Ford cheers but low home sales concern January 5, 2010 THE S&P 500 and the Nasdaq rose yesterday as better-than-expected factory orders and a surge in vehicle sales at Ford provided more evidence of an economic recovery. But a big decline in pending home sales, which fell in November for the first time in nine months, increased concerns about the housing market, capping the broad [...]
Airline search schemes boosting security firms January 4, 2010 IT is probably fair to say that 2009 was a bad year for the airline industry. Afflicted by strikes, falling passenger numbers and fluctuating fuel prices, the year was topped off with a security alert onboard a Detroit bound Delta Airlines flight on Christmas Day. In the aftermath of another terrorist attempt, European and American [...]
BEWARE OF BOND MARKET VIGILANTES January 4, 2010 CFD MARKET STRATEGIST, GFT LAST year was an extraordinary one in the markets. Following a two-month stock market plunge as investors dumped risky assets, global indices have surged since March and proved surprisingly resilient. Every time they lost momentum or struggled to break up through resistance, they got another boost. The S&P is up 63 [...]
Slimmed down RBS?and Lloyds are attracting clever money January 4, 2010 BANKS have had a torrid time for the past year and a half. But there were signs of life yesterday, at least for some. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking Group had a good start to the first trading day of 2010, rising more than 9 per cent and 3 per cent respectively. [...]
Manufacturing data lifts New York January 4, 2010 US stocks climbed broadly yesterday after a report showed the manufacturing sector expanded for a fifth straight month, lifting confidence in the global economy as investors eye fourth quarter earnings. The rally, which marked the first trading day of 2010, drove both the Dow and the S&P 500 to their highest closes in 15 months, [...]
Mining and oil stocks drive London to a 16-month high January 4, 2010 Strength in commodity stocks and banks drove Britain’s leading share index to a 16-month closing high yesterday, the first session of 2010, outweighing falls from real estate firms and life insurers. The FTSE 100 closed up 87.46 points, or 1.6 per cent, at 5,500.34, its highest close since Sept. 2, 2008 – the month when [...]
UK and European markets start year in the red January 4, 2010 UK and European stock markets are set to start the year in the red, after ending 2009 close to their highs of the year. GFT is quoting the FTSE 100 index to open down as much as 39 points from Friday’s close, at a level of 5,373. The German DAX is also expected to start [...]
Six investment trends that will move markets in this decade January 3, 2010 YOU might say that trying to predict what will happen in the markets in the next 10 years is a mug’s game. A decade ago, the dotcom bubble was still inflating and Lehman Brothers was a flourishing investment bank. Nobody could have seen what the financial world would look like by the start of 2010. [...]
Commodities and banking stocks lead Santa Claus rally December 21, 2009 BRITAIN’S top share index closed sharply higher in thin pre-Christmas trading yesterday, buoyed by commodity stocks on firmer metals and crude prices and a rally in banking equities. The FTSE 100 index ended up 97.18 points, or 1.9 per cent, at 5,293.99, posting its biggest one-day percentage gain since 1 December, with trading volumes just [...]
Nasdaq high on US healthcare hopes December 21, 2009 US STOCKS rose yesterday, with the Nasdaq hitting a 15-month high after a healthcare reform bill advanced in the Senate and brokerages upgraded two Dow components on improving profit prospects. Healthcare stocks rose after a bill to overhaul the US healthcare system, which is perceived as less damaging to industry profits than expected, passed a [...]