UK firms set for busy week of trading reports January 27, 2013 THE UK’s corporate calendar is packed this week as many of Britain’s biggest companies deliver their results before the month’s end. Both AstraZeneca and Royal Dutch Shell are set to give full-year results on Thursday, while British Sky Broadcasting, Haynes Publishing and Rank Group will give interim reports. Trading announcements are also expected that day [...]
US indexes are close to highs after stock lifts January 27, 2013 STOCKS have been on a tear in January, moving major indices within striking distance of all-time highs. The bearish case is a difficult one to make right now. Earnings have exceeded expectations, the housing and labour markets have strengthened, lawmakers in Washington no longer seem to be the roadblock that they were for most of [...]
Pricey funds may pay off over time January 27, 2013 INVESTORS are often told that minimising costs should be a priority. However, there are certain instances where paying a little bit extra can reap rewards. This may be the case when it comes to choosing between open-end funds and close-end funds. Recent research from Winterflood has shown that, over the long term, closed-end funds (despite [...]
Standing out from the crowd in a new market January 27, 2013 CROWDFUNDING started in the 1990s and aimed to bring together people with similar interests to fund a project or business. Since 2008, however, following the decline in bank lending to small businesses, it has found a new face. Large numbers of private investors are linking up through online platforms to companies – usually early stage [...]
The big bad business of exploiting eager interns for free labour January 27, 2013 THE disillusioned young worker struggles out of bed at dawn and heads off to a menial and mindless job, offering only pitiful pay, poor treatment, and long hours. Happens in Asia, right? Africa? Well it happens here too. I met two people recently with worrying stories. Betti was excited about the world. She had just [...]
Credit ratings may require revision January 27, 2013 THE debate about business financing has reached an unpleasant standstill. Depending on who you listen to, banks are either refusing to lend, firms are too scared to borrow, or a hodge-podge of other factors is making one or the other do both or neither. It’s a mess. What’s lost is an idea of the mechanics [...]
New Year rally continues as FTSE surges again and short sellers exit January 24, 2013 BRITAIN’S top share index rallied on yesterday, outperforming its global peers and extending its best start to the year since 1989, boosted by strong global economic data and deal chatter for heavyweight Vodafone. The FTSE 100 surged 62.27 points, or 1.1 per cent, to 6,264.91 points, a level not seen since May 2008, taking its [...]
Wall St inches higher despite Apple’s plunge January 24, 2013 THE smallest of gains gave the Standard & Poor’s 500 its seventh straight winning day yesterday, but the index failed to hold above the 1,500 line, restrained by Apple’s worst day in more than four years. Apple slid 12.4 per cent to $450.50 a day after it posted revenue that missed Wall Street’s forecast as [...]
Unilever and Tullow Oil help drive FTSE briefly over key 6,200 level January 23, 2013 BRITAIN’S FTSE 100 share index hit the 6,200 level for the first time since May 2008 yesterday after Unilever got the UK earnings season off to an encouraging start, sending its stock to a record high. Shares of the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods company rose 3.1 per cent to top 2,500p for the first time ever [...]
US rises again as Google and IBM lift mood January 23, 2013 THE S&P 500 rose for a sixth day yesterday after stronger-than-expected profits from IBM and Google but the rally could be halted as Apple’s after-hours miss send its shares lower. The S&P was just 4.7 per cent from its all-time closing high as IBM’s and Google’s earnings, released after Tuesday’s close, followed on the heels [...]
