London pre-open: CRH and TSB in focus
20th Mar 2015 07:44
The top flight index is being called to start the session higher by between six to seven points on a busy Friday morning in terms of news-flow. Somewhat unexpectedly, overnight Greece agreed to draw up new reforms to meet the requirements of its lenders. "The odds of a Greek exit have risen signifi
Read moreTullow's backers increase their financial committments
20th Mar 2015 07:24
Exploration outfit Tullow Oil has been granted access to increased financing to support its activities on more secure terms from lenders. Lenders' commitments under its six-monthly Reserve Based Lend (RBL) have been increased by $200m, while lenders have committed an additional $250m under the compa
Read moreLondon close: FTSE jumps 1.6% after business-friendly Budget, Fed meeting ahead
18th Mar 2015 16:41
Those expecting little market reaction to the Budget on Wednesday were probably left surprised, with stocks in the energy, financial, housing and consumer staples sectors leading the surge in London following George Osborne's statement. Dovish comments from Bank of England policymakers were also buo
Read moreSector movers: Oil stocks extend gains as Budget confirms North Sea tax breaks
18th Mar 2015 15:07
Confirmation by chancellor George Osborne of budgetary measures to ease the pain in the struggling oil industry gave energy producers and services stocks another big lift on Wednesday. The 2015 Budget, the last of the current parliament, revealed new tax allowances worth £1.3bn in total to stimulate
Read moreLondon close: Energy stocks lift markets ahead of Budget, as investors await Fed
17th Mar 2015 16:32
After dipping into the red around midday, UK stocks rallied into the close with the FTSE 100 finishing 0.5% higher on the back of decent gains in the oil sector ahead of Wednesday's Budget statement. Rumours about potential tax breaks for North Sea oil and gas producers were providing energy stocks
Read moreBudget preview: Osborne's expected pre-election pledges
17th Mar 2015 16:15
On Wednesday, George Osborne announces his pre-election Budget, with several industries expected to see major proposals to woo voters and businesses. The Chancellor will deliver his budget speech to the House of Commons at 12:30, around a week before parliament adjourns ahead of May's general electi
Read moreSector movers: Tax break hopes drive energy stocks higher ahead of UK Budget
17th Mar 2015 14:42
Hopes about tax breaks in the North Sea energy industry were providing stocks in the oil producing and services industry with a much-needed boost on Tuesday, even as the price of crude continued to tumble. Danny Alexander, chief secretary to the Treasury, signalled that North Sea oil and gas produce
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: CRH lower on Holcim rejection, miners and energy stocks higher
17th Mar 2015 12:39
Building materials group CRH was extending losses after Holcim on Monday rejected the terms of its proposed tie-up with Lafarge. CRH is set to snap up €6.5bn of assets from the two European cements companies when they merge. Tesco shares were in the red, reversing from Monday, alongside Morrison, as
Read moreLondon midday: Energy stocks rise but FTSE pares gains ahead of Fed meeting
17th Mar 2015 11:39
Stocks in the oil and mining sectors were performing well on Tuesday morning, though gains for the wider market were erased by lunchtime as investors awaited the start of a Federal Reserve policy meeting. Weaker-than-expected economic data from Germany was also dampening sentiment, as European marke
Read moreLondon open: Sainsbury's and mining stocks bolster markets ahead of Fed
17th Mar 2015 08:49
UK stocks rose for the second straight day on Tuesday, helped by a strong performance on Asian markets overnight, ahead of the start of the Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting. The FTSE 100 was up 0.5% at 6,839.30 early on, helped by decent gains from a host of stocks in the mining and energy s
Read moreLondon close: Stocks jump on central bank stimulus
16th Mar 2015 16:45
Strong gains from in the retail sector outweighed falls from energy stocks on Monday, as UK equities recovered strongly after their worst weekly performance so far this year. The FTSE 100 finished the session up 0.94% at 6,804.08 after dropping 2.5% last week. Despite the strong gains, oil and gas
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Retailers dominate risers, CRH lower on rejected merger
16th Mar 2015 14:08
Tesco led the FTSE 100 risers on reports that advertising and marketing giant WPP Group could potentially buy a majority stake in the supermarket's consumer behaviour tracker Dunnhumby. The business is valued at around £2bn and would offer WPP with an insight into UK shopping habits, the Sunday Tele
Read moreLondon close: Resource and utility stocks drag markets lower, data comes in weak
13th Mar 2015 16:45
UK stocks bounced off their lowest levels of the day by the close but still ended in the red as falling mining, energy and utility shares provided a drag. After touching a low of 6,713.50, London's FTSE 100 finished down 20.49 points (-0.3%) at 6,740.58, ending the week down 2.5%. Brent crude was t
Read moreSector movers: Oil stocks drops as IEA warns of further crude declines
13th Mar 2015 15:51
A fall in oil prices was hitting shares in the energy sector on Friday after the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that crude may have further to fall. In its monthly report, the Paris-based institution said that the partial rebound that occurred at the start of the year seems to have paused
Read moreLondon midday: Rebound falters as stocks pare gains after weak economic data
11th Mar 2015 11:57
London's stocks rose on Wednesday after plunging to a seven-week low, though any hopes for a full reversal of the prior day's sell-off were shattered by gloomy data from China and weak production figures from the UK. London's FTSE 100 was up just 0.08% at 6,708.24 by midday, having quickly erased ga
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