S&P 500 boosted by lift for bankers April 6, 2010 THE S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose modestly yesterday as the banking sector got a lift from positive analyst comments, while minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last meeting eased concern over rising rates. The minutes suggested the central bank could keep interest rates at ultra-low levels longer than investors have anticipated if the economy worsens. Lower [...]
US markets flourish as positive news floods in April 5, 2010 Shares of natural resources companies led the gains on expectations that an improving economy would drive up demand. US front-month crude oil futures topped $86 a barrel and gave a big lift to energy shares, with Exxon Mobil Corp up almost 1 per cent and Chevron Corp up 1.3 per cent. The S&P energy index [...]
Five tips for traders in the second quarter April 5, 2010 THE first quarter of 2010 was a rocky one. We had confirmation that the British economy exited recession in the last three months of 2009 but political polls increasingly pointed towards a hung parliament come the general election. The Eurozone suffered dreadfully from the Greek fiscal crisis and fears grew that its woes could spread [...]
Commodities lift Wall Street ahead of Easter March 29, 2010 US stocks rose yesterday as miners and energy companies advanced on dollar weakness as the quarter’s end approached. Exxon Mobil Corp was up 1.1 per cent to $67.30 and the S&P energy index rose 1.8 per cent. Boeing, up 2.1 per cent and Caterpillar up 1.7 per cent. They were both the Dow’s top boosts. [...]
Sovereign debt hits Wall St sentiment March 24, 2010 AMERICAN stocks fell yesterday as Portugal’s credit rating downgrade and a weak Treasury note auction stirred concerns about sovereign debt. Major indexes eased a day after hitting 18-month highs, with losses across most sectors on light volume. Worries centered on countries’ ability to pay their debt, bolstering the dollar and hurting commodity-related stocks. Portugal’s rating [...]
Caterpillar leads as US stocks move up March 23, 2010 US stocks rallied yesterday, led by the tech, industrial and materials sectors, driving the Dow and the S&P 500 to 18-month highs. Signs of improved demand in the semiconductor industry and a broker’s positive commentary on Caterpillar lifted blue chips, while tech bellwethers Apple and Cisco hit 52-week highs, indicating increased optimism among investors. Kraft, [...]
Giving investment clubs the personal touch March 18, 2010 IN these difficult economic times wealthy individuals have become intensely focused on wealth preservation, circling the wagons to protect what they have while continuing to look for opportunities to create new riches through canny investments. It was somewhat surprising then to find David Giampaolo in ebullient form this week as he prepares for the latest [...]
Dow Jones gets a boost as Boeing shares take off March 18, 2010 THE DOW industrials rose for an eighth consecutive session yesterday, lifted by a rise in Boeing’s stock, while a mixed group of economic figures kept the broader Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 in check. Boeing, up 2.2 per cent at $70.87, gave the Dow its biggest boost. Boeing is the Dow’s best-performing stock so far [...]
Insider deal couple to face criminal trial March 15, 2010 A married couple have been charged with insider dealing as part of the Financial Services Authority’s (FSA’s) clampdown on market abuse just days after the conviction of former Cazenove banker Malcolm Calvert. Former Dresdner Kleinwort investment banker Christian Littlewood and his wife Angie Lew have been charged with 13 counts of insider dealing in a [...]
US-based ICE touted as the Tullett bidder March 10, 2010 AMERICAN exchange operator IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) has been touted as the most likely bidder for Tullett Prebon, the inter-dealer broker headed by Terry Smith, which yesterday confirmed it was in early-stage talks with an unnamed potential buyer. Tullett said it was in preliminary discussions which “may or may not lead to an offer being made for [...]