Surprisingly positive data lifts US shares June 27, 2012 U S stocks rose yesterday as stronger-than-expected economic data helped lift energy stocks, overshadowing concerns a European Union summit will not yield tangible progress in easing the debt crisis. The energy sector showed the strongest gains among the 10 major S&P 500 groups, rising 1.9 per cent as oil prices settled higher at $80.21 a [...]
US stocks rise after upbeat property data June 26, 2012 MAJOR US stock indexes bounced back yesterday, but trading was light with the outlook clouded by doubts before yet another summit to tackle the European debt crisis. US stocks partly recovered from losses of more than one per cent on Monday, led by housing shares after stronger-than-expected data on home prices. The consumer discretionary sector [...]
US stocks drop on pessimism over EU talks June 25, 2012 US stocks fell sharply yesterday, putting the S&P 500 near break-even for June so far, as investors saw little reason to be optimistic about a European Union summit this week. Markets remain sensitive to European headlines as the region’s spiraling debt crisis could wreak further havoc on a slowing global economy. Financial and energy stocks [...]
Walgreens in bid to attract UK investors June 24, 2012 AMERICAN pharmacy Walgreens will kick off a series of high-level meetings with UK investors today in a bid to increase institutional interest in the US-listed company, following its £4.3bn initial takeover deal with Alliance Boots. Chief executive Gregory Wasson has arrived in the country to sound out institutional investors, such as large UK pension funds, [...]
FED TWISTS AGAIN June 20, 2012 A WORSE than expected outlook for the US economy has prompted the Federal Reserve to extend its stimulus programme known as Operation Twist to the end of the year, although it stopped short of expanding the overall size of bond purchases. Markets initially sank last night as the Fed revealed that it was not launching [...]
Stocks sink on disappointing Federal action June 20, 2012 US stocks edged lower yesterday after the Federal Reserve acted to aid the fragile economy with stimulus measures that were in line with market expectations but went no further. Stocks rallied in recent days in the hope that the US central bank would extend Operation Twist, a bond-buying program designed to lower long-term rates and [...]
Man United drops Asia IPO for US June 13, 2012 Manchester United, the world’s best-supported football club, has ditched its plans for an Asian stock market flotation and is preparing to list in the United States, according to sources with knowledge of the deal. After first eyeing a Hong Kong IPO, the Premier League runners up, owned by the Glazer family, had planned a $1bn [...]
Zara owner Inditex bucks EU gloom with sharp profits rise June 13, 2012 INDITEX, the Spanish fashion retailer behind Zara and Massimo Dutti, has posted a sharp rise in first quarter earnings amidst volatile conditions and poor consumer demand in Europe. Sales rose to €3.4bn (£2.8bn) in the three months to 30 April, up 15 per cent on last year while net profit jumped by 30 per cent [...]
UBS losses on Facebook set to soar to $350m June 10, 2012 UBS is thought to have lost up to $350m (£226m) on the botched Facebook float last month. The Swiss investment bank racked up the losses, far higher than those initially estimated, after placing an order for one million shares in the social networking giant. When it did not receive confirmation of the trade it repeated [...]
Diageo looks at new listing in Hong Kong June 10, 2012 DRINKS giant Diageo is looking at a potential listing of its shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange to help boost its expansion plans in Asia, part of its overall drive into fast growing emerging markets. The world’s biggest spirits group already has its shares listed on the London and New York stock exchanges and [...]