Energy and bank stocks push FTSE 100 back below 5,000 September 10, 2009 THE FTSE 100 drifted lower yesterday, unable to stay above the 5,000 level as energy and bank stocks weighed heavily. It closed down by 16.62 points, or 0.3 per cent to 4,987.68, having closed above 5,000 for the first time since late September 2008 on Wednesday. “We’re taking a bit of a pause from what [...]
THE TIPSTER March 15, 2010 AFTER hitting 29-year highs at the start of February, global raw sugar prices have since tumbled as supply in Brazil and India was stronger than expected. Prices have now fallen below 20 cents per pound, after hitting highs of 30.40 cents per pound back in February. Can the fall in prices continue? Spreadex has a [...]
Tullow Oil hits early indications of yet another crude strike this time in Ghana January 21, 2010 OIL heavyweight Tullow Oil was today cheering a “significant” oil and gas discovery at its Ghanaian Tweneboa field. The FTSE 100 oil explorer said its Tweneboa-2 exploratory well, being drilled some six kilometres southeast of the company’s earlier Tweneboa-1 discovery, has encountered up to 32 metres of net hydrocarbon pay. The positive findings sent Tullow’s [...]
Forget active: savvy investors are going for the smart ETFs instead October 21, 2009 WHEN BlackRock acquired Barclays Global Investors and its exchange-traded funds (ETFs) business iShares back in June in a multi-billion dollar deal, it was widely expected that this would give some impetus to the evolution of ETFs both in the US and in the UK. One product that was expected to arrive in the UK was [...]
THE TIPSTER December 20, 2009 THE markets may have traded sideways for most of December but expect some volatility over the next couple of weeks. During the period between Christmas and New Year the markets can often move higher, which could benefit the FTSE 100. Capital Spreads offers a price of 5,245-5,246. The announcement of a new chief executive at [...]
Drugmakers give FTSE a lift as investors bet on healthcare January 19, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index ended up 0.3 per cent yesterday, led by pharmaceuticals on hopes that US President Barack Obama’s healthcare reforms could be hampered, while banks fell after results from US bank Citigroup. The FTSE 100 index rose 18.75 points to 5,513.14, extending Monday’s gains when the market rose 0.7 per cent. Pharmaceuticals echoed [...]
Final Lloyd’s of London firm set to leave the FTSE 100 June 9, 2009 FTSE INTERNATIONAL is expected to confirm tonight that Amlin will be demoted from the FTSE 100, the last Lloyd’s of London insurers to leave the index. Based on last night’s share prices, pub company Whitbread and power station operator Drax Group are likely to join the insurer on the FTSE 250. Predicted to move back [...]
Amlin back to strength after premiums rise November 16, 2009 AMLIN, the Lloyds of London property and casualty insurer, has bounced back from a tough 2008, with underwriting and investment returns both rising steeply in the first 10 months of the year. Chief executive Charles Philipps yesterday revealed a 52 per cent spike in gross written premiums with two months trading left. An unusually low [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 9, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES Banks face hike in funding costsBanks around the world face increases in funding costs that could cut profits and hit their customers as they look to refinance $7,000bn-plus in short-term debt expiring in the next three years with longer-dated bonds, according to research released today. Institutions seeking to reduce their reliance on short-term [...]
THE FSA HAS TO FIGHT TO KEEP GAINS June 2, 2009 DORIAN DREWPARTNER, NORTON ROSE LLP THE FSA has sometimes been called a watchdog with no teeth. That has begun to change, and in recent months there has been a notable increase in success. This, perhaps, is a result of increased activity following criticism of the watchdog. But all of this progress could be undermined. It [...]