Investor worries over commodity markets drag the FTSE August 13, 2015 COPPER prices hit six-year lows this week, and mining stocks have tumbled over the past few days, with companies in the sector the biggest losers on the FTSE yesterday. Currency weakness in China has prompted concerns among commodity investors, who fear that import costs for Chinese firms could rise if prolonged weakness in the yuan [...]
FTSE 100, Dax and Cac rise as hangover sets in after China stock market crash August 25, 2015 After making its worst losses since 2003 yesterday, the FTSE rose almost three per cent per cent in mid-morning trading, nudging back above 6,000. Meanwhile, the Dax rose 3.2 per cent and the Cac rose 3.1 per cent, suggesting that while European markets were nursing a hangover, the worst may be over. The rebound followed [...]
FTSE closes up after positive Ashtead results – London Report September 3, 2015 Britain’s leading share index ended higher yesterday, buoyed by results from industrial equipment hire group Ashtead and by opening gains on Wall Street. The FTSE 100 closed up at 24.77 points, or 0.4 per cent, at 6,083.31, broadly in line with European indexes and Wall Street. Stocks were more upbeat as investors bet that the [...]
China fears hit again to push FTSE back down – London Report August 27, 2015 DESPITE rallying from China-related fears on Tuesday, the UK’s top share index sank yesterday, ending up not far from its lowest closing levels since the end of 2012. Data showing an unexpected pick-up in UK retail sales and an increase in mortgage approvals offered encouraging signals on the domestic economy but failed to stem selling. [...]
Commodities in freefall as China faces slowdown August 4, 2015 Mining stocks were dealt a body blow yesterday, with one index dropping to a 13-year low, as Chinese manufacturing PMI data dragged the commodities market down yet again. The data, which came out yesterday morning, showed that the downturn in China’s manufacturing sector intensified at the start of the third quarter. Production was cut at [...]
China stocks recover after second day of falls as markets nervously await Fed minutes August 19, 2015 Stocks in China finished today's session up, despite falls in early trading. That followed big losses on Tuesday. The Shenzhen Composite finished 2.19 per cent higher, at 2,222.05 points, while the Shanghai Composite rose 1.23 per cent to 3,794.11 points – having dipped as low as 5.3 per cent and 6.1 per cent respectively during the [...]
FTSE buoyant as China reassures global investors – London Report August 26, 2015 AFTER China cut interest rates to calm markets, Britain’s top share index posted its biggest one-day rise since 2011 yesterday, following turbulence that has rocked equities globally. The FTSE 100 rebounded, rising 182.47 points, or 3.1 per cent, to 6,081.34 points by the close after dropping to its lowest level since 2012 in the previous [...]
Extractive firms lead UK slump as Shanghai slides – London Report August 25, 2015 THE FTSE 100 slumped 4.7 per cent yesterday to its lowest level in almost three years, with all stocks but one in the red and miners leading the slide on growing fears of a China- led global economic slowdown. The blue-chip index was down 288.78 points at 5,898.87, the worst close since late 2012. The [...]
Rio Tinto share price rockets following Glencore rejection October 7, 2014 Rio Tinto's share price peaked at £31.46 today, up by more than six per cent from yesterday. The rise followed news that Glencore was discussing a possible merger between the two mining companies with Rio Tinto's largest shareholder, the Chinese state-backed Aluminium Corp. Earlier, Rio Tinto had released a statement confirming that “no [...]
China currency move pulls on mining stocks – London Report August 12, 2015 LUXURY goods firm Burberry was one of the hardest hit UK firms yesterday, after China devalued its currency, raising the costs of imports. The FTSE 100 closed down 1.1 per cent. Weakness in commodity stocks has contributed to recent declines in the index, which is now more than six per cent off April’s record high. [...]