FTSE is lifted to a record high post-Budget – London Report March 19, 2015 BRITAIN’S benchmark share index touched record highs yesterday, with gold miners outperforming, after the US Federal Reserve and Bank of England both dampened prospects of interest rate rises in the near term. The FTSE 100 index rose as much as 0.5 per cent to a record high of 6,982.79 points, beating the earlier record of [...]
Unleash the Junior Isas: How do the experts invest to unlock decades-long returns April 23, 2015 With a time horizon of up to 18 years, Junior Isas have tremendous growth potential. Annabelle Williams asks the experts how they invest to unlock decades-long returns. One of the best ways to save for your child’s future is the Junior Isa (Jisa). As with an adult Isa, there is an annual allowance for each [...]
StanChart’s new man lifts FTSE to a record level – London Report February 26, 2015 Britain’s top equity index yesterday hit a record closing high – for the second time this week – helped by a surge in the share price of the Asian-focused bank Standard Chartered. Standard Chartered advanced by 5.4 per cent as traders welcomed its appointment of a new chief executive, former JP Morgan investment bank boss [...]
Imperial Tobacco share price rises after $7.1bn purchase of Reynolds cigarette brands wins regulatory approval May 27, 2015 Imperial Tobacco's takeover of a number of cigarette and ecigarette brands from Reynolds American is set to go ahead after winning regulatory approval from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The British tobacco company entered into a purchase agreement for the brands as far back as July last year following Reynolds' $27bn (£17.5bn) takeover of Lorillard. [...]
Budget 2016: George Osborne’s speech in full March 16, 2016 George Osborne has just revealed the Budget for 2016. There was good news for businesses with corporation tax being sliced and business rates being reformed – but bad news for smokers and students who hate maths. Mr Deputy Speaker, Today I report on an economy set to grow faster than any other major advanced economy in [...]
Lower oil prices hit FTSE after Saudi cuts costs – London Report November 4, 2014 BRITAIN’S top equity index yesterday edged lower, hit by losses in heavily weighted oil and gas stocks after the price of Brent crude slid to its lowest point in four years. Falls in the oil and gas sector stripped 30.6 points off the FTSE 100, which closed down 34 points, or 0.5 per cent, at [...]
George Osborne braced for bad news on deficit reduction – London Report October 19, 2014 Public finance figures due out tomorrow are likely to be a blow to chancellor George Osborne, with tax receipts lowered by very low earnings growth. Economists predict that Osborne is now unlikely to meet fiscal targets for the year, despite improved economic activity, stronger house prices and an improved labour market. Howard Archer, of IHS [...]
FTSE rises after Glaxo sets out recovery plan – London Report October 22, 2014 BRITAIN’S top share index yesterday ended higher, with motor insurers advancing on news of an increase in car premiums and drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline rising after its results. The FTSE 100 finished 0.4 per cent higher at 6,399.73 points. It had fallen more than 10 per cent in four weeks before making a marginal recovery since late [...]
Reynolds and Lorillard merger to light up tobacco industry July 11, 2014 Reynolds American and Lorillard look set to complete their merger, bringing together the US's biggest tobacco companies and shaking up the UK order. The two companies have a combined market capitalisation of $56bn. British American Tobacco holds a 42 per cent stake in Reynolds and Imperial Tobacco has announced an intention to buy assets from [...]
Ecigarettes should be banned indoors and heavily regulated, says WHO August 26, 2014 In a major intervention into the heated debate surrounding ecigarettes the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for devices to be banned indoors and prohibited for minors. The UN agency said advocates of ecigs should not claim they help people quit smoking until there is more evidence proving their success. The WHO claimed that vaping [...]