Thursday tips round-up: Smiths Group, Gooch & Housego, SThree...
9th Jun 2011 07:15
Smiths shares, down 24p at £11.76½p after yesterday's trading statement, are now back to about where they were before the bid speculation began. The statement is short on detail, but underlying sales at the end of May, ten months into the financial year, were ahead of a year before. John Crane, abou
Read moreLondon close: FTSE 100 slides as worries persist
8th Jun 2011 16:38
Stocks finished firmly in negative territory as worries over the state of the global economy continued. Stocks finished lower in the US last night after downbeat comments from Federal Reserve president Ben Bernanke on US economic prospects. After a hesitant start, London's leading share index took
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: African Barrick Gold spooked by supertax reports
8th Jun 2011 15:33
Mining firm African Barrick Gold has taken a tumble after it responded to reports of a new "Super Profits Tax" on the mining industry in Tanzania, saying it is unaware of any such tax. Falling metals prices is most likely partly attributable to the fall as well. Meanwhile, Punch Taverns is a high r
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks dive as worries grip markets
8th Jun 2011 12:13
The top share index is deep in the red now as global economic worries continue to overshadow trading. Stocks finished lower in the US last night after downbeat comments from Federal Reserve president Ben Bernanke on US economic prospects. After a hesitant start, London's leading share index took a
Read moreLondon open: FTSE 100 edges lower
8th Jun 2011 08:29
Stocks have retreated slightly after last night's comments from Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke failed to lift US stocks into the blue ahead of the close. In stocks news, the spell of unusually hot weather over spring had drinkers queuing up at Punch Taverns, a top riser today, helping Britai
Read moreImprovement across the board at SThree
8th Jun 2011 07:17
Staffing business SThree reported a 23% increase in gross half year profit after an improved performance across all regions. The provider of permanent and contract staff said group gross profit rose to around £90m for the six month period ended 29 May 2011 from £74.3m in 2010. UK gross profit incr
Read moreShaftesbury boss invests £100,000
4th Mar 2011 17:03
Shaftesbury chief executive Jonathan Lane has invested a further £100,000 in the property investor. Lane has bought 22,222 shares at 450p each. That takes his stake to 966,233 shares, which is worth £4.3m at the latest purchase price. Lane raised just over £99,000 from the sale of option shares la
Read moreLondon close: Lower finish as Libya turmoil persists
4th Mar 2011 16:56
The top share index closed in the red going into the weekend as the spectre of high oil prices remerged amid continuing turmoil in Libya. Brent crude rose above $116 a barrel as the conflict in Libya continues. Government forces have been cracking down on protesters in Tripoli and there have been c
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie turns red
4th Mar 2011 15:19
A weak start on Wall Street has sent London to an intra-day low, with miners turning tail. US monthly non-farm payrolls were better than expected, but not by much. Investors don't look keen to open up any new positions ahead of the weekend. Mining heavyweights Rio Tinto, Anglo American and Kazakh
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Bodycote tops the list
4th Mar 2011 12:41
Thermal processing services provider Bodycote is the best performer on the FTSE 250 today, gaining 6%. The group announced last week that it swung into the black in 2010 with estimate-beating profits. Charter International is edging higher after its welding, cutting and automation business ESAB has
Read moreLondon midday: Shares move cautiously higher
4th Mar 2011 12:06
The top share index is moderately higher today following big gains yesterday. Traders will be looking ahead to US job figures due at 1.30pm London time. The US non-farm payroll numbers at lunchtime will get the day traders excited, but may also show that the US economy's recovery is at last startin
Read moreLondon open: Footsie higher ahead of US jobs
4th Mar 2011 08:49
Wall Street may have had its best day of the year so far yesterday but London is taking things a bit more sedately today. The US non-farm payroll numbers at lunchtime will get the day traders excited, but may also show that the US economy's recovery is at last starting to generate a decent amount o
Read moreLondon pre-open: Cautiously firmer start foreseen
4th Mar 2011 07:36
Wall Street may have had its best day of the year so far yesterday but London is taking things a bit more sedately today, with City traders expecting the Footsie to advance by around 15 points at the outset from last night's closing level of 6,005. Advertising giant WPP made over £1bn for the first
Read moreAll regions on upward path at SThree
4th Mar 2011 07:16
International recruitment firm SThree has joined the list of job agencies reporting a continuing general uplift in the staffing market. In the three months to 27 February SThree made a total of 1,604 permanent placements (excluding retained business), an increase of 19% on the 1,344 placements in t
Read moreICAP executive raises £2.5m from sale
8th Feb 2011 17:14
ICAP chief operating officer Mark Yallop has raised more that £2.5m from selling around 30% of his stake in the derivatives broker. He sold 459,000 shares at 551.36p a share. Yallop still owns just over 1.07m shares in ICAP. Yallop has been chief operating officer since July 2005. He was previou
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