BEST OF THE BROKERS
AVIVA
Citigroup analysts said they no longer view Aviva as vulnerable from a capital perspective, after its hybrid debt issue and the disposal of Aviva Australia. Based on its standard return on embedded value approach, the broker upped its target price to 350p from 210p and raised its recommendation to “hold, high risk”.
STANDARD CHARTERED
Ahead of Standard Chartered’s pre-close trading statement tomorrow, Collins Stewart said it expects the news to be positive – with wholesale banking continuing to outperfrom, consumer banking being less bad than expectations and a reaffirmation of the bank’s position and a long-term “winner”. The broker rates the stock “buy”.
ANGLO AMERICAN
Sell Anglo American, said Investec, after the miner strongly rejected Xstrata’s merger proposal saying that it was “totally unacceptable”. The broker feels that the proposals were just an opening gambit, but see’s the potential for M&A as not more than 50/50 and thinks it highly unlikely that Xstrata will go hostile.