Ethical investment can be a risky business November 11, 2012 ETHICAL investing is not a new concept. But while, in the 1960s, it was led by the Methodist Church’s decision to avoid stocks in sectors such as alcohol and gambling, nowadays issues such as climate change are the main drivers. As of 30 June 2012, there was approximately £11bn invested in Britain’s green and ethical [...]
Best of the Brokers September 18, 2012 BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO Nomura has raised its target price by 3.5 per cent to 3,500p and maintains its “buy” rating on the tobacco seller. BAT is enjoying better volumes in Japan, offset slightly by tougher competition from bootleggers in Brazil, the broker points out. For the year, Nomura has raised its earnings per share estimate [...]
Gifford named as the new lord of the Mansion October 1, 2012 IT was all change in the City yesterday as Alderman Roger Gifford was elected as the 685th Lord Mayor of the City of London. Gifford got his shout out, quite literally, as tradition dictates eligible Sheriffs are paraded in front of the liverymen at the Guildhall before being voted in by the archaic tradition of [...]
Tobacco giants hit as Australia set for first plain packets law August 15, 2012 TOBACCO firms saw share prices dip yesterday after the Australian high court upheld a law enforcing plain cigarette packaging, the first of its kind in the world. Shares in FTSE 100 companies British American Tobacco (BAT) and Imperial Tobacco both closed almost two per cent lower as suggestions spread that the UK and other markets [...]
FTSE 100 slips lower as investors wait for fresh stimulus from central banks August 15, 2012 TOP shares fell yesterday in sluggish volumes as weakness in index heavyweights such as miners, tobaccos and Vodafone outstripped gains in financials. London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index closed down 31.74 points or 0.5 per cent at 5,833.04, erasing the previous session’s gains and fluctuating in a tight range between 5,800 and 5,900 in volumes just [...]
Stocks edge upwards on renewed hope for more quantitative easing July 18, 2012 BRITAIN’S benchmark share index closed at its highest level in nearly two weeks yesterday, as hopes of fresh central bank stimulus measures lifted equity markets, although traders said the overall weak economic outlook would limit any future gains. The blue-chip FTSE 100 ended up 56.68 points, or one per cent, at 5,685.77 points – its [...]
LONDON REPORT July 22, 2012 A SERIES of heavyweight corporate results and significant economic data releases await markets this week, culminating with the limelight being poured upon controversy-struck Barclays once again. Barclays will release interim results for its second quarter on Friday, with the ongoing Libor scandal likely to overshadow the banks’ forecasted profits. Fellow British lender Lloyds will itself [...]
Ruling suggests £5bn tax refund May 23, 2012 A SUPREME Court ruling that the government had breached an aspect of EU law yesterday brought the prospect of £5bn-worth of tax refunds closer for companies. The ruling means that British American Tobacco, lead claimant in the case alongside five other multi-national companies, now has the right to recover any tax wrongly paid extended back [...]
FTSE flat as investors ponder aftermath of bailout June 12, 2012 London stocks remained flat this morning as investors took time to consider their positions in the aftermath of volatile trading on Monday. With few major firms announcing results the focus remained on the Eurozone, where the weekend’s bailout of Spanish banks appears to have done little to calm markets. Focus will now shift to Greece, [...]
FTSE ticks up as defensives rise May 3, 2012 BRITAIN’S blue chip-index edged up in thin volume yesterday as gains among defensive stocks offset disappointing trading updates among cyclicals and weak US macro data. The FTSE 100 closed 8.44 points higher, or 0.2 per cent, at 5,766.55 points, having traded only 87 per cent of its 90-day volume average. Some investors were reluctant to [...]