THE TIPSTER
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 the helm of National Express was well received by the markets last week. The bus and train operator, which is scheduled to issue a trading update today, has been without a CEO since the summer. The company has been plagued by rising debts and the loss of some of its franchises, but with a new man in the top job, things could be about to change. Spreadex has a March contract with a spread of 187p-189p.
Power supply firm Aggreko joins the FTSE 100 today, and its share price has surged. On Friday the stock set a new high for the year when it rose above 900p. This is impressive, given that back in March the price was hovering at levels below 350p. An upbeat trading statement last week should give more steam to another leg higher in the share price. ShortsandLongs.com has a rolling spread of 900.1p-903.9p
Harry Potter has been a cash cow for its publisher Bloomsbury. But where will it get its profits in 2010 now that the wizard series is over? With November retail sales figures in the UK failing to impress, the recovery could be some way off, which is bad news for Bloomsbury. The current IG Index price is 124.67p-132.33p