Sector movers: Water groups wanted
22nd Jul 2009 10:15
Shares in water groups advance ahead of tomorrow's preliminary ruling from the water regulator on their five-year business plans. According to Nomura, investors have been overly pessimistic about Ofwat's plans. The broker thinks the sector may rally tomorrow when Ofwat's report turns out to be mor
Read moreLondon afternoon: Downward drift continues
8th Jul 2009 15:36
The majority of blue-chip stocks remain lower on the day, though heavily weighted miners are limiting the extent of the fall on Footsie after positive broker comment this morning. Investec has upgraded Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, advising its clients to take advantage of recent share price weakne
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie still flat
8th Jul 2009 12:02
On another directionless day with little in the way of company news to guide sentiment, Footsie sits just in the blue. Heavily weighted miners are limiting the extent of the fall on Footsie after positive broker comment this morning. Investec has upgraded Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, advising its c
Read moreLondon close: Late rally fizzles out
6th Jul 2009 16:37
Footsie made a brief attempt to lift itself into the blue in late trading but finished where it spent most of the day: firmly in negative territory. Declining metal and oil prices took their toll on resource stocks. Copper miners Lonmin and Kazakhmys are among the big fallers, despite both stocks b
Read moreLondon afternoon: Defensives in favour as stocks slide
6th Jul 2009 14:26
Footsie is halfway to a triple digit fall as resource stocks drag the market lower, with many pundits suggesting that the market may have bounced back too far since it reversed course in March. Declining metal and oil prices are taking their toll on resource stocks. Copper miners Lonmin and Kazakhm
Read moreUnited Utilities extends upgrade contract
6th Jul 2009 07:38
Utility company United Utilities has extended the AMP4 framework contract with a joint-venture comprising Costain, Atkins and Galliford Try to cover the next upgrade phase for the water industry. The extension for the AMP5 framework will run from 2010 to 2015 and consists of £400m of capital works
Read moreLondon close: US economic data hits Footsie
30th Jun 2009 16:26
It looked like another flat day for the FTSE 100 heading into the second half of the year until shares took a sharp dive following some unappetizing economic date in the US. The US Conference Board's index of consumer sentiment fell to 49.3 in June, down from a revised 54.8 in May. Economists had b
Read moreLondon afternoon: Prices drift lower
30th Jun 2009 15:24
London continues to sleepwalk to the end of the month, with prices drifting lower in light trading after Wall Street opened in negative territory. With the oil futures contract edging steadily higher, heavy fuel users such as airline British Airways and cruise operator Carnival are on the slide. I
Read moreLondon midday: Marking time
30th Jun 2009 12:10
Leading equities are treading water on the last day of the month, quarter and half-year. Wolseley is one of the best performers after chief executive Chip Hornsby stepped down with immediate effect to let Ian Meakins take the helm at the building supplies group. Hornsby, who leaves after 27 years
Read moreUnited Utilities consortium wins wastewater plant deal
30th Jun 2009 07:39
A consortium in which United Utilities has a 40% stake has won a new capital delivery contract with Southern Water worth £225m. The 4D consortium, who'll start work straight away, will manage the design and build of a new wastewater treatment works in the Brighton and Hove area. Construction is ex
Read moreTrifast non-exec spends £21,500
24th Jun 2009 17:29
Trifast announced today that senior independent non-executive director Neil Chapman spent £21,500 on shares in the industrial fastener and components group. Chapman bought 100,000 shares at a price of 21.5p each on 17 June, the same day Trifast binned its final dividend in view of difficult tradin
Read moreBroker tips: Water companies, Carnival, Taylor Wimpey
19th Jun 2009 13:19
Cruise operator Carnival's second quarter trading update yesterday has been generally well received by the investment analyst community, with Evolution, Numis and Charles Stanley all making positive noises. Charles Stanley said the second quarter figures were ahead of prior guidance and market cons
Read moreBroker snap: GS raises price targets of water companies
19th Jun 2009 13:15
Ahead of the five-yearly pricing review by Ofwat, the water industry watchdog, Goldman Sachs has been running the rule over the water companies, with mixed results. The US bank has reduced its price target for Northumbrian Water to 237p from 262p, and has a "sell" recommendation on the stock. It al
Read moreLondon close: Late rally not enough
8th Jun 2009 17:01
Footsie came off its lows towards the close of trading Monday but still finished lower, held back by a weak mining sector. Mining stocks Vedanta Resources, Eurasian Natural Resources, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Fresnillo, Lonmin and Antofagasta all featured among the ten worst perfor
Read moreLondon afternoon: Lloyds rump placed at 60p
8th Jun 2009 14:20
Footsie clawed back some losses over the lunch time session but remains in the red, thanks largely to the weakness of miners, which are following metals prices lower. Mining stocks Vedanta Resources, Eurasian Natural Resources, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Fresnillo, Lonmin and Antofa
Read more