FTSE hits a one-month low as financial stocks plummet January 21, 2010 ASHARP retreat in miners on sinking metal prices and worry about a tax from Australia and weakness in banks on fears about US curbs pushed Britain’s top share index 1.6 per cent lower by the close on Thursday. The FTSE 100 index ended 85.70 points lower at 5,335.10, its lowest since 22 December. The index [...]
Lending restrictions in China turn the screw on the miners January 20, 2010 TOP shares recorded a three-week closing low yesterday as more signs of fiscal tightening in China hurt commodity stocks. The FTSE 100 closed down 92.34 points, or 1.7 per cent, at 5,420.80 – the lowest closing level since December 31, 2009. It posted its biggest one-day fall in a month. The index is up 57 [...]
Shareholders in Cadbury to chew on offer January 19, 2010 CADBURY shares closed 3.6 per cent up at 836.5p yesterday after US food group Kraft announced its £11.7bn takeover bid had been recommended by the board. Under the offer, Cadbury investors will receive 500p and 0.1874 new Kraft Foods shares for every share, plus a special dividend of 10p. Shareholders have until 2 February to [...]
Drugmakers give FTSE a lift as investors bet on healthcare January 19, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index ended up 0.3 per cent yesterday, led by pharmaceuticals on hopes that US President Barack Obama’s healthcare reforms could be hampered, while banks fell after results from US bank Citigroup. The FTSE 100 index rose 18.75 points to 5,513.14, extending Monday’s gains when the market rose 0.7 per cent. Pharmaceuticals echoed [...]
The Mini enters a BRAVE GREEN WORLD January 19, 2010 I had preconceptions about this car before I drove it. Having batteries will mean it will weigh more than a normal Mini and it will be sluggish due to the extra weight. The ride will be harsh, it’ll thump along over bumps and the batteries will die on me at the furthest point away from [...]
Banks and miners lift FTSE but retail shares take a dive January 14, 2010 STRENGTH in miners helped Britain’s top share index to a 0.5 per cent rise by yesterday’s close after soaring output figures from Rio Tinto boosted the sector, but retailers fell on weak trading updates. The FTSE 100 ended 24.72 points higher at 5,498.20 after falling for two days, pressured by China’s decision to tighten banks’ [...]
Four by phwoar January 12, 2010 I’VE just returned from a stint on the East Coast of the USA where I thought we had done quite well with snow. The thing is, it’s no surprise when it arrives over there. “Snow days” tend to close schools, but people are out shovelling immediately, protecting themselves from any litigious opportunists. Snowploughs are put [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING January 11, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES LEHMAN WARNS ON US CLAIMS Big banks seeking to make windfall profits by making “outrageously unreasonable” claims against Lehman Brothers’ US business will be forced to prove their case in public courts, the executive leading the unwinding of the failed bank has warned. Bryan Marsal, the chief executive of Lehman Brothers Holdings, who [...]
Strength in energy issues is offset by weakness in miners January 11, 2010 BRITAIN’S leading share index ended flat yesterday with strength in energy issues countering a sell-off in miners, weak financial issues and uncertain progress on Wall Street. At the close, the FTSE 100 index was up 3.83 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 5,538.07, having touched a 16-month intraday peak of 5,600.48 early in the session. [...]
Goodyear turns down Usmanov January 10, 2010 Charles “Chip” Goodyear, the former chief executive of FTSE 100 mining group BHP Billiton, has turned down a return to the sector with Metalloinvest – the steel group founded by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov. Goodyear is understood to have been approached before Christmas but rejected an offer.