London pre-open: Firm start to big week
1st Nov 2010 07:36
This week sees a slew of keenly anticipated economic data, both on this and the other side of the Atlantic, but traders seem keen to take a view, with the Footsie expected to break back above the 5700 barrier. The first week of November is a very busy one for UK corporate activity but, even so, act
Read moreWeir pumps profit past forecasts
1st Nov 2010 07:02
Pumps manufacturer Weir expects to beat full-year profit forecasts thanks to high demand for its equipment from the mining and oil exploration sector and stronger than expected aftermarket activity. The company, which entered the FTSE 100 in September, said it continued to perform well in the third
Read moreLondon close: Stocks close lower as rally fizzles out
22nd Sep 2010 17:00
Footsie gave up a brief rally to close in the red on an uncertain day's trading in the wake of Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke's nervous comments on US economic prospects yesterday. Shares in the US moved lower despite having rallied earlier. Similar sentiments to those expressed by Bernank
Read moreLondon afternoon: Miners shore up Footsie
22nd Sep 2010 14:45
Leading shares made steady progress over the lunch time session returning the blue-chip index more or less back to where it finished overnight. Mining stocks are primarily responsible for the Footsie's level position, with industrial metal miners such as Antofagasta, Kazakhmys and Rio Tinto now do
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Miners head higher
22nd Sep 2010 13:03
Gold continues to rise in price as the dollar declines and that is propelling mining companies higher. Gold miners, such as Randgold Resources and African Barrick Gold, are higher while other miners, such as Xstrata and Antofagasta, are hoping that there will be more stimulus measures for the glob
Read moreLondon midday: Gold stocks shine in dull market
22nd Sep 2010 12:11
The market has been absorbed in interpreting smoke signals from the US and UK central banks today. In the US, the Federal Reserve left interest rates at just above 0% and said yesterday it expects the recovery to continue, but added "the pace of economic recovery is likely to be modest in the near-t
Read moreThree join Footsie in quarterly changes
8th Sep 2010 18:06
Insurer Resolution, pumps manufacturer Weir and engineer Tomkins are replacing Home Retail, Segro and Cable & Wireless Worldwide in the FTSE 100 index. The changes will come into effect on 20 September. Tomkins is unlikely to stay in the Footsie for long because its board has recommended a 325p
Read moreWeir bolsters Indian presence
2nd Sep 2010 08:39
Global engineering business Weir is to expand its valves business through the purchase of family-owned Indian company BDK Engineering Industries . The business generated sales of £20.9m in the year to 31 March, 2010, manufacturing valves for the oil and gas, petrochemical and power markets. As at
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Rio Tinto, Randgold Resources, Schroders
6th Aug 2010 06:38
Rio Tinto's must rate as one of the most spectacular debt-reduction strategies of modern times and leaves the miner with gearing of 20%. The restructuring should give investors renewed confidence in Rio's balance sheet but, more importantly, it will enable the miner to fund future growth projects.
Read moreLondon afternoon: Fire sale at BP continues
3rd Aug 2010 14:14
After yesterday's dramatic rise London is taking a pause for breath today and either digesting the steady stream of big company results already out this week or preparing for results from the giants of the insurance and banking sectors later this week. Insurance colossus Aviva , scheduled to releas
Read moreLondon midday: Rally stalls
3rd Aug 2010 12:09
A mid-morning rally petered out just before noon leaving the FTSE 100 index still in negative territory, though not by much. Specialist banking group Investec is the heaviest faller in the FTSE 100. It has raised £104.5m through a placing of 22m shares at 475p each. The placing increases the share
Read moreLondon close: Footsie fights back
3rd Aug 2010 09:28
Footsie fought hard to finish in the blue after easing back following yesterday's surge, and was just a whisker short of positive territory at trading's close. An improvement on Wall Street after a shaky start breathed life into London's leading share index. Insurance colossus Aviva , scheduled to
Read moreLondon open: Profit taking clips Footsie
3rd Aug 2010 08:49
London's top stocks have run into some profit taking after yesterday's big gains both here and on Wall Street. Banks are mixed after confusing figures from state-owned Northern Rock. Now split into its "good half" and "bad half", the "bad half" bounced back into profit while the supposedly "good"
Read moreWeir sees second half 'significantly ahead'
3rd Aug 2010 08:00
Engineering group Weir said it expects profit for the second half to be 'significantly ahead' as it reported a 24% jump in order input in the first half. Order input, in constant currency, rose to £863m in the 26 weeks ended 2 July from £694m last time. Pre-tax profit from continuing operations be
Read moreUK MARKET TALK ROUNDUP: SHARES GAINING
21st Jul 2010 10:37
Stocks on the rise in the UK today. Compiled by Dow Jones Newswires Markets Desk, [email protected] Contact us in London. +44-20-7842-9464 [email protected] 0937 GMT [Dow Jones] UBS raises IMI (IMI.LN) price target to 800p from 720p, saying it expects 2Q trading to have been str
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