THE LONDON REPORT September 23, 2009 THE leading share index closed lower yesterday as falling commodity prices stung oil firms and miners while investors stayed cautious ahead of the conclusion of a US Federal Reserve policy meeting. The FTSE 100 ended 0.1 per cent, or 3.23 points, lower at 5,139.37, erasing gains from earlier in the session as shares on Wall [...]
Space shuttle on wheels September 22, 2009 IF NASA and superyacht designer Wally Power were to design a car together, this would be the result. Staring at the rear end of the GT-R is like looking at the space shuttle. There are four exhaust pipes, each with a similar girth as a prize-winning marrow, and above them are four tail-lights which, when [...]
FTSE’s six-day rally ends but pharmaceuticals get a boost September 21, 2009 THE FTSE 100 broke a six-day winning streak yesterday on the back of profit taking, especially in banks and commodity shares, leaving some investors wondering whether the recent rally is close to its conclusion. The index closed down 38.53 points, or 0.7 per cent, at 5134.36 points, after hitting a new 12-month high last week [...]
THE LONDON REPORT September 17, 2009 BANKING and energy stocks fuelled a 0.8 per cent gain for the FTSE 100 by close yesterday, up for a fifth straight day, as sentiment on the outlook for the global economy improved further. Britain’s blue chip index closed up 39.82 points at 5,163.95, its highest close since late September last year, having added 1.6 [...]
Bankers and miners lead the way past the 5,100 mark September 16, 2009 The FTSE 100 hit its highest closing level in a year yesterday, led by banks and miners and spurred by appetite for risky assets as optimism about the pace of global economic recovery intensified. The index closed up 82 points, or 1.6 per cent higher, at 5,124.13 – the highest close since late September last [...]
Even a saloon can be sexy when it’s made by Porsche September 15, 2009 IT was with surprise that we learnt that Porsche was going to build a four-door car. Porsche has always made two-door sportscars, why would it want to sink its teeth into the saloon market? But the same question was asked when they went into 4×4 territory with the Cayenne. There are enough manufacturers out there [...]
THE LONDON REPORT September 15, 2009 The FTSE 100 rose for a third straight session yesterday to close up by 0.5 per cent, boosted by bullish economic data from the US, as oils, miners and banks underpinned the rally. The index ended 23.28 points higher at 5,042.13, after trading as low as 4,996.52 earlier in the session. Energy stocks were higher, [...]
Noble latest oil group to sell its assets September 13, 2009 NOBLE Energy, the US oil group, is pulling out of the North Sea, it is understood, as it auctions off its European arm. The sale, which has a price tag of $350m (£210m), follows a series of firms leaving the area as a slump in production and tax increases at the Treasury hit the sector. [...]
Large caps break 5,000 as travel gets its day in the sun September 9, 2009 THE FTSE 100 ended a week of waiting yesterday to pull itself above the 5,000 level by the close. The benchmark index rose by 1.2 per cent on the back of strong oil and bank stocks, as well as early gains on Wall Street. By the close the index was 56.96 points higher at 5,004.30, [...]
CRAZY HORSES beneath the bonnet September 8, 2009 BENEATH a considerable amount of wing, skirt and angular metal lies a car, the chavmobile that is the FQ 400. I clamber on board the Mitsubishi gunship, turn the ignition key and on comes Radio 3. What? The delivery driver, an ex-policeman, had been driving the mother of all on-road anarchy magnets whilst listening to [...]