Editor's Picks
Standard Life sees profits rise 44% in first half
Wednesday 10 Aug 2011
Operating profits at savings, investments and pensions firm Standard Life jumped 44% in the first half while the company undergoes its "three-year transformation".
London pre-open: Fed's pledge is shot in the arm to equities
Wednesday 10 Aug 2011
The US Federal Reserve last night pledged to freeze short-term US interest rates for two years and opened the door to more quantitative easing, in an attempt to restore confidence to battered markets. It seems set to do the trick on this side of the pond where City traders expect the top-share index to open around 70 points higher.
Wednesday tips round-up: BHP Billiton, Serco, Pearson
Wednesday 10 Aug 2011
Funny how the same ideas come around again. Several decades ago, vertical integration — owning every step of the production process — was the norm. Then that gave way to employing contractors and squeezing them to gain efficiencies. Now, in mining, the old model is coming back into vogue: BHP Billiton is paying $735 million for the contractor responsible for almost 70 per cent of the production
Commodities: Crude at 10-month low, gold hits another record
Wednesday 10 Aug 2011
Crude oil prices fell 2.5%, to the lowest level since September on Tuesday, as fears about global growth and demand for oil sparked another day of sharp losses.
Wednesday newspaper round-up: FTSE 100, Fed, Oil prices...
Wednesday 10 Aug 2011
The FTSE 100 has endured its most volatile day of trading in recent memory with shares experiencing a 7pc swing as panic selling at one stage pushed the blue-chip index into bear market territory. On a frenetic day, the index initially rose before nervous investors began dumping shares, sending the FTSE down as much as 5.5pc.
US close: Stocks soar after Fed rate promise
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
Stocks rocketed higher after the Federal Reserve said interest rates would be kept close to zero for two years.
US midday: Financials gain ahead of Fed meeting
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
All eyes are on the Federal Reserve on hopes that Ben Bernanke and the US central bank will come to the rescue and announce more stimulus measures to aid the debt-laden economy. US stocks rallied on Tuesday, recovering (slightly) from Monday - the worst one-day plunge since the financial crisis of 2008.
London close: Footsie bounces after morning sell-off
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
Following another steep decline in early trading, the Footsie clawed its way back, surging nearly 400 points since the mid-morning to finish 1.89% higher. The blue chip index closed up 96 points. All eyes are on the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy meeting, with markets eagerly waiting to hear of any additional stimulus actions to aid the debt-laden US.
Bond sell-off skips London
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
London is out of sync with other bond markets today, with gilts broadly flat even as investors offload US and German government debt.
US open: Stocks attempt to claw their way back
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
US stocks opened broadly higher on Tuesday, recovering from the worst one-day plunge since the financial crisis of 2008. Markets have opened in the blue amid optimism that the Federal Reserve provide some reassurance but nerves are still likely to be on edge though given recent volatility. The Fed is unlikely to announce any immediate measures, but may signal help further down the line ...
Feeds profits jump as NWF reports record year
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
Agricultural and distribution group NWF hailed another record year, as strong growth in the Feeds business helped the group to beat profit expectations.
FTSE 100 Movers: InterContinental Hotels provides shelter
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
Global hotels group InterContinental Hotels's share price was given a boost after it saw revenue per available room grow by 6.7% from a year earlier in the first half of 2011. The increase was driven by strong demand in Greater China and the US, where the Holiday Inn relaunch is delivering sustained outperformance.
Rockhopper flies after Falklands drilling success
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
Shares in Rockhopper Exploration gushed higher after the Falkland Islands oil explorer reported results at the “upper end of expectations” from drilling of its third appraisal well at the Sea Lion feature in the North Falkland Basin.
Unexpected fall in UK output in June
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
UK manufacturing output fell unexpectedly in June, raising further doubts about the government's hard line insistence on fast and deep public spending cuts.
London midday: Stocks bounce back
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
The top share index has staged a strong recovery having plunged below the 5,000 point mark amid continued nervousness over economic growth. The Footsie tumbled below the 4,900 mark in mid-morning trade, with the blue chip index losing over 3% of its value for the second straight session. The sell-off follows the 5-6% decline on the three US benchmarks the night before, ...
Trade deficit widens as oil exports fall
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
The UK trade deficit grew in June as the export market declined at a faster pace than imports, new data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows.
Europe midday: Utilities provide no refuge
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
European stocks markets are in decline for the eighth day in succession, with Germany suffering more than most.
Premium broker snap: UBS cuts Barclays target by 26%
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
After injecting a “further degree of caution” into its outlook for banking giant Barclays, UBS has cut its target price on the stock by over a quarter.
Greggs feels the pinch
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
Even Greggs, the bakery chain famous for cheap takeaway snacks, is suffering from the tough consumer environment.
US newspaper round-up: S&P, Fed, BofA...
Tuesday 09 Aug 2011
The ripple effects of Standard & Poor's unprecedented downgrade of U.S. debt spread through the financial system on Monday with some of the nation's biggest life insurers, securities clearinghouses and investment funds losing their triple-A ratings.
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