Resource stocks stoke FTSE gains January 10, 2012 The FTSE 100 saw solid gains this morning as resource and energy stocks were boosted by upbeat forecasts from US aluminium giant Alcoa and figures showing growing demand from China. Alcoa, the largest US aluminium producer, reported fourth-quarter revenue that beat Wall Street expectations, even though it registered a loss. The earnings news had a [...]
Five weeks for Hoare Govett to learn its fate January 16, 2012 HOARE Govett, the stockbroker being sold by the beleaguered RBS bank, has already lost two blue chip clients in GlaxoSmithKline and Amlin as clients fret over its fate, so it is comforting to learn that it might know its new home in around five weeks time. Of course, in an ideal world, its future would [...]
FTSE seesaws lower on banks and retailers December 21, 2011 BRITAIN’S top share index fell back after a volatile session yesterday, swinging back from early strong gains in low volumes, with banks seeing gains eroded, although Lloyds was boosted by a broker double upgrade. At the close, the FTSE 100 index was down 29.86 points, or 0.6 per cent at 5,389.74, reversing a chunk of [...]
FTSE seesaws lower on banks and retailers December 21, 2011 BRITAIN’S top share index fell back after a volatile session yesterday, swinging back from early strong gains in low volumes, with banks seeing gains eroded, although Lloyds was boosted by a broker double upgrade. At the close, the FTSE 100 index was down 29.86 points, or 0.6 per cent at 5,389.74, reversing a chunk of [...]
Downgrade bombshell puts brakes on FTSE gains December 6, 2011 The brakes were slammed on the recovery in European markets this morning after ratings agency Standard and Poor’s warned 15 Eurozone countries – including Germany – that they were teetering on the edge of a downgrade. Asian stocks and the euro fell after S&P piled pressure on a plan to solve the region’s debt crisis [...]
Downgrade bombshell puts brakes on FTSE gains December 6, 2011 The brakes were slammed on the recovery in European markets this morning after ratings agency Standard and Poor’s warned 15 Eurozone countries – including Germany – that they were teetering on the edge of a downgrade. Asian stocks and the euro fell after S&P piled pressure on a plan to solve the region’s debt crisis [...]
House prices edge up in a soft market November 1, 2011 HOUSE prices nudged up last month, beating expectations for no change, driven by sales in more affluent areas, data from mortgage lender Nationwide showed yesterday. House prices rose 0.4 per cent in October having risen 0.1 per cent in September, pushing them 0.8 per cent higher than a year ago, the first time annual house [...]
Britain needs to take Chinese lessons January 3, 2012 IT is quite fashionable to be bearish on China these days. Few think the Asian superpower will be able to brush off the Eurozone woes, inflation is sky high and its housing market bubble is about to go pop. I’ve noticed a certain smugness in those who predict pain for the Chinese, as though it [...]
Britain needs to take Chinese lessons January 3, 2012 IT is quite fashionable to be bearish on China these days. Few think the Asian superpower will be able to brush off the Eurozone woes, inflation is sky high and its housing market bubble is about to go pop. I’ve noticed a certain smugness in those who predict pain for the Chinese, as though it [...]
Sales worsen at Topps Tiles November 29, 2011 TOPPS TILES, the UK’s largest tiling retailer, has seen its sales deteriorate in the past few months as squeezed consumers continue to put off redecorating their homes. The group said the combined effect of stagnation in the housing market and falls in consumer spending power had caused sales at stores open over a year to [...]