Germany economy flatlines in fourth quarter on falling exports February 25, 2020 Declining exports stunted German economic activity in the fourth quarter, new data has revealed, showing the country’s economy was stagnating even before the coronavirus outbreak. Growth in Europe’s largest economy was confirmed at 0 per cent for the final three months of the year, according to the Federal Statistics Office. Exports fell 0.2 per cent [...]
Petrofac posts $73m profit as one-off charges bite February 25, 2020 Oilfield services giant Petrofac posted a $73m (£56.4m) profit last year as a number of exceptional charges limited the firm’s growth in 2019. Shares in the firm rose 1.1 per cent as marketts opened. The figures Reported profit was roughly 10 per cent higher year-on-year, increasing from $64m in 2018 to $73m last year. Net [...]
Japan’s Nikkei sinks after global stocks’ Covid-19 plunge February 25, 2020 Japan’s stock market plummeted overnight after a plunge in global stocks yesterday as investors reacted to a rapid spread of the Cobvid-19 strain of coronavirus outside of China. The Nikkei sank 3.3 per cent after US and European stocks suffered similar falls as Italy revealed a huge rise to 229 cases of the Covid-19 virus. [...]
East African states strive for single capital market as Mauritius diversifies February 25, 2020 | City Talk CFA Institute has examined Africa’s 10 largest capital markets in a major report compiled by Heidi Raubenheimer, CFA, our senior director for journal publications. Here we highlight key developments across East Africa and also take a look at island nation Mauritius. East Africa: Kenya leads way as tech platform links markets The East African Community (EAC) [...]
De La Rue reveals turnaround plan to slash £35m of costs a year February 25, 2020 Banknote printer De La Rue today revealed its plan to cut £35m in annual costs after it lost a battle to print Britain’s post-Brexit blue passports. Shares soared 20.5 per cent to 147.2p as investors welcomed the plan. The company said it has already slashed £10m in annual costs, and it will target a yearly [...]
Fund supermarket best-buy lists — Are they bogus or a bargain? February 25, 2020 It should go without saying that choosing the right investment can be challenging. For time-strapped everyday investors, combing through the financial records of individual companies to find a share worth buying can seem like a monumental task. Instead, many people prefer to put their money into investment funds run by professional asset managers who do [...]
German business morale rises despite coronavirus outbreak February 24, 2020 Morale among Germany’s business leaders rose unexpectedly in February, a survey showed today, as the manufacturing sector improved despite global fears over the coronavirus outbreak. The Ifo Institute’s closely watched business climate index rose to 96.1 from 96 in January, beating predictions of a fall to 95.3. Ifo president Clemens Fuest said that along with [...]
US stock markets plummet amid coronavirus sell-off February 24, 2020 US stock markets have plunged as investors scramble to sell-off global equities amid new fears over the coronavirus, which has spread rapidly in Italy, South Korea and Iran. The Dow Jones index plummeted 2.9 per cent after the bell, shedding 830 points. The tech-heavy Nasdaq tumbled 3.4 per cent, while the S&P 500 dropped 2.8 [...]
Ailing NMC Health shares have further to fall, says analyst February 24, 2020 An analyst who was one of the first to predict a slump in NMC Health’s share price has slashed the embattled hospital operator’s target price, saying the stock could fall a lot further. Jefferies’ James Vane-Tempest cut his target price for the NMC Health from 1,300p to 500p, 42 per cent below Friday’s closing price. [...]
FTSE 100 plunges 3.4 per cent as Italy confirms seventh coronavirus death February 24, 2020 The FTSE 100 plunged more than three per cent on Monday as a rapid uptick in coronavirus cases outside China rattled investors and devastated European stocks. London’s blue-chip index fell as much as 3.7 per cent to 7,119 points today, as Italy confirmed a seventh person has died from the coronavirus. The FTSE 250 index [...]