Broker tips: Standard Chartered, Carnival, Smith & Nephew, Weir
23rd Mar 2015 12:24
UK listed bank Standard Chartered has had its rating promoted to 'overweight' from 'neutral' at JPMorgan. The US bank said that although it is hesitant to change its view for the arrival of the new chief executive which has been a material positive, "we believe that last week's UK budget may lead th
Read moreWeir Group hit by RBC downgrade, risk-reward now balanced
23rd Mar 2015 10:38
Shares in Weir Group were being weighed down on Monday by a ratings cut at RBC Capital Markets, which said that the risk-reward for new investors is now balanced. The broker lowered its stance on the engineering outfit from 'top pick' to 'sector perform' and slashed its target price from 2,150p to 1
Read moreThursday broker round-up
19th Mar 2015 15:59
Smiths Group: Charles Stanley downgrades to reduce while Nomura reiterates buy recommendation. Weir Group: Barclays reiterates equalweight and 1,700p target. Prudential: Barclays reiterates overweight and lifts target to 1,868p. Serco: Jefferies reiterates hold but trims target to 185p from 195p.
Read moreLondon close: Stocks retreat as Fed rate fears outweigh ECB stimulus
6th Mar 2015 16:36
One day after loose monetary policy in Europe pushed UK stocks to a new record high, fears about a sooner-than-expected tightening in the States dragged markets lower on Friday after a forecast-smashing US jobs report. Mining stocks were providing a drag in London as commodity prices weakened in the
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Weir Group up on bid speculation, Miners lower on weak precious metal prices
6th Mar 2015 12:46
Shares in British engineering giant Weir Group rose on the back of market chatter that a cash-rich private equity consortium in the US is looking to table a 2,500p per share break-up offer for the group, compared with current prices at around 1,800p. ITV continued higher on Thursday's raised price t
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE pulls back from record highs ahead of US jobs data
6th Mar 2015 11:36
UK stocks were lower on Friday morning but trading within a narrow range with investors cautious ahead of the all-important US non-farm jobs report. Markets were also trading near never-before-seen heights, giving participants an extra reason to tread lightly in London. The FTSE 100 was down 0.12%
Read moreLondon open: Stocks pause ahead of non-farm payrolls with FTSE at record high
6th Mar 2015 08:19
UK stocks declined on Friday in spite of some upbeat economic data from Germany, as markets paused at record highs ahead of some key labour-market data in the States later on. The FTSE 100 was down 0.09% at 6,955 early on, pulling back from Thursday's all-time closing high of 6,961.14. Thursday's g
Read moreWeir Group stock gets lifted by bid speculation
6th Mar 2015 07:51
Shares in British engineering giant Weir Group rose by 5.8% early Friday to trade at 1836p amid bid speculation. In Thursday's session, Weir's shares leapt as much as 47p to close at 1740p. According to press reports, Weir's stock has rallied on the back of buyers piling into the company's shares a
Read moreLondon close: FTSE slips from record as Greek uncertainty resurfaces
25th Feb 2015 16:28
Renewed concerns about Greece prompted a retreat from all-time highs on Wednesday as investors scaled back their appetite for risk after a rally the previous session. London's FTSE 100 ended the day down 0.2% at 6,935.38, pulling back after hitting a new record close of 6,949.63 on Tuesday. Recent
Read moreSector movers: Engineers fall as Weir, Avingtrans and Molins disappoint
25th Feb 2015 14:40
The industrial engineering category was at the bottom of the pile on Wednesday as the share prices of sector peers Weir Group, Avingtrans and Molins all dropped sharply on the back of disappointing results. Blue chip engineer Weir, which operates in the minerals, oil and power markets, plunged over
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: St James's Place rockets on strong annual results, Weir slips on oil price outlook
25th Feb 2015 14:14
Wealth management group St James's Place topped the risers after it impressed City analysts on Wednesday with a solid set of annual results, as strong cash generation led it to hike its final dividend by 50%. Profits came in well ahead of the consensus forecast of £533m. Hospitality group Whitbread
Read moreWeir Group hit by oil price decline woes
25th Feb 2015 07:28
Shares in British engineering giant Weir Group plummeted to the bottom of the FTSE100 index, falling as much as 10.6% to 1666p, after warning that the sharp decline in the price of oil will have a "significant reduction" in constant currency group revenues this year. The weakening price of oil led t
Read moreWednesday preview: Eyes on Whitbread, Weir Group earnings and China manufacturing data
24th Feb 2015 18:32
Leisure and hospitality giant Whitbread is expected report its fourth quarter trading update on Wednesday. The update is likely to be welcomed by markets due to an improving UK consumer environment and strength in the hotel market. Analysts at UBS forecast fourth quarter revenue per available room g
Read moreFTSE 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 moreFTSE 100 movers: GKN on top as target price lifted, travel stocks gain as oil prices fall
12th Jan 2015 12:46
Engineer GKN was given a boost by Credit Suisse which lifted its target price on the stock from 380p to 410p and reiterated an 'outperform' rating. The broker said: "Despite automotive accounting for around 59% of 2015 estimated group revenue, investor attention is often focused on the aerospace div
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