Trading light in US as investors wait on the Fed August 28, 2012 US stocks ended little changed in another day of scarce activity yesterday after mixed economic data gave investors little reason to shift their focus from Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’s speech on Friday. The Fed chief is scheduled to address a conference of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and could announce new measures to [...]
Housebuilder Bovis expects better margins May 16, 2012 BOVIS Homes said yesterday it expects strong profit growth this year helped by higher average sales prices and improved profit margins, and sees conditions in the UK house building market remaining stable. The company reported 783 private net reservations in the 19 weeks to 11 May, a 33 per cent increase over last year, with [...]
US morale falls but house prices gain May 29, 2012 US HOME prices edged higher for the second month in a row in March as the housing recovery picked up traction, while gains in some of the hardest hit areas suggested the improvement was becoming more broad-based. But consumer confidence cooled in May to its lowest level in four months, separate data showed yesterday, as [...]
House of Fraser earnings drop as it invests in new warehouse May 23, 2012 HOUSE of Fraser saw adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation drop 16 per cent to £58.6m in the year to 28 January as it invested in a second distribution centre. The department store, which runs 63 sites across the UK and Ireland, said it built a new warehouse in Northamptonshire, last summer, to [...]
Plus Markets wins investor vote on sale June 18, 2012 PLUS Markets yesterday gained approval for the disposal of its stock exchange business to ICAP, following weeks of controversy over the move. The sale of Plus-SX, home to Arsenal FC’s listing, for £500,000 was passed at yesterday’s general meeting – but a substantial number of abstentions means less than a third of investors backed the [...]
Even sceptics must now embrace the greatest show on earth July 26, 2012 IT’S TIME for a confession: I haven’t always been the Olympics’ greatest fan. I still dislike the Zil lanes, the disruption to business, the restrictions on free speech, the closure of parks and facilities, the immense cost to taxpayers. But it’s time to move on. Even I am now feeling really excited about the Games [...]
Poor economic data knocks US recovery hopes July 19, 2012 AMERICA’S recovery is struggling to gain momentum according to several pieces of economic data that disappointed analysts yesterday, including a sharp upturn in the number of new claims for unemployment benefit. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 34,000 last week, reaching a seasonally adjusted 386,000, the US Labor Department revealed. The news came after [...]
US home sales in surprise drop May 30, 2012 Contracts to purchase previously owned US homes unexpectedly fell in April to their lowest level since December, industry data showed yesterday. The National Association of Realtors’ pending sales index fell 5.5 per cent in April to 95.5. Despite the housing market being the US economy’s weakest link, economists expect the sector to add value to [...]
US home sales in surprise drop May 30, 2012 Contracts to purchase previously owned US homes unexpectedly fell in April to their lowest level since December, industry data showed yesterday. The National Association of Realtors’ pending sales index fell 5.5 per cent in April to 95.5. Despite the housing market being the US economy’s weakest link, economists expect the sector to add value to [...]
What Team GB really needs is international investors July 30, 2012 AFTER years of cynicism, Londoners appear to have finally taken the Olympics to their hearts. Yet there is an uncomfortable air of the Roman “panem et circenses” – keeping the common people happy with bread and games – about the spectacle. At a time when GDP figures suggest there’s less bread to go round than [...]