London close: FTSE 100 falls short as turmoil continues
2nd Mar 2011 17:01
Shares fought valiantly to finish in the blue but fell short as worries over the turmoil in the Middle East continued to cast a shadow. Gold moved above $1,436 to a record high as traders sought safe investments amid turbulent times. The oil price stayed strong having risen above $100 in New York.
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie narrows deficit
2nd Mar 2011 15:45
An improvement on Wall Street has lifted the mood in London, although prices are still under pressure following a mixed reaction to today's batch of results. Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered posted profits bang in line with forecasts at $6.12bn for 2010, while this year got off to a flying sta
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Standard Chartered meets expectations
2nd Mar 2011 14:09
Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered reported profits in line with forecasts at $6.12bn. This year has got off to a flying start, with the group enjoying a record January, both in terms of income and profit. Outsourcer Serco says that it foresees "headwinds" in 2011 as the government's austerity
Read moreLondon midday: Shares in partial recovery
2nd Mar 2011 12:30
Shares have moved back towards positive territory after a difficult start, with the Middle East turmoil still casting a shadow. Company updates have been given a mixed reception. The price of a barrel of oil traded above $100 a barrel as the fighting continues in Libya. Latest reports say forces lo
Read moreLondon open: Subdued start as Libya weighs
2nd Mar 2011 08:49
Blue chips have made a subdued start with the ongoing situation in the Middle East/North Africa and possible impact on oil prices weighing heavy. Some shares are making progress. Profits in 2010 from Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered were bang in line with forecasts at $6.12bn, while 2011 got of
Read moreLondon pre-open: London to carry on swooning
2nd Mar 2011 07:38
After experiencing a late dive yesterday share prices in London look set to wilt again at the outset, with City traders predicting the blue-chip index will open around 50 points easier. Profits in 2010 from Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered were bang in line with forecasts at $6.12bn, while 2011
Read moreRecord January for Standard Chartered
2nd Mar 2011 07:03
Profits in 2010 from Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered were bang in line with forecasts at $6.12bn, while 2011 got off to a record start. Profit before tax rose by just under a billion dollars from 2009's $5.15bn, with India contributing more than any other region to profits for the first time i
Read moreWednesday preview: Standard Chartered, Serco, ITV
1st Mar 2011 17:49
With results from HSBC out of the way, it is time for the other London-listed Asia-focused banking giant, Standard Chartered, to take centre stage on Wednesday. Standard Chartered makes around three-quarters of its profits from Asia, and competition has been hotting up in the region, putting margin
Read moreWeek Ahead: HSBC, Standard Chartered, Xchanging
25th Feb 2011 11:37
The banking results season comes to a close next week with the two Asia-focused operators, HSBC and Standard Chartered, declaring full year figures. HSBC is first to declare, on Monday. The performance of the Personal Financial Services division is likely to be a highlight, as bad debt write-downs
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Bank bonuses, BP, Pfizer...
6th Feb 2011 11:02
Britain's biggest banks are poised to pay out a combined £6bn in bonuses despite government demands for restraint on City pay. The size of the payout will embarrass George Osborne, the chancellor, who is hoping to announce a peace deal with the City this week that will include targets for lending t
Read moreCBI opposed to break up of banks
4th Feb 2011 00:04
The desire to break up UK banks considered "too big to fail" should be resisted, John Cridland, the new head of the pressure group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said on Friday. In a series of recommendations to the Independent Commission on Banking, Cridland said: "Businesses value i
Read moreBroker tips: UK banks, Experian
3rd Feb 2011 14:08
According to Credit Suisse, there is "little to excite" investors in UK banking: Barclays remains the broker's top pick in the sector, while target prices are reduced for Lloyds, RBS, HSBC and Standard Chartered. In regards to the sector as a whole, "our advice is unchanged", says analyst John Pier
Read moreBroker snap: Little to excite at UK banks
3rd Feb 2011 13:06
According to Credit Suisse, there is "little to excite" investors in UK banking: Barclays remains the broker's top pick in the sector, while target prices are reduced for Lloyds, RBS, HSBC and Standard Chartered. In regards to the sector as a whole, "our advice is unchanged", says analyst John Pier
Read moreMonday newspaper round-up: LSE, BP, Dividends...
31st Jan 2011 06:44
Stock exchanges in Britain and the US have turned to the security services for help after discovering they were the victims of terrorist plots and attempted cyber attacks that aimed to spread panic in leading global financial markets. The London Stock Exchange has been working with the Cabinet Offi
Read moreLondon close: Shares jump after sluggish start
24th Jan 2011 16:46
Shares put their early indecisiveness behind them to close with good gains after a decent start on Wall Street. Banks were weak after comments by the head of the Independent Banking Commission over stricter capital rules and possible separation of the retail and investment bank arms. The political
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