Unstoppable flu pandemic will boost vaccine drugmakers June 15, 2009 AT the weekend, there was confirmation of Britain’s first swine flu victim, just three days after a decision on Thursday by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to officially declare an influenza pandemic – the first since 1968. It might seem ghoulish to say so, but the prospect of a drawn-out battle against what WHO director-general [...]
Wall Street hit by poor factory data June 15, 2009 US STOCKS tumbled yesterday, marking their worst slide in a month after regional manufacturing data dented optimism about the economy’s health and resource shares fell alongside commodity prices. After a series of signs the economy may be stabilising, investors are looking for more definitive signals of its improving health. Analysts also said a pullback was [...]
A positive start to the week expected June 14, 2009 THE FTSE ended last week pretty much where it started, and the rut that is the 4,400 to 4,500 range is becoming somewhat entrenched. This morning’s call is for a mildly positive start, with GFT quoting the FTSE 100 to open up 14 points at 4,456, with the momentum coming from US markets where a [...]
EUROPE BANKS WEAKER THAN WAS THOUGHT June 14, 2009 JANE FOLEYRESEARCH DIRECTOR, FOREX.COMTHE American banking sector once again hogged the headlines last week, when 10 of the 19 banks that borrowed money from the US government under the Tarp plan were authorised to pay back a combined $68bn. The US government was quick to make the point that it (meaning the taxpayer and the [...]
Consumer-related stocks to shed some light on spending June 14, 2009 RETAILERS will be very much in the spotlight again this week, with trading updates expected from the great and good of the supermarket world and retail sales data expected to shed more light on the high street picture. Tesco will get the ball rolling tomorrow when it releases its first quarter sales data, but is [...]
THE TIPSTER June 14, 2009 AGGRESSIVE DISCOUNTING TO LIFT TESCOTHERE were rumours flying around the markets last week of a profit warning by Carrefour – the world’s second largest supermarket – but this side of the Channel, things in the grocery market are looking a lot rosier. Morrisons has been doing well, as has Sainsbury’s. But size does seem to [...]
Picking profitable sectors is a new game, post-crunch June 14, 2009 BRITAIN is on the verge of economic recovery we heard last week, and investors’ confidence was boosted by improving data. The stock markets have been taking their cue from economics over recent weeks and further signs confirming a recovery could help lift the FTSE 100 above the current 4,500 resistance level that has proved somewhat [...]
See yourself as a brand to get ahead in today’s City June 10, 2009 AT a time when so many people in the City are looking for a job, the important thing is to stand out from the crowd. As a headhunter, I often help clients and candidates to market themselves. The best way to do this is to build a personal brand. But how do you do this? [...]
Heritage Oil slips as market talk fuels some profit taking June 10, 2009 THE large cap index gained nearly one per cent, or 31.96 points, higher yesterday at 4,436.75, driven by gains in mining and energy stocks, while banks rose on growing investor confidence. Mid cap Heritage Oil lost some of its recent gains, dropping nearly 11 per cent to 540p, amid profit-taking and some speculation that its [...]
US equities fall on interest-rate fears June 10, 2009 US stocks fell last night on worries that rising interest rates could put a damper on consumer and business spending, but stocks pared losses late in the session on a bond-market rebound. The market had extended losses after a 10-year Treasury note auction sparked a sell-off in bonds, pushing yields briefly above 4 per cent [...]