Friday as resources shares raced ahead after China's central bank surprised the market with its first interest-rate cut in two years in an effort to boost growth. After falling for the last two sessions, the FTSE 100 was up 0.8% at 6,733 by midday with the heavyweight mining and
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Broker comment provides drag
17th Nov 2014 15:57
Standard Chartered dropped into the red after Canaccord Genuity reiterated its 'sell' rating and lowered its target price to 850p from 1,000p. Tesco declined after Goldman Sachs stuck with its 'sell' rating on the stock and shrunk its target price cut to 155p from 250p. Credit Suisse and JP Morgan
Read moreMonday broker round-up UPDATE
17th Nov 2014 10:32
African Barrick Gold: Investec reduces target price from 262p to 170p and downgrades to sell. Associated British Foods: Liberum initiates with a target price of 3470p and a buy recommendation. Bodycote: Investec lowers target price from 750p to 745p and maintains its buy recommendation. Centamin:
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Tesco, Sainsbury, Standard Chartered
9th Nov 2014 13:59
Challenger banks Tesco Bank and Virgin Money are leading a drive to make banks charge for so-called free current accounts. They told the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that it should force through such a requirement to enhance competition and avoid the potentially misleading impression for
Read moreNew leverage ratios 'clear the overhang' for UK banks, says JPMorgan
3rd Nov 2014 10:37
JPMorgan Cazenove has welcomed the new leverage-ratio rules from the Financial Policy Committee (FPC), saying that the outcome for UK banks was better than the market had expected. Analysts reiterated their 'overweight' positions on Lloyds and Barclays, but kept 'neutral' ratings for RBS, HSBC and S
Read moreLondon close: Stocks end higher after BoE announcement on leverage ratios
31st Oct 2014 16:35
Banking stocks drove the FTSE to a strong finish on Friday after the Bank of England (BoE) unveiled softer-than-expected requirements for banks' leverage ratios and also thanks in part to an unexpected boost to stimulus from the Bank of Japan announced overnight. The top tier closed the day 82.92 po
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