FTSE 100 movers: Standard Life lifted by results, IAG down with a bump
20th Feb 2015 13:59
Insurance giant Standard Life surged after beating forecasts with a 19% increase in annual operating profit before tax from continuing operations to £604m, while the total dividend was lifted 7.8% to 17.03p per share. The recent acquisition of Ignis also helped it to increase assets under administra
Read moreLondon midday: Eurozone data and Greek optimism push UK stocks higher
20th Feb 2015 11:43
UK stocks neared an all-time high on Friday morning after upbeat data on the Eurozone economy, as investors showed optimism ahead of an emergency meeting about Greek debt. Markets mostly shrugged off weak economic data from the UK, where retail sales fell more than expected in January. London's FTS
Read moreLondon open: Standard Life, energy stocks support markets ahead of Greek meeting
20th Feb 2015 08:42
UK stocks edged higher on Friday morning on the back of well-received results from Standard Life and gains in the oil sector as investors awaited a pivotal meeting about Greek debt later on. London's FTSE 100 was up 0.06% at 6,892.72 early on. The index has remained broadly flat over the last three
Read moreSector movers: Oil stocks track crude prices lower ahead of stockpile data
19th Feb 2015 15:41
Oil producers and energy services stocks were hit on Thursday by a tumble in the price of crude on the back of speculation that US government data will show that oil stockpiles rose to a record high last week. Industry group, The American Petroleum Institute, said on Wednesday that stockpiles of cru
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Centrica drops, oil and gas stocks lower
19th Feb 2015 14:14
With oil and gas prices plummeting, Centrica took dramatic action by slashing its dividend and future payout policy, warning that earnings for next year will be lower than expected too. Shares in the British Gas owner dropped sharply the company cut its dividend 21% to 19.2p, which will be a "major
Read morePanmure Gordon picks out "most vulnerable" UK dividends
18th Feb 2015 13:27
Panmure Gordon has warned of "storm clouds on the horizon" for income investors as corporate payouts reach "unsustainable" levels and has picked out several FTSE 350 companies where dividends appear particularly vulnerable. Although the UK economy has begun 2015 in rude health, the broker pointed ou
Read moreSector movers: Analysts warm to Oil&Gas sector
16th Feb 2015 17:39
Shares in select Oil&Gas and oil service sector names led gains on Monday as analysts weighed in with positive views. In a research note e-mailed to clients first thing in the morning a team at Morgan Stanley headed by Martjin Rats wrote that: "A strong [Oil&Gas] industry response to the fall in oil
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Astrazeneca lower as patent rejected, BHP boosted by Pakistan disposal
16th Feb 2015 14:11
Astrazeneca was trading lower after its patent on its Pulmicort Respules treatment for asthma was ruled by a US court as invalid. The US District Court of New Jersey ruling paves the way for generic versions of the lung drug to be released into the market. Actavis said it released a version of the d
Read moreLondon midday: Markets remain slightly in the red
16th Feb 2015 12:28
UK stocks were still slightly lower come midday on the heels of weaker than forecast Japanese growth domestic product (GDP) figures, overnight, and ahead of a critical meeting of Eurozone finance ministers scheduled for the evening. Traders were watching to see if Greece's new government and the Eur
Read moreLondon close: FTSE closing in on record high as commodity stocks rally
13th Feb 2015 16:30
UK stocks jumped on Friday as rising commodity prices lifted shares in the oil and mining sectors, while hopes increased that Europe can come to an agreement over the future of Greece. The FTSE 100 rose 0.7% to 6,873.52 by the end of trade, its best finish since early September 2014. The index is no
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Glaxosmithkline upgraded, miners and oil stocks higher
13th Feb 2015 14:29
Glaxosmithkline's shares were given a boost by UBS which upgraded its rating for the pharmaceutical stock by two notches from 'sell' to 'buy', saying that the business is now at an "inflection point" after a tough few years. The bank hiked its target price for the stock from 1,250p to 1,700p. The sh
Read moreLondon close: Stocks rise on Ukraine ceasefire, but gains modest
12th Feb 2015 17:13
UK stocks rose for the first time in five sessions on Thursday after a ceasefire was agreed in eastern Ukraine, though ongoing concerns about Greece and weak economic data from the States limited upside. Investors were also digesting comments from the Bank of England as it upgraded its UK growth for
Read moreLondon close: Resource stocks fall with markets cautious ahead of Greek meeting
11th Feb 2015 16:33
UK stocks declined for the fourth day on Wednesday with oil and mining stocks bearing the brunt of the selling pressure as investors scaled back their appetite for risk ahead of a pivotal meeting about Greece. London's FTSE 100 finished the session down 0.2% at 6,818, with blue-chip oil group Tullow
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Tullow plummets on suspended dividend, BT higher on Premier League rights
11th Feb 2015 14:03
Tullow Oil topped the fallers after deciding to suspend its final dividend for 2014, as the exploration and production company swung to a loss of over $2bn on the back of hefty impairment charges and exploration write-offs. "2014 was a difficult year for our industry and a challenging one for Tullow
Read moreLondon midday: Greek uncertainty pressures UK stock market lower
11th Feb 2015 12:04
UK stocks declined for the fourth straight session on Wednesday with the focus firmly on Greece as the new government faces a stand-off with its international creditors. London's FTSE 100 was down 0.4% at 6,800 by midday, ahead of an emergency meeting of Eurogroup finance ministers in Brussels. The
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