London close: Late gains for FTSE 100
8th Feb 2011 16:59
The top share index closed with good gains after a late spurt. It was a see-saw day for miners after China raised its key interest rates for the third time since October, with the benchmark one year lending rate hiked by a quarter of a point to 3%. Mining giant Xstrata started the say well after r
Read moreLondon afternoon: Inmarsat takes flight
8th Feb 2011 14:40
Though miners remain a drag on the index following the Chinese interest rate hike, Footsie struggled back into positive territory over the lunch time session. China raised its key interest rates for the third time since October, with the benchmark one year lending rate hiked by a quarter of a point
Read moreBroker tips: Thomas Cook, Burberry, housebuilders
8th Feb 2011 13:01
The political unrest in Egypt and Tunisia has not prompted Nomura to change its positive stance on travel firm Thomas Cook as summer bookings remain encouraging. Thomas Cook warned Tuesday that recent turmoil will knock £20m from its profits this quarter. "Looking ahead, the situation is fast movin
Read moreLondon midday: China rate rise hits miners
8th Feb 2011 12:10
Shares are slightly under pressure after China's interest rate rise, but stocks move in both directions after updates. China has raised interest rates for the second time in just over a month as the fast-growing east Asian economy continues battling inflation. Mining giant Xstrata is in the red no
Read moreBroker snap: Still upbeat at Thomas Cook
8th Feb 2011 10:36
The political unrest in Egypt and Tunisia has not prompted Nomura to change its positive stance on travel firm Thomas Cook as summer bookings remain encouraging. Thomas Cook warned Tuesday that recent turmoil will knock £20m from its profits this quarter. "Looking ahead, the situation is fast movin
Read moreLondon open: Slow start for Footsie
8th Feb 2011 08:56
As expected, London has made a slow start, with the leading index giving back a handful of points after closing at its highest in almost three weeks last night. In company news, BG Group grew fourth quarter profits by 3% thanks to higher energy prices and a lower exploration charge. Operating profi
Read moreLondon pre-open: Footsie to ease
8th Feb 2011 07:39
It's expected to be a slow start, with the leading index giving back a handful of points after closing at its highest in almost three weeks last night. The sixth consecutive day of gains on Wall Street and buying in the Far East could limit losses over here. In company news, BG Group grew fourth q
Read moreEgypt trouble to cost Thomas Cook £20m
8th Feb 2011 07:15
The political turmoil in Egypt and Tunisia will knock £20m from Thomas Cook's profits this quarter, the travel group warned, disrupting what had been a good start to the year. Revenue in the first quarter rose by 7% to £1.81bn reflecting increased volumes and improved product mix, while the traditi
Read moreTuesday preview: BG, Thomas Cook, McBride
7th Feb 2011 15:14
Results from the two giants of the UK oil sector, BP and Royal Dutch Shell, met with lukewarm responses last week which may fill BG Group shareholders with a frisson of foreboding ahead of the oil and gas group's fourth quarter figures on Tuesday. Broker Charles Stanley is expecting fourth quarter
Read moreLondon close: FTSE 100 falls short despite recovery
31st Jan 2011 16:41
The FTSE 100 struggled all day to drag itself into the blue after an early slide, but remained slightly in negative territory at the close of trading. Travel companies were still friendless as investors fretted about civil unrest in the popular holiday destination of Egypt. Airline IAG, the former
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks back on an even keel
31st Jan 2011 14:46
Footsie is more or less back to square one after a lunchtime trading session which saw US oil giant Exxon announce better than expected fourth quarter figures. Travel companies are still friendless as investors fret about civil unrest in the popular holiday destination of Egypt. Airline IAG, the f
Read moreMoody's downgrades Egyptian debt
31st Jan 2011 12:37
Ratings agency Moody's has downgraded its rating on Egypt's debt as large-scale demonstrations against the authoritarian rule of president Hosni Mubarak continue. Moody's now has a Ba2 rating on the North African country, from Ba1 previously, and changed its outlook to 'negative' from 'stable'. "T
Read moreOFT to probe Thomas Cook/Co-op merger
7th Jan 2011 08:07
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has 45 working days to investigate holiday company Thomas Cook and the Co-operative Group's high street travel agents and foreign exchange businesses. A request from the OFT for jurisdiction over the merger, which solely relates to the UK, has been granted by the E
Read moreOFT requests final say on Thomas Cook/Co-op merger
3rd Dec 2010 11:52
The Office of Fair Trading wants jurisdiction over the planned merger of holiday company Thomas Cook and the Co-operative Group's high street travel agents and foreign exchange businesses. It made the request to the European Commission on grounds that the case solely relates to the UK. The EC must
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Domino's Pizza, Britvic, Kingfisher...
3rd Dec 2010 06:45
The last two cold snaps boosted like-for-like sales at Domino's Pizza as peckish consumers, wary of slippery pavements, decided to phone for fast food. Domino's was ready to meet the challenge with its fleet of scooters, which made inroads in areas where larger vehicles were held back by the snow.
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