Tuesday preview: Whitbread, Bellway, CBI survey
18th Oct 2010 16:38
Hotels to coffee shops operator Whitbread announces its second quarter results on Tuesday. At the beginning of September the group said like for like sales growth at the company had accelerated in the 24 weeks to 19 August compared to the second quarter performance, so the market will be looking to
Read moreWeek Ahead: Spending review, Glaxo, Whitbread
15th Oct 2010 11:28
The government's keenly awaited comprehensive spending review is published on Wednesday, with the emphasis expected to be firmly on swingeing cuts in public spending. The chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne, has set a target of cutting the structural deficit - the bit that is not subject to
Read moreLondon open: Gains short-lived
4th Oct 2010 08:37
Renewed interest in the insurance sector and strong miners nudged London into positive territory, but Monday morning blues soon kicked in and stocks are now in the red. Reports in his morning's papers reveal RSA, Resolution, Switzerland's Zurich Financial Services and Germany's Allianz discussed mo
Read moreLondon pre-open: Footsie to renew assault on 5600
4th Oct 2010 07:35
London is expected to open cautiously firmer with City traders thinking the FTSE 100 index might just about breach the 5600 barrier at the opening, which would mean a rise of around 7 points from Friday's close. Hovis bread and Branston Pickle owner Premier Foods has confirmed reports in the weeken
Read moreKesa appoints Whitbread boss as non-exec
4th Oct 2010 07:23
Consumer electronics retailer Kesa Electricals has appointed Alan Parker, chief executive of hotels and coffee house group Whitbread to its board as a non-executive director. Parker is due to step down from his role at Whitbread in November 2010. He has been chief executive at Whitbread since 2004.
Read moreLondon close: Late slip sends Footsie lower
27th Sep 2010 16:43
After a sluggish day that saw shares mostly hovering around the zero mark, Footsie finished lower, in line with weakness in other markets. Worries over the Eurozone debt situation were at the fore again, sending shares in mainland Europe and the US lower, after the rating agency Moody's downgraded
Read moreLondon afternoon: Back to square one
27th Sep 2010 14:20
The market really can't make up its mind today, with the Footsie now back at Friday's closing level after opening firmer and then turning lower this morning. Unilever is the best performer. The household products group is paying $3.7bn (£2.3bn) in cash for America's Alberto Culver, adding the TRESe
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Thornton's, Lupus Capital, Alliance Pharma
9th Sep 2010 06:50
Chocolate firm Thornton's shares are a perennial underperformer, above £2 in May 2007 but now, at 81½p, lower than they were at the start of 2009. The problem, as was made clear in May's profit warning, is the high street chain. Commercial sales in the first half to the end of June, that is, chocola
Read moreLondon close: Winning streak ends
7th Sep 2010 16:48
London's leading share index gave up a winning streak that lasted all last week and continued yesterday. The day started sluggishly and continued in that vein after a lower start on Wall Street. Takeover talk provided much of the excitement, with bid speculation about engineering group Invensys an
Read moreLondon afternoon: Bid rumours relieve the gloom
7th Sep 2010 14:02
It's a case of 'another day, another bid rumour' for London, with bid speculation about engineering group Invensys and oil explorer Tullow Oil providing a bit of cheer to a subdued market. The rumour-mongers are suggesting that the UK engineering conglomerate could be the subject of a 350p per sh
Read moreLondon midday: Winning streak in danger
7th Sep 2010 12:02
Footsie ended the morning making its second attempt of the day at a rally but the blue-chip index remains in negative territory and in danger of seeing its winning streak in September come to an end. Expectations of a lower start on Wall Street as the US returns to work after the Labour Day holiday
Read moreNGmorningcall:UK 100 drifts lower, Barclays and Whitbread in focus1
7th Sep 2010 09:46
Overnight Review US: Closed for Labor Day holiday Asia: The Nikkei snapped a four-day winning streak with carmakers spearheading some of the day's biggest losses. The yen's continued strength against the dollar and some profit taking weighed on stocks such as Honda, Toyota and Nissan. Barcla
Read moreLondon open: Rising streak under threat
7th Sep 2010 09:00
London's seven-day run of gains is under threat as blue chips are struggling in the early exchanges. Barclays is lower after it confirmed Bob Diamond, head of its investment banking arm, Barclays Capital, will take over as chief executive when John Varley steps down at the end of March next year. D
Read moreLondon pre-open: Weak start threatens winning streak
7th Sep 2010 07:31
London's seven-day run of gains could end Tuesday as experts predict a bout of selling when trading starts shortly. Futures prices indicate a 17-point drop for the FTSE 100 when business gets underway. There's little by way of company reports to get traders excited, but all eyes will be on the US l
Read moreLFL growth accelerates at Whitbread
7th Sep 2010 07:02
Costa Coffee and Premier Inns owner Whitbread has seen an acceleration in the growth of like for like sales since June. Year on year like for like (LFL) sales growth for the group as a whole in the 24 weeks to 19 August was 7.9%, up from 7.6% in the 13 weeks to 3 June. LFL sales growth at Costa Co
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