Friday broker round-up - UPDATE
2nd Mar 2012 09:28
Man Group: UBS raises target from 160p to 165p, buy rating unchanged. WPP: UBS ups target from 840p to 920p, buy rating kept. Standard Chartered: AlphaValue downgrades from reduce to sell, price target upped from 1,413.8p to 1,425.9p. IMI: Panmure Gordon keeps buy rating and 1,020p target. Cairn
Read moreLondon close: Stocks rise on euro optimism
1st Mar 2012 17:00
- Greek CDSs will not be triggered, ISDA says. - Merkel may be willing to consider bailout fund increase. - Man Group surges after shaking up divi policy. - Tata weighing up a bid for Cable and Wireless Worldwide. It was a bullish start to March, with London's blue chips finishing close their hi
Read moreSector movers: Financial stocks lifted by Man
1st Mar 2012 15:58
A 10 percent rise in Man Group's share price pushed the financial services sector to the top the pile today after the hedge fund manager reported a more generous dividend policy and a slow-down in the net outflow of funds. The group said funds under management (FUM) at the end of February clocked i
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Going overboard on Man
1st Mar 2012 12:29
Investors were going overboard on Man Group following the announcement of a more generous dividend policy and a slow-down in the net outflow of funds at the hedge fund manager. The group said funds under management (FUM) at the end of February clocked in at around $59.5bn, up from the end of 2011
Read moreBroker tips: Man Group, Weir, WPP
1st Mar 2012 12:24
Credit Suisse has reiterated its outperform rating for hedge fund manager Man Group after the firm adjusted its dividend policy and announced a positive start to trading in the current calendar year. While the broker notes that the results were as expected, it highlights the revised dividend policy
Read moreBroker snap: Panmure downgrades Weir to hold
1st Mar 2012 12:23
Panmure Gordon has downgraded its rating for engineering firm Weir from buy to hold, saying that 'life is simpler elsewhere'. "During its bear raid in January, we were relaxed that the aftermarket dynamics in the unconventional oil and gas market would save the day. Looking at its aftermarket input
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks rise with Eurozone in focus
1st Mar 2012 11:45
- Merkel willing to consider bailout fund increase. - Man Group surges after shaking up divi policy. - Tata weighing up a bid for Cable and Wireless Worldwide. -Italian and Spanish long-term bond yields fall below 5%. London's FTSE 100 index was trading at its highest levels of the day by lunchtime
Read moreThursday broker round-up - UPDATE
1st Mar 2012 09:33
RBS: Berenberg downgrades to sell from buy. Randgold Resources: Nomura maintains buy rating and 9,850p target. BG Group: Nomura maintains buy rating and 1,865p target. WPP: Nomura maintains buy rating and 990p target. BAE Systems: UBS ups target from 320p to 360p, buy rating unchanged. Capita:
Read moreLondon open: Man Group leads the rise early on
1st Mar 2012 08:46
- Man Group surges after shaking up divi policy. - Chinese manufacturing continues to expand. - Tata weighing up a bid for Cable and Wireless Worldwide. London's blue chips edged higher on Thursday morning, helped by a strong rise performance by Man Group. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturing data help
Read moreWeir issues bid deadline reminder
1st Mar 2012 07:23
Scottish engineering group Weir is nervously awaiting the outcome of the Review Panel of the Australian Takeovers Panel regarding the bid battle for Ludowici, and has reminded the Aussie mining equipment supplier's shareholders that its offer will remain open for acceptance until six hours past the
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Sportingbet, Restaurant Group, Weir
1st Mar 2012 06:54
The Times's Tempus column ponders whether Sportingbet is worth a gamble. It's making a lot of money in Australia while its Spanish and Greek operations are beginning to fall under proper regulation. That is key for Sportingbet because in order to make itself an interesting morsel for one of the bigg
Read moreLondon close: Bernanke comments fuel late sell-off
29th Feb 2012 16:27
- Stocks tumble on Bernanke comments. - Higher-than-expected LTRO take-up. - ITV surges on 'exceptional turnaround'. After trading within a narrow 20-point range for the majority of the day, the FTSE 100 plummeted late on as US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave some gloomy comments the e
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: ITV is the one to watch
29th Feb 2012 15:03
Terrestrial broadcaster ITV was the one to watch on Wednesday, after seeing its revival continue in 2011, with the group shrugging off concerns about a subdued advertising market to achieve top-line growth and forecast-beating profits. Adjusted profit before tax was comfortably ahead of market expe
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks settle after ECB refinancing
29th Feb 2012 11:38
- Higher-than-expected LTRO take-up. - ITV surges on 'exceptional turnaround'. - Ludowici issues overshadow impressive 2011 for Weir. The initial celebration of the results of the European Central Bank's (ECB's) refinancing operation quickly faded in late morning trade, with the Footsie broadly fl
Read moreLondon open: Stocks flat ahead of ECB refinancing operation
29th Feb 2012 08:31
- Investors await ECB's LTRO. - ITV jumps 7% after strong 2011. - Ludowici issues overshadow impressive 2011 for Weir. The Footsie lacked direction in the opening hour on Wednesday as investors hold out for the result of the European Central Bank's (ECB's) second longer term refinancing operation,
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