FTSE 250 movers: Gem Diamonds sparkles
22nd Dec 2009 11:42
Gem Diamonds leads the risers after announcing subsidiary Kimberley Diamonds has entered into an agreement to sell yellow diamonds from the Ellendale mine in Western Australia to Laurelton Diamonds, which is owned by the US jeweller Tiffany. Taylor Wimpey is lifted by an upgrade from Goldman Sachs.
Read moreBroker snap: Housebuilders set to write up land values
22nd Dec 2009 11:35
Goldman Sachs has turned bullish on two of the UK's biggest housebuilders, even though it sees little prospect of growth in house prices in 2010. The housebuilding sector has underperformed the market by around a quarter in the last three months, leaving the likes of Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developm
Read moreUK close: FTSE 100 closes higher
16th Dec 2009 16:43
Footsie ended with gains as better than expected UK unemployment figures lifted sentiment. The number of people claiming unemployment benefit fell for the first time since February 2008 in November amid further signs the UK economy is beginning to recover from the economic downturn. The claimant
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks lack direction
16th Dec 2009 14:30
Leading shares are mixed, with the Footsie dipping a toe into negative territory despite better than expected UK unemployment figures announced this morning. The number of people claiming unemployment benefit fell for the first time since February 2008 in November amid further signs the UK economy
Read moreLondon midday: Data gives blue chips a boost
16th Dec 2009 12:14
Footsie is maintaining most its early gains after some better-than-expected unemployment data. The number of people claiming unemployment benefit fell for the first time since February 2008 in November amid further signs the UK economy is beginning to recover from the economic downturn. The claim
Read moreLondon close: Rate rise fears fuel late slide
4th Dec 2009 17:17
Euphoria over the better than expected US jobless figures proved short-lived as week-end profit taking took hold and miners headed underground. Metal prices weakened in the afternoon session, taking mining stocks with them, as some pundits suggested that with the better than expected jobless figure
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks bounce into the blue after US jobs
4th Dec 2009 14:20
Share prices have surged higher as the keenly watched US monthly jobs figures showed a big drop in the number losing their jobs and an unexpected drop in the level of US unemployment. Miners are leading the rally with Rio Tinto the best performer. Other gainers include ENRC and oil explorer Cairn E
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks treading water
4th Dec 2009 12:17
Share prices are stabilising at lower levels as investors wait on the big US jobless announcement due at 1:30pm. Banks are on the back foot after a lukewarm note on the sector from JP Morgan. The US bank is particularly down on part-nationalised bank Royal Bank of Scotland, which it advises its cli
Read moreLondon open: Weak start for blue chips
4th Dec 2009 08:45
Footsie has fallen back in early dealings after a dip in the US last night while the bank bonus row has spread to Lloyds. Shares in Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland are both under pressure. A report in the Times this morning suggested 200 Lloyds executives will get a bonus of 80% of their salary f
Read moreLondon pre-open: Early fall expected
4th Dec 2009 07:37
Footsie is expected to slip back in early dealings after a fall in the US last night and aas traders mull statements from the housebuilding sector. Housebuilder Bellway predicts sales volumes for the first six months to 31 January 2010 will be 10% better than the same time last year, with an operat
Read moreTaylor Wimpey chairman Askew to leave in 2010
4th Dec 2009 07:18
Taylor Wimpey's chairman Norman Askew has said he will leave the board of the housebuilder by the end of December 2010. Askew, also chairman of engineer, IMI, has been chairman of Taylor Woodrow since July 2003 and continued his role when the company merged with Wimpey in July 2007. A process to r
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Pub and house stocks in demand
27th Nov 2009 13:17
Pub groups and housebuilders are among the risers in the FTSE 250. Punch Taverns leads the risers, while fellow tenanted pub group Enterprise Inns is also posting gains. Enterprise was one of the fallers yesterday after O' Neills owner Mitchell and Butlers said it made a good start to its new fina
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: ITV up as Norman appointment brightens picture
18th Nov 2009 13:14
Shares in ITV are higher after the troubled broadcaster confirmed the appointment of former Tory MP Archie Norman as its new non-executive Chairman. He will take up the role in January 2010, when current executive chairman Michael Grade, will stand down and John Cresswell will become interim chief
Read moreLondon close: Footsie gleams on commodity strength
4th Nov 2009 16:18
A rush into miners, triple-digit rally on Wall Street and welcome numbers from two of Britain's largest retailers catapulted London higher Wednesday. Fresnillo took the blue chip risers' crown, up sharply as renewed dollar weakness benefited commodity prices. Kazakhmys, Xstrata and Rio Tinto also
Read moreLondon afternoon: Gains extended
4th Nov 2009 14:19
Expectations of a firmer start on Wall Street encouraged UK blue-chip prices to kick on over the lunch-time session, with miners and stores still leading the way, In the head to head battle between M&S and Next, shares in the latter are performing slightly better after the fashion chain upped its g
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