FTSE 100 movers: Standard Life soars as profit leaps
14th Aug 2012 14:53
Life assurance behemoth Standard Life leapt into the top spot after it saw profits rise in the first half after a strong performance in the UK, its biggest market. Operating profit before tax was up 15 per cent with assets under administration three per cent higher than the year before. United Uti
Read moreLondon midday: United Utilities leads stocks higher
14th Aug 2012 11:33
- UK CPI inflation rises in July - Eurozone GDP falls in line with forecasts - United Utilities up on takeover speculation The Footsie had moved broadly sideways in morning trade on Tuesday, holding on to the gains made in the opening hour, as investors digested a barrage of economic data from home
Read moreFriday broker round-up -UPDATE
27th Jul 2012 09:54
African Minerals: Goldman Sachs upgrades to buy. AG Barr: Investec reiterates buy recommendation and 485p target; Shore Capital downgrades to hold; N+1 Brewing downgrades to hold. AstraZeneca: Nordea downgrades to sell. Barclays: Investec maintains buy rating and 240p target. BG Group: UBS cuts
Read moreRevenue gains offset by depreciation at United Utilities
27th Jul 2012 07:28
United Utilities, the north west of England water company, says increases in revenue will not filter through into significantly higher profits. In a management statement covering the period between April 1st and July 26th the company says while revenues have increased, this will be "largely offset
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Resolution falls after cancelled cash return
20th Jul 2012 15:51
Shares in UK life insurance and asset management group Resolution dropped sharply after the group cancelled the cash return of 250m pounds set for the first half of 2012 due to "uncertainty" in the markets. The group said that the decision was based on its estimated capital position as at the end
Read moreLondon close: Global stocks surge as China concerns ease
13th Jul 2012 16:38
- Stocks surge on Chinese data - JPMorgan reports profit despite big trading loss - Moody's downgrades Italian credit rating Better-than-expected growth data from China and well-taken quarterly results from JPMorgan Chase & Co sent global stock markets soaring on Friday, as investors shrugged off a
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners heading higher
13th Jul 2012 13:18
Mining peers Polymetal, Kazakhmys, ENRC and Randgold were registering decent gains as metals prices firmed on the improved outlook for China. British luxury brand Burberry, a stock sensitive to the development in the Chinese economic outlook, a key growth market for the business, was also in demand.
Read moreLondon midday: Markets shrug off Italian downgrade after Chinese GDP
13th Jul 2012 11:21
- Chinese GDP beats forecasts - Moody's downgrades Italian rating - US stock futures edge higher on China European markets were trading broadly higher and US stock futures were pointing to a positive start by Friday lunchtime after Chinese economic growth data came in better than expectations. Chi
Read moreFriday broker round-up
13th Jul 2012 09:11
Aegis: Exane BNP Paribas downgrades to neutral, target upped from 220p to 240p; UBS downgrades to neutral, target upped from 195p to 240p; HSBC downgrades to underweight, target upped from 180p to 240p. Anglo American: Liberum Capital downgrades to hold. Ashmore: Singer Capital Markets downgrades
Read moreLondon open: Chinese data provides a lift early on
13th Jul 2012 08:20
- Chinese GDP beats forecasts - Moody's downgrades Italy - Mining stocks gain on improved demand outlook Burberry and the miners were performing well on Friday morning after growth data from China came in above expectations, easing concerns about a 'hard landing' for the world's second-largest econ
Read moreBroker tips: Glencore, Xstrata, Michael Page...
9th Jul 2012 11:08
Jefferies expects commodities marketer and producer Glencore to bump up its proposed merger ratio for Xstrata and says that following the stocks' recent underperformance, shares of both groups are now more attractively valued. "We continue to have a positive view on shares of BHP Billiton and Rio T
Read moreBroker snap: Nomura bearish on European utilities
9th Jul 2012 11:06
Nomura has retained its 'bearish' view on the European utilities sector, saying that there are downside risks to guidance across the industry. According to the broker's recent investor survey, some 70% of respondents see downside rise to 2013 earnings per share estimates. "With our bearish outloo
Read moreBroker tips: Water stocks, M and S, Vodafone
29th Jun 2012 12:36
UK water stocks - United Utilities, Pennon and Severn Trent - are in 'a sweet spot in current markets', according to UBS which says they provide safe returns and consistent outperformance. "We believe that the UK water companies will remain in a sweet spot for as long as the current lacklustre macr
Read moreBroker snap: Water stocks in 'sweet spot', says UBS
29th Jun 2012 10:03
UK water stocks - United Utilities, Pennon and Severn Trent - are in 'a sweet spot in current markets', according to UBS which says they provide safe returns and consistent outperformance. "We believe that the UK water companies will remain in a sweet spot for as long as the current lacklustre macr
Read moreFriday broker round-up
29th Jun 2012 09:13
Barclays: Oriel Securities downgrades to hold, target cut from 285p to 200p. Barratt Developments: JPMorgan Cazenove downgrades to neutral, target raised from 135p to 155p. BG Group: UBS cuts target from 1,785p to 1,730p. Corin: N+1 Brewin upgrades to add. Debenhams: HB Markets downgrades to sel
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