London open: Footsie struggles for direction
10th Dec 2010 08:56
It's been a very quiet morning so far with little company news and even the eurozone front calming down a little. Standard Chartered is the worst performer with investors still a little unsettled by its admission yesterday that costs are rising faster than revenues. Rolls-Royce is another faller o
Read moreLondon pre-open: Stocks to start quietly firmer
10th Dec 2010 07:30
As expected, it has been a quiet day for company news so far in London with traders looking to the US to provide a lead on market trends. Wall Street's late rally yesterday looks set to give a boost to London's blue-chips at the outset, with City traders expecting the FTSE 100 to open around 18 poin
Read moreGas turbine maintenance win for Wood Group
10th Dec 2010 07:13
Oilfield services firm Wood Group has been awarded a five-year gas turbine Term Maintenance Agreement by Stadtwerke München (SWM). SWM, Germany's largest municipal company supplying gas and electricity to more than one million customers in the Munich area, has tasked Wood Group with the maintenanc
Read moreLondon close: Late blow for Footsie
30th Nov 2010 16:28
Blue chips climbed out of the red late afternoon as losses across the Atlantic narrowed, but a late sell-off took the leading index back into negative territory and a new two-month low. A better than expected read on US consumer confidence helped trim the deficit on Wall Street, although fears abou
Read moreLondon afternoon: Vedanta falls after yanking flotation
30th Nov 2010 15:02
Though the majority of its constituents are lower, the FTSE 100 index is little changed on the day. Financials remain unnerved by worries over the future of the eurozone but otherwise the picture remains mixed, as it has been for most of the day. In a mixed mining sector Vedanta heads lower after i
Read moreLondon midday: Shares hesitant as nervousness continues
30th Nov 2010 12:05
Shares are still seeking direction having given up their early lead amid nervousness over the European debt situation. The US could provide a lead. Investors are gearing up for a report on US consumer sentiment at 3pm UK time and the S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values, due out an hour earlie
Read moreWood Group wins Israeli contract
30th Nov 2010 07:52
Wood Group, the provider of support services to the oil and gas industry, has won an $875m engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Israel's largest private power plant. Dorad Energy is giving full turnkey responsibility to Wood Group for the combined-cycle plant, from design, p
Read moreTuesday tips round-up: Wood Group, Travis Perkins, YouGov...
12th Oct 2010 06:39
Wood Group, the oil and gas services company, would have looked pretty good even without yesterday's confirmation of a $152m (£95.4m) contract with GWF Energy to build and commission the conversion of a gas turbine plant in California to combined cycle. There is still headroom with the shares trad
Read moreLondon close: Footsie limps higher
11th Oct 2010 16:38
Footsie closed just a few points higher Monday after a sluggish day's trading that saw the leading share index fluctuating in a narrow range just above the zero mark. Oil services group Petrofac firmed on the back of a lucrative contract win. The government of Sharjah has appointed the company t
Read moreLondon afternoon: Stocks tread water
11th Oct 2010 14:34
The blue-chip index trod water over the lunchtime session with the majority of leading stocks consolidating the morning's gains. Oil services group Petrofac is firmer on the back of a lucrative contract win. The government of Sharjah has appointed the company to take over operational responsibilit
Read moreSector movers: Oil service updates impress
11th Oct 2010 13:35
Well-received updates from two big oil services companies have the sector gushing higher. Wood Group is still trading in line with forecasts and the provider of support services to the oil and gas industry expects to match full-year estimates, it said today. Sector peer Petrofac was also higher af
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie crawls higher
11th Oct 2010 12:06
Footsie traded in a narrow range throughout the morning session and started the afternoon in marginally in positive territory, boosted by expectations of a moderately firm opening on Wall Street. Oil services group Petrofac is leading the market's far from vigorous advance. The government of Sharja
Read moreLondon open: Bright start fizzles out
11th Oct 2010 08:46
Early gains for Footsie have quickly fizzled out and the index is almost back where it started. Builders merchant and Wickes' owner Travis Perkins is on track as sales improved again in the third quarter. Turnover for the nine months to end of September rose 6%, driven by the merchants businesses a
Read moreLondon pre-open: Positive start likely
11th Oct 2010 07:36
Friday's rally above 11,000 on Wall Street looks enough to convince City traders to start buying this morning. The futures market points to a 20-point gain for the FTSE 100 Monday following gains in the US on hopes of additional stimulus government stimulus after weak monthly jobs numbers. In comp
Read moreWood Group trading as expected
11th Oct 2010 07:02
Wood Group is still trading in line with forecasts and the provider of support services to the oil and gas industry expects to match full-year estimates. The Aberdeen-based firm, which today won a $152m contract to convert California's Tracy Peaker power plant to a combined cycle facility, said hig
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