Economy remains in focus as inflation signs look benign August 16, 2009 LAST week the markets were updated on the views of central bankers from both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK, the Bank of England published their quarterly Inflation Report and from the US we heard comments by the Federal Open Market Committee, accompanying their regular rate-setting meeting. Both presented a benign outlook for inflation. [...]
Rio Tinto to dominate week amid thin corporate calender August 16, 2009 Many heavyweight companies have reported and there are signs of things tailing off as we head towards August bank holiday. However, that is not to say that the corporate calendar will not give the market plenty to digest. Car dealers Pendragon and Lookers will give some insight into the effectiveness of the government’s car scrappage [...]
IT’S A ROCKY ROAD AHEAD FOR RECOVERY August 16, 2009 JANE FOLEYRESEARCH DIRECTOR,FOREX.COM FOLLOWING a pullback in early July, the S&P 500 has forged ahead this summer, lifted both by a round of earnings reports in which over 70 per cent of US companies beat estimates and some better news on the global economy. The rally in stocks has coincided with a rally in other [...]
Freddie’s final fling looks worth a punt August 16, 2009 SAD to say, anybody who put money on the number of points that Michael Schumacher would make in his glorious return to Formula One for Ferrari will have wasted their money, following the news that the old champ’s neck is not up to the rigours of motor-racing. Thankfully, though, there are still spread bets to [...]
THE TIPSTER RESOURCE STOCKS ARE IN FAVOUR August 16, 2009 RESOURCE stocks are still in favour this week thanks to improved optimism about the economic recovery and Chinese expansion. Among the larger-caps, India-focused metals group Vedanta Resources made an improved bid for bankrupt US copper miner Asarco last week, which saw the firm’s share price jump 5 per cent in two days, to hit a [...]
Bears forecast another slump in the market August 16, 2009 FOR the past two months, the bulls have been back in force, pushing the markets higher than anybody had thought possible. But last week, some of the City’s biggest bears struck back, predicting a second slump in global equities between now and the end of the year. While many analysts have thought that the most [...]
How Mr Wigan has put JJB and the City behind him to live the dream August 16, 2009 EVAN at 72 Wigan serial entrepreneur Dave Whelan still gives an impression of a man in a hurry. Whelan moves at a sprightly pace between tables in the director’s box at Wigan Athletic, the Premier League football club he owns, and his trim figure still hints at a man who played professional football for Blackburn, [...]
Aviva to launch property fund August 16, 2009 Aviva Investors, the asset management arm of the insurance group, is poised to launch a £250m fund to take advantage of the depressed commercial property market. Aviva’s real estate team, which is headed by chief executive Ian Womack, is understood to have begun contacting potential investors for the so-called “opportunities fund” ahead of an official [...]
Brokers remain bullish but still wary on stocks August 16, 2009 INSTITUTIONAL brokers in the world’s financial centres remain cautiously bullish despite a slight dip in stock market performance at the end of last week. European shares hit earlier a 10-month high before falling back on Friday, the FTSE 100 closing down almost one per cent at 4,714. On Wall Street the Dow Jones Industrial Average [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS August 16, 2009 PREMIER OILGoldman Sachs updated its estimates for Premier Oil following the firm’s recent successes in Vietnam and its prospects in Norway. As a result of the estimate changes, the broker has increased its 12-month price target to 1,507p from 1,423p, and continues to believe that Premier represents good value in its sector.WELLSTREAMAhead of Wellstream’s interim [...]