Editor's Picks
Randgold increases gold production
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
Gold miner Randgold Resources’ second quarter gold production more than tripled, boosted by contributions from its new Tongon and Gounkoto mines and soaring gold prices, sending its shares higher. Randgold said the increased production of 184,711 ounces and the sale of gold held back at Tongon in the previous quarter pushed profits up 253% to $128.4m, from a year earlier.
Premium broker snap: 'Impressive' numbers at Unilever, says Charles Stanley
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
Charles Stanley has maintained its accumulate recommendation on Anglo-Dutch food and household goods giant Unilever as strong growth in emerging markets helped the firm to beat estimates.
Aviva targeting the protection market
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
The market gave the thumbs-up to interim figures from insurance giant Aviva, with the group boasting it is beating a number of its key targets. Operating profit before tax from continuing operations climbed by 10% to £1,146m in the first half of 2011 from £1,046m the year before on an IFRS basis. With discontinued operations included, operating profit rose 5% to £1,337m, up from £1,270m last year
London open: Lloyds and Unilever join fightback
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
Stocks are staging a partial fightback following yesterday’s slide, with second quarter results driving many stocks higher.
Thursday tips round-up: Rightmove, Legal &General, Taylor Wimpey
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
The phenomenon that is Rightmove chalked up another rock-solid performance in the six months to June. The online property advertising platform seems unstoppable. The shares are a strong hold, even on a gloomy view of the economy and the housing market. Investors of a more sunny disposition should buy, says the Times.
London offices boost British Land
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
A £1.1bn office development programme in London that includes the “Cheese Grater” tower currently being built at Leadenhall Street, helped drive property giant British Land’s valuations higher in the first quarter. Underlying pre-tax profits in the first quarter were up by 1.6% from the same period the previous year at £65m. The portfolio valuation climbed to £9.9m, a 3.4% rise over six months.
Spirent foresees slowdown in rapid growth
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
Pre-tax profit for the communications technology company Spirent Communications rose 14% to $55.8m (£34.2m)for the six months ended 3 July 2011.
Lloyds sets aside £3.2bn for PPI claims
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
Part-nationalised lender Lloyds Banking Group unveiled underlying profits before tax for the half year that were ahead of some estimates, but the £3.2bn provision for potential claims relating to the mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI) put a big hole in the bottom line.
Unilever profits up despite cost inflation
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
Strong growth in emerging markets helped Anglo-Dutch food and household goods giant Unilever post higher sales and profits in the first half, though margins fell back as price rises failed to wholly offset the impact of higher input costs.
London pre-open: London to follow Wall Street higher
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
Taking its lead from Wall Street, which brought its losing streak to an end yesterday, London is set to open firmer, with City traders tipping the Footsie will open around 34 points higher.
Thursday newspaper round-up: RBS, ECB, Next, OBR, Thomas Cook
Thursday 04 Aug 2011
The Financial Times reports that RBS is to shed 2,000 investment banking jobs. John Hourican, head of RBS's global banking and markets division, said a smaller, more focused business would deliver more stable profits, according to the paper. The European Central Bank is expected to signal it is stepping into the eurozone debt crisis on Thursday by reopening its purchases of
Doubts over the whole Eurozone project despite Berlusconi
Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
Italian President, Silvio Berlusoni, has mounted a desperate rear-guard action to reassure the markets, claiming his country has "solid economic fundamentals" and Italian banks are well capitalised.
US close: Losing streak comes to an end
Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
The Dow Jones avoided setting a new record losing streak, finishing in the blue after eight successive days of losses.
Broker snap: RBS cuts target for Cairn after well disappointment
Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
RBS has cut its target price for Cairn Energy from 510p to 440p after the LF7-1 well offshore Greenland proved unsuccessful.
Broker snap: Legal & General's valuation 'compelling', says Nomura
Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
Nomura has kept its buy rating and 180p target price on insurer Legal & General, saying that its valuation remains "compelling".
Premium broker snap: 'Quality growth' at Weir, says Credit Suisse
Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
Following Weir Group's announcement on Tuesday that it had raised its expectations for the full-year, Credit Suisse has in turn done the same and upgraded its estimates for the Scottish engineer.
London close: ARM and Imagination Technologies lead the slide
Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
Stocks were posting triple-digit losses at the finish, with the FTSE 100 at its lowest closing level for the year so far as worries over global growth intensified. Things got worse after a poor start in the US, where yesterday’s deficit-cutting agreement among politicians has done little to assuage fears of a credit rating downgrade.
Broker snap: RBS downgrades Misys to hold
Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
RBS has downgraded financial software provider Misys from buy to hold, saying that the stock is "up with events".
African Barrick boss opens account
Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
A round-up of the biggest director deals today so far.
Market overview: What will Standard&Poor's say?
Wednesday 03 Aug 2011
1118: Schroders is taking a bath, given weakeness, the world over, in the major stockmarkets. The biggest loser on London's benchmark, nonetheless, is Cairn Energy, after RBS chopped its price target on the exploration group. On the upside, Rexam is wanted following its latest results while Marks&Spencer is benefitting from sector rotation on the back of the latest interim results out from fellow
You are here: news > editors picks
10 Lower Thames St,
London EC3R 6EN