What you need to know before the US open May 8, 2014 US markets are expected to open higher today following Vladimir Putin’s more conciliatory stance towards the Ukrainian election, and better than expected initial jobless claims numbers. The number of people signing on for unemployment benefit for the first time fell by 26,000 last week, to 319,000. Over here in Europe, both the Bank of England [...]
Chinese behemoth Alibaba unveils blockbuster float plan May 6, 2014 CHINESE web giant Alibaba last night unveiled plans for one of the biggest stock market floats ever, giving investors a rare chance to tap the country’s burgeoning consumer market. Alibaba, which offers similar services to those of western tech companies Amazon, eBay and PayPal all rolled into one combined offering for selling goods online, published [...]
Markit chooses New York for its $5bn stock market listing May 6, 2014 FINANCIAL data provider Markit yesterday unveiled plans for a US stock market listing that would value the firm at $5bn (£3bn), confirming that it will spurn the London Stock Exchange in favour of the United States. Markit, which was founded by former bond trader Lance Uggla from his garden shed in St Albans in 2003, [...]
Manchester United shares leap following Moyes sacking April 22, 2014 MANCHESTER United’s shares yesterday soared to their highest price since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson following confirmation that his successor David Moyes had been sacked. Shares leapt more than seven per cent to $19 on the New York Stock Exchange, before closing at $18.78, after the Premier League football club announced the dismissal of [...]
Keane hits out at stars over United manager sacking April 22, 2014 FORMER Manchester United captain Roy Keane last night laid the blame for manager David Moyes’s sacking squarely at the feet of his players. The former Everton boss’s brief reign was brought to a close yesterday morning, and Keane believes United should have been more patient. “He should have been given more time but some of [...]
Asian markets rise as Yellen reaffirms commitment to low rates April 17, 2014 Asian markets have seen minor gains after the US posted better than expected industrial production figures, and the chair of the Federal Reserve Janet Yellen reaffirmed the Fed's commitment to supporting the recovery. Investors were reassured by Yellen's remarks to the Economic Club of New York that the US would "likely require low real interest [...]
Alibaba heads towards $200bn New York float April 16, 2014 CHINESE e-commerce titan Alibaba could reach a market valuation of over $196bn (£116.7bn) on its stock market debut, according to IG’s grey market trading leading up to the float. Alibaba, which offers a mix of commerce services somewhere between Amazon and eBay with a transaction volume larger than both combined, is expected to file its [...]
Irish pharma giant joins deal bonanza April 7, 2014 IRISH-based pharmaceutical giant Mallinckrodt joined the merger frenzy yesterday by announcing it will buy drugmaker Questcor Pharmaceuticals for around $5.6bn (£3.37bn). The US firm, which has headquarters in Dublin, was keen to gain access to Questcor’s multiple sclerosis drug, Acthar Gel, which is forecast to hit sales of $1bn this year and $1.9bn by 2018. [...]
GrubHub targeting $2bn New York Stock Exchange valuation April 1, 2014 GRUBHUB, the US food delivery service similar to Britain’s Just Eat, has raised its expected share price range up to between $23 and $25 ahead of its listing on Friday. The price range will raise GrubHub about $176m from its initial public offering (IPO), with a top end valuation of around $1.9bn (£1.14bn). GrubHub, backed by [...]
New York Report: First quarter gains for S&P and Nasdaq March 31, 2014 US STOCKS rose yesterday, with the S&P 500 ending both March and the first quarter of 2014 with moderate gains, after Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen relieved concerns about a rate hike coming earlier than expected. This was the fifth straight quarterly rise for both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, though it was the [...]