London midday: Stocks continue to fall, banks tumble
12th Dec 2011 11:49
The Footsie was trading just below the 5,500 level at midday, with banks and miners providing a drag on London's blue chip index. It seems that markets across Europe have given a lukewarm reaction to the 'fiscal compact' agreed by (some) EU leaders late last week, with indices in Paris, Frankfurt an
Read moreLondon close: Stocks up 7.5% on the week on euro hopes
2nd Dec 2011 16:39
London's Footsie pared gains in the afternoon but still finished the day nearly 1% higher as easing fears over the Eurozone crisis kept the blue chip index firmly in positive territory. Despite closing some 50 points below the best levels of the day, the Footsie has gained 7.49% over the last week,
Read moreSector movers: Banks jump, defensives sold
2nd Dec 2011 15:55
The banking sector, a category typically sensitive to the outlook for the global economy - and more recently, developments in the Eurozone - was the best performing sector today, after comments from European leaders over 'fiscal union' helped to ease fears over the sovereign debt crisis. German Cha
Read moreLondon midday: Banks lead risers ahead of US jobs data
2nd Dec 2011 11:52
The Footsie was trading close to its highest levels of the day at midday as markets await a key jobs report from the US, which some are expecting to beat consensus forecasts. ALL EYES ON THE JOBS REPORT The US Labor Department will release its monthly employment report at 13:30, in which analysts
Read moreLondon close: Footsie at two-week high after central bank action
30th Nov 2011 16:32
Benchmark indices across Europe and the US were making gains of between 3-5% on Wednesday afternoon after a united move by central banks to ease conditions in the global financial system. The FTSE 100 in London finished over the 5,500 mark, a closing level it has not reached since 16 November. CENT
Read moreFTSE 100 Movers: Banks and miners soar on central bank moves
30th Nov 2011 15:08
Miners and banks have jumped on the actions taken by China and a host of central banks to improve liquidity conditions across the globe. News that the People's Bank of China had lowered the legal reserve requirement for Chinese banks by 50 basis points sent equities soaring back into positive terri
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks rocket on Chinese move
30th Nov 2011 12:09
With China acting to ease fears of a 'hard landing', European stock markets - and US futures - swung back into positive territory after sharp falls early on. Banks and miners roared into the lead in London, despite being the worst performers early on. The Footsie stood at 5,390 just after the midday
Read moreLondon close: Banks lead rally
25th Nov 2011 17:12
Every day this week and last the Footsie has been stuck in reverse gear but today it jolted forward, thanks to a little help from Wall Street, which opened higher. Banks led the advance on hopes that there is truth in the rumours that European policy makers are set to drop the requirement for priva
Read moreFTSE 100 Movers: Vedanta leads the way lower on debt worries
25th Nov 2011 13:06
Miners are responsible for much of the loss on the top-share index, as copper prices head lower. Vedanta was the biggest faller, on news that the firm is coming under pressure to deal with its level of debt. Deutsche Bank has sparked the worries after it cut its target price on the stock from £21
Read moreLondon midday: The only way is down
25th Nov 2011 11:38
London experienced a quiet morning, but the trend remained down, with the US market expected to open lower when it resumes trading today after yesterday's Thanksgiving Day holiday. US markets will close early today to enable traders to join the throngs of shoppers enjoying - or enduring - 'Black Fri
Read moreLondon open: Miners drag down Footsie
25th Nov 2011 09:01
With the US closed yesterday for the Thanksgiving Day holiday, London has no lead to follow in terms of market direction so it has resorted to its default setting of 'reverse'. Mining stocks are taking the low road as metal prices soften, and are taking the blue-chip index with them. The biggest b
Read moreSevern Trent's Services division still faces challenges
25th Nov 2011 07:38
Water firm Severn Trent has declared an interim dividend of 28.04p, up 7.7% on last year in line with its policy of increasing payments by three percentage points above retail price inflation. Group turnover in the six months to September 30th edged up 2.1% to £886.0m from £867.9m the year before.
Read moreLondon pre-open: Strasbourg hangover
25th Nov 2011 07:16
Residual disappointment with the outcome of yesterday's meeting of German, French and Italian leaders in Strasbourg is set to dampen sentiment at the outset, with City sources predicting the FTSE 100 will open down 21 points from yesterday's close of 5,128. The markets had hoped the meeting would
Read moreSector movers: Pharmaceuticals fall, GKN drives autos higher
24th Nov 2011 15:44
Pharmaceutical companies, typically defensive stocks, were the worst performers of the day on Thursday. With an increase in risk appetite benefiting the banking and mining sectors today - after some well-received growth data from Britain and Germany - stocks such as Shire, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmit
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners recover, Vedanta tops the risers
24th Nov 2011 13:41
With metals prices recovering on Thursday after yesterday's falls - on the back of ongoing worries in the Eurozone and some disappointing Chinese manufacturing data - the miners were in demand. Vedanta Resources, Fresnillo, Kazakhmys and Xstrata were all performing well. The sector was making an av
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