Oil stocks push FTSE 100 lower for second day in row June 3, 2009 THE large cap index lost 2.1 per cent yesterday, dented by weakness in commodity stocks, banks and index heavyweight Vodafone, which traded ex-dividend. At the close, the FTSE 100 was down 93.60 points at 4,383.42, albeit above the session low of 4,359.33. Oil producers were the standout losers, retreating after recent gains in line with [...]
Fears over Barclays sell-off drag the FTSE 100 down June 2, 2009 THE FTSE 100 ended down 0.7 per cent yesterday, hurt by banks after a major shareholder sold its holding in Barclays, although improving US pending home sales lent some support. The index closed 29.17 points lower at 4,477.02, giving up some of the previous session’s 2 per cent rise. Barclays topped the FTSE 100 losers’ [...]
Banks and retailers rally to steer the FTSE 100 ahead May 27, 2009 GAINS in banks and retailers outweighed weakness in energy stocks and drugmakers yesterday to leave the FTSE 100 up by 0.1 per cent, or 4.51 points, at 4,416.23. Trade was thin with just 67 per cent of the average of the last 90 days of trading transacted with the absence of concrete data on the [...]
US consumer confidence boosts late London trading May 26, 2009 BETTER than expected consumer confidence data out of the US gave the FTSE 100 a much-needed boost yesterday afternoon, after Asia’s sell-off – driven by concerns of heightening geopolictical tension on the Korean peninsula – infected the London markets in early trading. “Following the release of the US consumer confidence data there was an immediate [...]
FTSE 100 stalls as traders nerves fail on banking sector May 28, 2009 RENEWED jitters over the health of the financial sector hit banks and offset gains by heavyweight oils yesterday, sending the FTSE 100 0.7 per cent, or 28.69 points, lower at 4,387.54. Banks were the worst performing large caps, with Barclays, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland down 0.8 per cent [...]
Week of gains set back by S&P UK outlook downgrade May 21, 2009 A CUT in the UK’s ratings outlook from agency Standard & Poor’s weighed on the FTSE 100 yesterday, with weakness in heavyweight oils, miners and banks contributing to a 2.8 per cent slide by close of play. The index ended 122.94 points lower at 4,345.47, its biggest daily fall since 27 March, having closed 13.84 [...]
No sign of vertigo as banks take the FTSE 100 higher May 19, 2009 THE FTSE 100 continued its upward momentum yesterday, propelled up by financials and miners, although gains were limited by figures that showed new US housing starts fell to record lows. The index closed 0.8 per cent, or 35.80 points, higher at 4,482.25, with investors showing no sign of vertigo from the recent hefty rises. “Despite [...]
Financials prove that what goes up must come down May 20, 2009 THE FTSE 100 closed 0.3 per cent lower yesterday, with shaky financial stocks offsetting strength in heavyweight oils and miners. The index ended the session down 13.84 points at 4,468.41, up 0.8 per cent on the year, having gained nearly 30 per cent since a six-year low hit on 9 March. “We are still in [...]
FTSE 100 nudges higher as banks start to look oversold May 14, 2009 THE FTSE 100 edged up by 0.7 per cent yesterday, snapping a three-day losing run, with gains in banks and miners offsetting weakness in oil producers hurt by weaker crude prices. The index closed 31.21 points higher at 4,362.58 in a choppy session. “It still looks too early to predict the end of this two [...]
Third day of red as miners and banks lose their appeal May 13, 2009 THE FTSE 100 dropped 2.1 per cent yesterday, succumbing to disappointing US retail sales figures, profit-taking in the banking sector and mining stocks weighed down by weak commodity prices. The index retreated for the third day in a row, closing at 4,331.37, or 94.17 points down. “Despite the change of tone, markets have more room [...]