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Chinese Whispers Weigh on FTSE

News - Thursday, March 11, 2010

The news that inflation in China is running at a faster pace than expected gave investors the jitters on Thursday morning as fears that the Beijing authorities may impose tighter fiscal policies resurfaced. The price of crude oil fell below $82 a barrel, retreating from an 8-week high, as a result and, approaching midday, the FTSE 100 was down 0.18% to 5,630.65 points.

Highest FTSE Close since June 2008

News - Wednesday, March 10, 2010

London equities lacked strength and direction for most of the day on Wednesday, but found both late in the day after trade data from China revealed that exports and exports rose by 45.7% and 44%, respectively, in February compared with the same month last year and a bright start on Wall Street. The FTSE 100 Index closed up 38.27 points, or 0.7%, to 5,640.27, its highest closing level for 20 months.

FTSE Marks Time

News - Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), published on Wednesday, revealed that manufacturing output in the UK fell by 0.9% in January compared with December, against market expectations of a 0.2% rise. Output did rise by 0.2% year-on-year – the first increase for nearly two years –but, once again, this was much less than predicted.

Menzies in Demand, but UK Coal Catches Fire

News - Tuesday, March 09, 2010

John Menzies plc, the Edinburgh-based logistics company that is a constituent of the FTSE Small Cap Index, which consists of companies outside the FTSE 350 Index, was one of several companies reporting results on Tuesday. Menzies found favour with investors, its share price closing up 14.5p, or 4.42%, at 342p – having touched a high of 350p earlier in the session – after it reported that pre-tax profits more than doubled in 2009.

Trade Deficit Increase Surprises Market

News - Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Trading was light on the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday morning, but figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed, surprisingly, that Britain's trade deficit increased to £7.99 billion in January, compared with £7.01 billion in the previous month, putting pressure on Sterling. Exports dropped by £1.4 billion, or 6.9%, to £19.5 billion and imports by £0.5 billion, or 1.6%, to £24.7 billion, contributing to the largest deficit since August 2008.

Mixed Reception for Prudential Deal

News - Tuesday, March 09, 2010

There appeared to be a difference of opinion between investors in Europe and Asia over British insurer Prudential's $35 billion deal to buy AIG's Asian unit, American International Assurance (AIA) on Monday.

FTSE 100 Hits Highest Close for 18 months

News - Tuesday, March 09, 2010

The FTSE 100 index more or less marked time for most of the day, but did manage to close up 6.96 points or 0.1% at 5,606.72, in so doing hitting its highest closing level since early September 2008, before the abrupt demise of Lehman Brothers in the US later that month. At that time, the FTSE 100 index tumbled 212.5 points or over 4% wiping over £50 billion off share values.

FTSE back to 18 month high at 5,599.76

News - Friday, March 05, 2010

Today the FTSE 100 reached levels close to its highest point since before the Lehman Brothers collapse. Gaining 4.6% this week and more than 50% for the past twelve months, the FTSE closed up 72.60 or 1.3% by end of trading. Commodity stocks and investor support for banking groups as well better than expected US employment figures set the scene for a positive session.

FTSE Back in the Blue

News - Friday, March 05, 2010

The FTSE 100 index resumed winning ways on Friday morning, climbing 27.7 points to 5,554.9 – close to its high point for the year – during early trading. Optimism ahead of US non-farm payrolls data, due at 13.30 GMT lifted stocks on Wall Street and throughout Asia and this was reflected on the London Stock Exchange.

Company Results Fail to Impress

News - Thursday, March 04, 2010

The Bank of England held the Bank Rate at 0.5% for the twelfth consecutive month on Thursday and, as widely expected, kept its programme of quantitative easing on hold. Investors remained cautious after a series of less than stellar company reports and the FTSE 100 index closed down 6.05 points or 0.1% at 5,527.16, failing to extend its winning streak to a fifth session.

Arriva Continues Progress

News - Thursday, March 04, 2010

Both the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices more or less marked time on Thursday morning. Strength in the banking sector, after the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to leave the Bank Rate unchanged, was offset by weakness amongst commodity stocks. Shortly after midday the leading share index was up 5.17 points or 0.1% at 5,528.04, supplementing gains from the first three days of the week.

Standard Chartered Reports Record Year

News - Wednesday, March 03, 2010

The FTSE 100 index recovered from a slow start on Wednesday afternoon, reflecting gains on Wall Street to close up 49.15 points or 0.9% at 5,553.21, the first time it had closed above 5,500 points since January.

Tullow Oil Bucks Sector Trend

News - Wednesday, March 03, 2010

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 2.19 points at 10,405.98 on Tuesday, but a weak end to trading in the US ahead of non-farm payrolls data due on Friday, was reflected by London equities on Wednesday morning. Shortly before midday, the FTSE 100 was down 5.85 points or 0.1% to 5,478.21, retreating from a six-week high on Tuesday.

Insurers under Pressure, but British Airways Takes Off

News - Tuesday, March 02, 2010

International retail financial services company, Prudential, continued its downward spiral on Tuesday afternoon closing down a further 42.5p or 8.02% at 487.5p, as investors continued to shy away from its £23 billion deal to buy American International Assurance (AIA), the far eastern business of American International Group (AIG). Investors were concerned that not only was Prudential overpaying for the deal, but that the record £14 billion cash call required for its completion would dilute existing shareholdings.

Fresnillo Results Ahead of Market Expectations

News - Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Base metal miners, such as Vedanta Resources and Lonmin, may have suffered a reversal of fortune on Monday morning, but that did not stop the FTSE 100 index from acquiring some momentum. By midday, the leading share index was up 44 points or 0.8% to 5,450.44.

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