London afternoon: Greek riots rattle investors
5th May 2010 14:53
Footsie is now nursing a triple digit fall as the downward trend seen in the last hour of the morning session accelerated over lunch as US investors woke up to television footage of Greeks rioting in the streets. Civil unrest in Greece has sent the price of oil and metals into decline with a predic
Read moreBroker tips: Next, WSP, JD Wetherspoon
5th May 2010 12:47
Shares in Next shifted into reverse on Wednesday after the company's trading update, despite brokers queuing up to praise the company. KBC Peel Hunt said Next had made a strong start to the year, with the sales run rate ahead of the broker's assumptions. KBC Peel Hunt responded by upping its full y
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks turn south again
5th May 2010 12:19
Having recovered all the way back to last night's closing level shortly after 11:00am the Footsie headed south again for the remainder of the morning as the US futures markets suggested Wall Street will open lower. On a busy day for trading announcements Next is the most conspicuous faller despite
Read moreBroker snap: Cautious Wetherspoon's target price cut
5th May 2010 10:26
A cautious third quarter trading update from JD Wetherspoon has prompted KBC Peel Hunt to trim its target price on the budget pub chain, to 600p from 620p. However, the broker remains confident on Wetherspoon's prospects and keeps its 'buy' rating on the pub group. It notes the slight weakening in
Read moreLondon pre-open: Slight recovery expected
5th May 2010 07:36
Footsie is expected to edge up by a whisker following yesterday's sell off. Next expects profits this year to be at the top end of market forecasts after sales in the first three months to April were strong, though it is still very cautious on the outlook for consumer spending. "Our internal profit
Read moreJD Wetherspoon scales back expansion plans
5th May 2010 07:02
Budget pub chain JD Wetherspoon has scaled back its expansion plans after a deterioration in trading since the beginning of the year. Sales in the 13 weeks to April 25 were down by 0.8% from the same period last year, a sharper fall than the 0.4% decline seen in the previous six week period. Wethe
Read moreBroker tips: Premier Foods, Regus, JD Wetherspoon
27th Apr 2010 12:57
Premier Foods finds itself in a bit of a pickle after reporting a 5.1% decline in first quarter sales but FinnCap sees some elements of cheer in a generally downbeat trading statement. "The good aspects to the update today are that H1 [first half] net debt is expected to be £100m lower (which compa
Read moreBroker snap: Wetherspoon admired despite property risk
27th Apr 2010 08:44
A rising property market may be good news for the overall economy but it is a 'risk' for the budget pub chain JD Wetherspoon, according to the broker UBS. However, the stock remains UBS's top pick in the pub sector and the broker raises its target price on Wetherspoon to 590p from 530p. 'Given the
Read morePost-demerger buying at EnQuest
7th Apr 2010 16:28
EnQuest directors have been buying shares following the completion of the oil and gas explorer and producer's demerger from oil services provider Petrofac yesterday. Finance director Jonathan Swinney acquired 45,403 shares but it was the non-executives that made the large purchases. Non-executive
Read moreLondon open: Footsie pushes on
17th Mar 2010 08:47
London has pushed on again this morning following strength on Wall Street late yesterday as US interest rates remained on hold. Miners have picked up as the dollar weakened after the decision by the Federal Reserve. Best performers so far include silver miner Fresnillo, Xstrata and ENRC. Aquarius P
Read moreLondon close: Miners pull index lower
11th Mar 2010 17:02
London bounced off 5,600 despite a weak start on Wall Street but still closed in the red on a poor day for miners. Falling commodity prices and China inflation concerns prompted profit taking in Fresnillo, Randgold, Rio Tinto, ENRC, Kazakhmys, BHP Billiton and Xstrata. Speculation rose that Chin
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie holds above 5,600
11th Mar 2010 14:32
A steady decline continued through lunch, but London bounced off 5,600 despite a weak start on Wall Street as mining sector losses narrowed very slightly. Falling commodity prices have damaged miners Thursday. Investors decided to take profits in Fresnillo, Randgold, Rio Tinto, ENRC, Kazakhmys, BHP
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Computacenter slips despite profit hike
11th Mar 2010 13:09
IT infrastructure services provider Computacenter falls back even after it reported a better than expected 26% rise in full-year pre-tax profit and said it enters 2010 in good shape. A North Sea oil find has boosted shares in Premier Oil. The oil company has found oil at its wildcat well 34/5-1 S o
Read moreBroker tips: Tullow, John Menzies, JD Wetherspoon
11th Mar 2010 12:53
Patience is a virtue, points out Morgan Stanley as it keeps its 'overweight' rating and 1,500p target price on oil explorer Tullow. The broker said that in April, Tullow should provide investors with some clarity in on the recent purchase of some Uganda assets. Tullow Oil said in January that i
Read moreLondon midday: Thos. Cook a ray of sunshine
11th Mar 2010 12:08
The Footsie has drifted into the red, weighed down by the weakness of mining stocks. Among the miners Fresnillo, Randgold Resources, Rio Tinto, ENRC, Kazakhmys, BHP Billiton and Xstrata are all on offer, as metals prices retreat. Smith & Nephew is under the weather after coming out on the wrong
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