Petrofac books $78m loss and cuts dividend on back of oil price crash August 11, 2020 Oil services group Petrofac posted a $78m (£59.6m) loss in the first half of 2020 and said it would not pay its dividend due to the decline in oil prices caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The FTSE 250 firm also announced plans to become net zero in scope one and two emissions – those used [...]
Plus 500 boosts profit following coronavirus market volatility August 11, 2020 Trading platform Plus 500 today unveiled stellar numbers for the first half of the year with profit growing 452 per cent on the back of increased market volatility. Plus 500 boosted revenue 281 per cent to $564.2m (£431.6m) in the six months to 30 June. The company grew earnings 452 per cent to $361.8m during [...]
Is there any method to the market’s madness? August 11, 2020 “Unprecedented” has been the most overused phrase to describe this year’s events. “Mystifying”, however, might be the word a visitor from Mars would use to describe some of 2020’s market moves. The world economy is set to see the largest contraction since the Second World War, and the UK the largest fall in economic activity [...]
Investors expect even higher returns from the stock market in years ahead – despite coronavirus shock August 10, 2020 | City Talk Savers predict annual returns of 10.9% from their stock market investments, even as Covid-19 halted the longest economic expansion on record and plunged the world into deep recession. Investors continue to hope for double-digit yearly total returns from their portfolios, despite the huge blow inflicted on the global economy by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to [...]
Activist investor Everest prevails in Petropavlovsk board battle August 10, 2020 Investor Everest Alliance has prevailed in a bitter boardroom showdown with Petropavlovsk as shareholders elected not to reappoint former chief executive Pavel Mavlovskiy. Shares plummeted on the back of the results, falling 8.7 per cent in the immediate aftermath of the meeting. Along with six other directors, Mavlovskiy was voted out at the firm’s previous [...]
FTSE 100 climbs on economic recovery hopes August 10, 2020 The FTSE 100 pushed higher today as investors shrugged off concerns about ongoing tensions between China and the US and focused on positive signs of economic recovery. The blue-chip index was up 0.93 per cent at 6,087 points in early trading, before dipping to a 0.42 per cent rise shortly before 3pm. The positive start [...]
Equinor picks new chief executive as oil giant prepares for green pivot August 10, 2020 Norwegian oil giant Equinor has today announced a new chief executive as it seeks to accelerate the transition to becoming a renewable energy focused business. Company insider Anders Opedal, executive vice president for technology, projects and drilling, will replace Elder Saetre, a 40-year veteran of the company, in November. The appointment comes at a time [...]
Saudi Aramco profit collapses but oil giant retains $75bn dividend August 10, 2020 State oil giant Saudi Aramco saw profit collapse nearly 75 per cent in the second quarter as the coronavirus pandemic decimated oil prices around the world. In the three month period, profit fell to 24.6bn riyals (£5bn), down 73 per cent from 92.6bn riyals the year before. The figure was lower than that forecast by [...]
FTSE 100 flatlines as Trump order ramps up US-China tensions August 7, 2020 The FTSE 100 flatlined on a choppy morning of trading after US President Donald Trump signed executive orders hitting Chinese firms Tiktok and Wechat, and Congress and the White House failed to agree on a stimulus plan. London’s blue-chip index was roughly flat at 6,027 points at midday. The FTSE 250 of mid-cap firms rose [...]
Gold consolidates near record highs as US-China tensions escalate August 7, 2020 Gold climbed further as demand for the precious metal surges against a backdrop of escalating US-China tension. The price of gold per ounce teetered between small gains and minor losses during the Asia session but seems to have stabilised around the $2,060 mark. It rose to new record highs in the early part of the [...]