London close: Carnival floats higher
19th Jun 2009 17:18
The so-called "triple witching" day, when options, index futures and options on index futures all expire on the same day, passed without the high volatility usually associated with the event. If anything it was a quieter day than usual, with broker comment rather than corporate news flow driving t
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie riding high
19th Jun 2009 13:58
London's blue chip index is trading at session highs as investors gear up for a strong start on Wall Street. Insurers remain among the top performers after Deutsche Bank upgraded its price targets for a number of major players in the life assurance sector. Aviva, Friends Provident and Standard L
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie advances on triple witching day
19th Jun 2009 12:12
Footsie looks set to finish a disappointing week on a bright note, an outcome of keen interest to options and futures traders as today is a "triple witching" day when options, index futures and options on index futures all expire on the same day. Insurers lead the advance after Deutsche Bank upgra
Read moreLondon open: Footsie opens higher
19th Jun 2009 08:44
Footsie has started the day with a gentle lift upwards following overnight gains in the US. Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey may increase outlet openings during the second half of the year following continued stability in the UK housing market since April's final results. It leads the FTSE 350 risers and
Read moreLondon close: Footsie closes flat
18th Jun 2009 16:34
A late afternoon rally fizzled out to leave Footsie little changed after a volatile day. Economic stories dominated the news with mixed data in the UK offset by better than expected intial jobless figures in the US. UK mortgage lending eased in May from the month before and was 58% lower than the
Read moreLondon afternoon: US rally lifts Footsie
18th Jun 2009 15:03
Better than expected US dole queue figures have lifted Footsie in the afternoon session, despite very mixed economic data here at home. Mortgage lending eased in May from the month before and was 58% lower than the same time last year, figures showed today. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) s
Read moreLondon midday: Economic data knocks retailers
18th Jun 2009 12:02
Leading shares drift lower after disappointing retail sales and weaker mortgage lending in May. The economic data proved to be a double-whammy for DIY retailers Home Retail and Kingfisher, which feature prominently among the main fallers. Elsewhere in the retail sector fashion chain Next and Currys
Read moreLondon close: Late rally not enough
2nd Jun 2009 16:46
A rally in the afternoon session was not enough to lift the Footsie out of negative territory, though second-liners were moderately firmer on balance. Bank Barclays was the day’s worst performing blue-chip after news of the sale by IPIC broke overnight. Khadem Al Qubaisi, managing director of IPIC,
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Talvivaara joins miners' rally
1st Jun 2009 11:18
Nickel and zinc specialist Talvivaara Mining moves higher in line with a rally across the mining sector amid hopes of a global economic recovery. South American precious metal miner Hochschild Mining is also doing well. Housebuilders are also doing well, with Taylor Wimpey, Redrow and Barratt in th
Read moreLondon close: Blue chips close lower
28th May 2009 16:51
UK blue chips closed lower despite a bright start on Wall Street with sentiment knocked by poorly received updates from Wolseley and Man Group. Hedge fund manager Man Group was weighed down by disappointing results. "The past financial year saw extraordinary turmoil in financial markets globally wh
Read moreLondon afternoon: Leading shares trim losses
28th May 2009 14:12
Shares staged a fight back over the lunch-time session but Footsie remains in the red ahead of the opening on Wall Street, which is expected to see shares open moderately firmer. Shares in hedge fund manager Man Group would be expected to plunge on a day when optimism about the economic recovery of
Read moreLondon midday: Bears bite Man
28th May 2009 11:56
Stock market bears were out in force again this morning in London after thee overnight shake-out on Wall Street. Shares in hedge fund manager Man Group would be expected to plunge on a day when optimism about the economic recovery of the US is in short supply but the stock is also weighed down by
Read moreBroker tips: Lonmin, housebuilders, Mitchells & Butlers
21st May 2009 11:32
Platinum miner Lonmin has been boosted by a positive note from Citigroup which said that the management came across as confident, 'but not recklessly over-confident' in a meeting with sell-side analysts this week. Citi believes Lonmin's bosses are right to be quietly confident, but added that the '
Read moreBroker snap: Credit Suisse softens view on housebuilders
21st May 2009 11:30
After being bearish on the housebuilding sector since the second half of 2007, Credit Suisse now thinks the sector might have turned the corner. Improving economic data, some signs of life in the UK housing market, plus attractive valuations for many housebuilding stocks has prompted the Swiss bank
Read moreLondon close: Footsie takes a dive
13th May 2009 16:31
Footsie gave up its recent indecisive spell to dive into the red after an unexpected fall in US retail sales tempered recent talk that we are on the cusp of an economic recovery. Financial shares were the worst performers in London, not helped by disappointing trading updates from Legal & General a
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