Friday tips round up: Weir Group, Pennon
25th Nov 2011 07:51
The Times's Tempus column looks at Weir Group, which has taken a significant bet on the gas extraction method known as hydraulic fracturing with its $675mn takeover of Texas firm Seaboard. The purchase puts Weir in the business of building the type of well heads used in "fracking" - a process which
Read moreLondon close: Retreat moves into ninth day
24th Nov 2011 17:12
After once again showing signs in the morning session of bringing the losing streak to an end, Footsie once again relapsed in the afternoon session, as investors took fright at German Chancellor Angela Merkel once again banging on about what a bad idea it would be to have common interest rates for a
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners recover, Vedanta tops the risers
24th Nov 2011 13:41
With metals prices recovering on Thursday after yesterday's falls - on the back of ongoing worries in the Eurozone and some disappointing Chinese manufacturing data - the miners were in demand. Vedanta Resources, Fresnillo, Kazakhmys and Xstrata were all performing well. The sector was making an av
Read moreBroker tips: Weir, Rexam, BowLeven
24th Nov 2011 12:59
Peel Hunt has upgraded FTSE 100 industrial engineer Weir from hold to buy following yesterday's acquisition of Seaboard Holdings. Weir, which operates in the oil, gas, power and mineral markets, announced that it would pay $675m for US wellhead specialist Seaboard, a deal which Peel Hunt thinks loo
Read moreBroker snap: Peel Hunt upgrades Weir to buy after Seaboard acquisition
24th Nov 2011 12:58
Peel Hunt has upgraded FTSE 100 industrial engineer Weir from hold to buy following yesterday's acquisition of Seaboard Holdings. Weir, which operates in the oil, gas, power and mineral markets, announced that it would pay $675m for US wellhead specialist Seaboard, a deal which Peel Hunt thinks loo
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks seeking direction
24th Nov 2011 12:02
As was the case yesterday morning (before it all went downhill in the afternoon session), equities have endured a dull session in London. Footsie spent much of the morning in positive territory, largely on the strength of good showings by banks and miners. Gains might have been a bit more impress
Read moreThursday broker round-up - UPDATE
24th Nov 2011 09:48
Weir: Peel Hunt upgrades from hold to buy, target cut from 2,100p to 2,000p. Weir: Investec maintains buy rating and 2,250p target. Compass: Panmure Gordon raises target from 643p to 658p, buy rating unchanged. Smith & Nephew: Panmure Gordon cuts target from 750p to 640p, buy rating kept. Dixons
Read moreLondon close: German bond auction response unnerves investors
23rd Nov 2011 17:05
After an uneventful morning session that came as a relief after the turbulent events of recent days, shares turtned sharply lower in the afternoon session, as US markets took a bath. The results of this morning's German bond auction set nerves a-jangling. Germany issued €3.644bn in 10-year bonds
Read moreLondon midday: Reassuringly dull morning session
23rd Nov 2011 12:01
It has been a comfortingly dull morning session in London after all the excitement of recent weeks, though there is no sign of Footsie bringing an end to its losing streak, though its cause is not helped by the index constituents Man, Next and Standard Life trading in ex-dividend form. MINERS HEAD
Read moreWednesday broker round-up - UPDATE
23rd Nov 2011 09:22
Compass: Seymour Pierce reiterates buy rating and 650p target. Compass: Investec maintains buy and 630p target. Compass: Evolution Securities keeps buy rating and 640p target. Meggitt: UBS downgrades from neutral to sell, target cut from 340p to 330p. SABMiller: Investec upgrades from hold to bu
Read moreLondon pre-open: Chinese data to dampen the mood
23rd Nov 2011 07:21
The Footsie is expected to be hit by another wave of selling on Wednesday, its eighth in a row, with City sources predicting the index to open at around 5,156, almost 1% down from yesterday's close of 5,207. The blue chips have lost an average of 6% since Friday 11 November when the FTSE 100 stood a
Read moreWeir Group to pay $675m for Texas firm Seaboard
23rd Nov 2011 07:07
Weir Group, the FTSE 100 engineering company servicing the oil, gas and power sectors, is to pay $675m for the US wellhead specialist Seaboard. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to complete in December. The transaction is payable in cash and will be funded from new and
Read moreBroker tips: Reckitt Benckiser, HSBC, Weir
8th Nov 2011 14:01
Popular perceptions of Reckitt Benckiser's growth model are mistaken and there are other factors which favour the stock going forward relative to its peers, according to Nomura. Whereas many see the household goods maker as excessively exposed to Western Europe and North America, along with too muc
Read moreBroker snap: Credit Suisse pumps Weir
8th Nov 2011 12:58
Despite falling 4.7% yesterday the oil and gas engineering firm Weir is getting a thumbs up from analysts at Credit Suisse, who continue to expect the stock to outperform the industrial engineering sector. Credit Suisse suggests the drop in price yesterday was a partly a reaction to the 40% increa
Read moreTuesday broker update: IAG, HSBC, Essar -UPDATE
8th Nov 2011 09:38
Tate&Lyle: J.P.Morgan downgrades to underweight from neutral. IAG: Credit Suisse cuts target too 152p from 164p. HSBC: Credit Suisse cuts target too 610p from 640p. Essar: Credit Suisse cuts target too 435p from 566p. Weir: Credit Suisse raises target to 2050p from 1850p. Astra Zeneca: Panmure
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