Thursday preview: Whitbread and Sports Direct report interims
10th Dec 2014 15:24
Whitbread's third quarter interims on Thursday are expected to show 7.5% like-for-life growth at Premier Inn and 6.5% at Costa, according to Numis. "Premier Inn and Costa, going from strength to strength and continue to win market share," the broker said. Sports Direct also reports its interims, wi
Read moreLondon open: UK stocks tread water ahead of BoE, ECB policy meetings
4th Dec 2014 08:38
The UK stock market opened more or less unchanged on Thursday as investors scaled back their risk appetite ahead of a busy day, with central bank meetings lying ahead in the UK and Europe. While both the Bank of England and European Central Bank are expected to leave monetary policy unchanged, all e
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
6th Nov 2014 10:01
Amec: UBS cuts target price from 1185p to 1150p, while its buy recommendation remains unchanged. Afren: Liberum Capital cuts target price from 121p to 95p and stays with its hold recommendation. Antofagasta: Canaccord cuts target price from 790p to 760p and reiterates a hold recommendation. Associ
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
23rd Oct 2014 08:33
Abcam: FinnCap moves target price from 390p to 400p keeping a hold recommendation. Anglo American: Investec places its target price (prev.: 1603p) under review keeping its buy recommendation. Arbuthnot: Numis raises target price from 1150p to 1300p upgrading from hold to add. British American Taba
Read moreLondon midday: ECB stimulus hopes lift stocks, but earnings reports mixed
21st Oct 2014 11:38
Decent gains in the financial, energy and retail sectors helped the FTSE 100 rise strongly on Tuesday, despite some mixed blue-chip earnings and economic data from China. Also helping sentiment were reports that the European Central Bank is considering buying corporate bonds on the secondary market.
Read moreLondon open: UK stocks flat on mixed earnings, Chinese data
21st Oct 2014 08:28
UK stocks fluctuated in early deals on Tuesday as investors gave a mixed reaction to a wave of blue-chip corporate earnings. London's FTSE 100 index was just 0.1% higher at 6,275 within the opening hour, with shares of ARM Holdings and GKN rising strongly and Reckitt Benckiser, Intercontinental and
Read moreWhitbread interims impress but tough comparatives loom
21st Oct 2014 07:38
Whitbread grew first-half sales and profit strongly in the face of a highly competitive trading environment, thanks to a strong performance from Premier Inn hotels and Costa coffee shops and a recovery in its restaurants business. Group sales growth of 13% contributed towards an 18.5% hike in underl
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
16th Oct 2014 08:57
Afren: Investec cuts target price from 195p to 120p and reiterates its hold recommendation. Amerisur Resources: Investec lowers target price from 75p to 65p and maintains a buy recommendation. Antofagasta: UBS upgrades from sell to neutral with a target price of 710p. ARM Holdings: Credit Suisse r
Read moreBroker tips: Whitbread, GKN, Aveva
12th Sep 2014 12:35
UBS has downgraded leisure group Whitbread from 'neutral' to 'sell', saying that the hotel industry is "under threat". "While we estimate 55% of Whitbread clients travel for business and the company operates in the UK midscale and economy segment we do not think they will be immune from some of the
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks gain but Scottish uncertainty limits upside
12th Sep 2014 12:12
UK stocks were making gains on Friday as investors shrugged off weak construction data and picked up some bargains after equity markets hit a three-week low the previous session. London's FTSE 100, which has traded within a tight range for the whole week, was 0.2% higher at 6,815 by midday after clo
Read moreUBS downgrades Whitbread, hotels "under threat" from Airbnb
12th Sep 2014 09:48
UBS has downgraded leisure group Whitbread from 'neutral' to 'sell', saying that the hotel industry is "under threat". The bank has trimmed its target price for the stock from 4,450p to 4,200p, saying that the current valuation is "full". The Premier Inn, Beefeater and Costa Coffee owner saw its sh
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Citigroup comments lift Morrisons
9th Sep 2014 15:39
Supermarket chain WM Morrison moved north after Citigroup upgraded its rating on the stock to 'buy'. The bank said that the company's 7.5% dividend yield is "safe", playing down recent concerns that have weighed on the shares in recent weeks. JP Morgan Cazenove reiterated its 'underweight' position
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks inch lower on Scottish vote concerns
9th Sep 2014 11:45
UK stocks fell for the third straight day on Tuesday as uncertainty caused by the upcoming Scottish referendum and geopolitcal tensions in eastern Europe dampened risk appetite. The FTSE 100 was 0.1% lower at 6,829 by midday, though it traded within a narrow range for most of the morning. Equity ma
Read moreLondon open: Subdued start as markets await UK data
9th Sep 2014 08:39
UK stocks were trading slightly lower on Tuesday morning as investors prepared for a raft of economic data on the British economy. The FTSE 100 was 0.1% lower at 6,830 in early deals, trading in the red for the third straight day. Stocks came under pressure on Monday on the back of growing support
Read moreLondon pre-open: FTSE to open lower as Russian sanctions agreed
9th Sep 2014 07:44
The agreement of a new wave of sanctions against Russia is expected to push the FTSE into the red on Tuesday morning. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open around 17 points lower than Monday's close of 6,834.77. In addition to the sanctions, which will not be implemented until it can be deter
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