THE LONDON REPORT February 9, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index closed up yesterday, led higher by miners and banks, but lingering concerns over Europe’s fiscal problems weighed on sentiment. The FTSE 100 ended 19.51 points or 0.4 per cent ahead at 5,111.84, having hit a session high of 5,132.93. Metals prices regained some ground after sharp falls last week, helping mining [...]
Strong Barclays results help FTSE to chalk up solid gains February 16, 2010 BRITAIN’S top shares closed sharply higher yesterday as Barclays led a banking sector rally after its 2009 forecast-beating results, and oils and miners were buoyed by firmer commodity prices. The FTSE 100 ended up 76.59 points, or 1.5 per cent, at 5,244.06, extending gains into a second consecutive session after closing 0.5 per cent higher [...]
London slumps to a five-week low led by bank and oil stocks January 27, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index hit a five-week closing low yesterday, dragged down by energy stocks and banks ahead of the conclusion of a US Federal Reserve policy meeting. The FTSE 100 closed down 59.38 points, or 1.1 per cent, at 5,217.47, its lowest close since 18 December. The index gained 0.3 per cent on Tuesday, [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING February 23, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES USAF STARTS BID TO REPLACE AGEING TANKERS The US Air Force will attempt to kick-start its long-delayed, multi-billion dollar competition to replace its ageing fleet of refuelling tankers this week with a new set of bidding rules. It promises the competition, mired in controversy for more than six years, will be “full and [...]
Strong energy stocks fail to offset poor day for Vodafone January 7, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index inched lower by the close yesterday, as weakness in heavyweight Vodafone offset modest gains from energy stocks. Investors shrugged off a decision from the Bank of England which left interest rates on hold at 0.5 per cent and kept the scale of its asset purchase programme unchanged at £200bn. The FTSE [...]
Poor performance among miners pushes FTSE down April 7, 2010 WEAKER miners and energy stocks, weighed by falling commodity prices, outweighed gains in defensive tobacco firms and drugmakers to drag Britain’s top share index down 0.3 per cent by the close yesterday. The FTSE 100 index ended 18.29 points lower at 5,762.06. Volume was thin as many traders extended their Easter holidays, with just 74 [...]
BarCap hired to find buyer for Liverpool April 11, 2010 LIVERPOOL’S embattled owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have hired Barclays Capital to find a buyer for the club. The co-owners, who were involved in a bitter spat over the Anfield club, are ready to cash in on their ill-fated reign. Likely buyers include Rhone Capital, the private equity vehicle that had a £116m bid [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS October 14, 2009 ITVInvestec moved ITV from “hold” to “sell” and raised its price target to 46p. The broker believes material management and structural challenges remain and that the valuation already discounts an earnings recovery on a long-term view. But it has a positive macro-view and notes that TV ad spend is improving. AMLINCredit Suisse upgraded Amlin to [...]
M&S and ITV brighten up dull day of trading for FTSE November 18, 2009 THE UK’s main market ticked down slightly yesterday, as an unexpected drop in US housing figures spooked investors and weakness in food retailers and tobacco firms outpaced gains in miners and energy companies. The FTSE100 closed 0.1 per cent lower at 5,342.13 with Cable & Wireless, Unilever, Vodafone and HSBC going ex-dividend. Marks & Spencer [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING March 15, 2010 THE SUNDAYS The Sunday Telegraph NIGERIA’S STATE OIL TO GO PRIVATE Nigeria’s state-owned National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has initiated talks with investment banks including Standard Chartered, JP Morgan, and Deutsche Bank to explore financing options as it changes into a fully privatised commercial company. GAMING GIANT TO SEEK LISTING Gala Coral, which is set to [...]