London midday: Risk appetite declines as US budget cuts loom
1st Mar 2013 12:04
After an initial stint in positive territory, UK stock markets swung sharply into the red by Friday lunchtime as concerns about budget cuts in the US take their toll on risk appetite. Sequestration is continuing to dominate headlines this morning as the deadline for across-the-board automatic budge
Read moreLondon open: Footsie edges higher despite mining weakness
1st Mar 2013 09:02
UK stocks opened broadly higher on Friday morning but a disappointing reading of Chinese manufacturing weighed on the mining sector, limiting gains for the resource-heavy FTSE 100 index. The official Chinese manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell from 50.4 to 50.1 in February. While t
Read moreWPP beats forecasts in 'ugly' year
1st Mar 2013 08:10
Advertising giant WPP topped market expectations with its results for 2012 but labelled its performance as 'ugly' due to the varying levels of growth throughout the year. The company, led by media guru Sir Martin Sorrell, reported full-year revenues of £10.37bn, up 3.5% from 2011 and ahead of the £
Read moreFriday broker round-up UPDATE
1st Mar 2013 07:17
Ashtead Group: Citigroup increases target price from 487p to 590p and keeps a buy recommendation. Atkins: JP Morgan raises target price from 893p 920p, reiterating an overweight rating. Berendsen: Panmure Gordon moves target price from 582p to 760p, while staying with its hold recommendation. Cant
Read moreLondon close: Stocks gain as US economic data impresses
28th Feb 2013 16:23
An upwards revision to US economic growth estimates prompted an afternoon rally in London, with markets extending gains after some dovish comments from central bankers in the US and Europe. Concerns about a recession in the States proved premature, as the initial estimate of a 0.1% contraction in U
Read moreSector movers: ITV, Reed Elsevier and WPP lift media sector
28th Feb 2013 15:25
The media sector was on the up on Thursday as strong gains for FTSE 100 heavyweights ITV, Reed Elsevier and WPP provided a lift. Terrestrial broadcaster ITV was up nearly 5.0% before the close, one day after rewarding shareholders with a special dividend worth £156m as it posted 2012 results which
Read moreWPP brings a 'young turk' on board
28th Feb 2013 10:18
FTSE 100-listed advertising and marketing giant WPP has announced that its wholly-owned operating company, Y&R, acquired a majority stake in the Istanbul-based digital advertising agency CS Reklam Hizmetleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S. which trades as 'C-Section'. C-Section specialises in creating micro
Read moreTuesday broker round-up UPDATE
26th Feb 2013 07:27
Andor Technology: Investec shifts target price from 460p to 500p and keeps a buy recommendation. Associated British Foods: Nomura revises target price from 1790p to 1800p, while its neutral rating remains unchanged. Barclays: Espirito Santo raises target price from 346p to 418p and reiterates its
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: ITV given boost by Nomura
15th Feb 2013 15:41
ITV shares soared after Nomura raised its target price on the stock to 130p from 125p before. WPP Group also got a boost after Morgan Stanley increased its target price from 912p to 1090p and retained an equal-weight rating. Mining giant Anglo American was a high riser this morning despite record
Read moreFriday broker round-up UPDATE
15th Feb 2013 07:58
Aberdeen Asset Management: UBS shifts target price from 440p to 470p and reiterates a buy recommendation. Credit Suisse takes target price from 410p to 470p staying with its outperform rating. Barclays revises target price from 470p to 490p, while its overweight rating remains unchanged. Jefferies m
Read moreLondon close: Footsie slips after surprise US contraction
30th Jan 2013 16:57
After a decent start, London's FTSE 100 index slipped into the red in the afternoon session, as disappointing gross domestic product (GDP) figures from the US dampened risk appetite. Mining stocks bore the brunt of the selling today, pulling the resource-heavy Footsie down from the four-and-a-half-
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: WPP rises on upgrade
30th Jan 2013 15:32
Leading the upside was advertising and media firm WPP after Jefferies upgraded its rating for the stock from hold to buy. The broker said that an analysis WPP's largest clients and their 2013 ad budget 'looks encouraging' and 'with expectations low, we see upside risk'. Meanwhile, heavyweight fina
Read moreLondon midday: Markets nervous ahead of US GDP, FOMC
30th Jan 2013 11:39
Strong gains for financial stocks were being outweighed by heavy losses in the resources sector in London, with markets trading mixed ahead of a busy day in the US later on. "European markets are looking exhausted, broadly flat as traders continue to refrain from building equity positions after the
Read moreBroker tips: Imperial, WPP, Ferrexpo
30th Jan 2013 10:50
Panmure Gordon has retained its 'buy' rating and 2,900p target price cigarette and tobacco group Imperial Tobacco but has raised some concerns after the company noted challenging conditions in some markets in the first quarter. "We remain attracted to Imperial on its valuation; however in order for
Read moreBroker snap: Jefferies upgrades WPP to 'buy'
30th Jan 2013 09:11
Media and advertising giant WPP was performing well on Wednesday morning after Jefferies upgraded its rating for the stock from 'hold' to 'buy'. The broker said that an analysis WPP's largest clients and their 2013 ad budgets "looks encouraging" and "with expectations low, we see upside risk". Con
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