Industrials firms are expected to make a comeback on Aim in 2017 January 26, 2017 Miners and oil and gas companies are expected to make a comeback on the junior flotation market in 2017, but realistic pricing and high quality prospects will be critical to their success, new research suggests. A much improved initial public offering (IPO) market is expected for industrials firms as commodity prices continue to rise, Alternative Investment Market [...]
BHP Billiton lowers copper production guidance but strikes record iron ore January 25, 2017 BHP Billiton reported record iron ore production for the second half of 2016, but the Anglo-Australian giant has lowered its copper targets because of pay disputes and power outages. Production of iron ore increased four per cent to 118m tonnes in the half-year to December 2016 as the continued ramp-up of additional capacity at its Jimblebar mine helped push production of Western Australia [...]
FTSE 100 surpasses 2016 highest point to close at record high as miners drive end-of-year gains December 28, 2016 The FTSE 100 surpassed its record highest close on Wednesday as investors started returning to their desks after the Christmas break. London’s blue chip index was one of the top performing indices worldwide as mining stocks drove it above its highest previous close to reach 7,106.08 points. That beat the 7103.98 point close set in April 2015. Sterling's continued [...]
Monte dei Paschi shares swing wildly as bailout fails but FTSE 100 and Europe shares flat December 22, 2016 Shares in Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) were swinging wildly on Thursday as investors digested the news that the Italian bank is set for a government bailout. Shares were suspended after steep falls. They closed at €16.30 on Wednesday, but traded at lows of €14.71 after opening at €15.00. However, they then recovered quickly [...]
Should investors bulk up on bulk commodities ready for a bumper 2017? December 20, 2016 Resources firms were among the biggest victims when animal spirits were at their worst. Could they be among the biggest gainers now that fund managers have a spring in their step? Too much overcapacity, sluggish growth, debt piles, reduced dividends… Yes we’ve heard it all before. But 2016 has been another transition year for the [...]
BP to pour almost $1bn into “world-class” West African gas hub in Mauritania and Senegal with Kosmos Energy December 19, 2016 Blue-chip oil major BP has said it will invest $916m (£733m) in gas exploration in West Africa through a partnership with American firm Kosmos Energy. BP will take a 62 per cent interest in Kosmos' exploration blocks in Mauritania and a 32.5 per cent working interest in its Senegal blocks. The 33,000 square km of acreage [...]
Dividends from FTSE 100 companies expected to rise but investors should watch out for low cover December 14, 2016 Companies in the FTSE 100 are forecast to pay out £78.4bn in dividends in 2017, according to a new report. The total payouts are expected to be 4.6bn higher than 2016 forecasts in a report by AJ Bell, a provider of investment platforms and stockbroker services. This is equivalent to a yield of 4.6 per [...]
Mining stocks have finally recovered in step with commodity prices but can the rally continue? December 12, 2016 AS THE political earthquakes of the past few months exact a heavy toll on currencies including sterling, commodities have been a beneficiary. Iron ore prices, for example, have doubled from their January 2016 lows while other base metal prices like zinc have also climbed, up nearly 70 per cent in the year to date. The [...]
Oil rises ahead of weekend meeting between Opec and non-Opec producers December 8, 2016 Oil markets were choppy today as traders got jittery ahead of a weekend meeting of Opec and non-Opec producers. Prices dipped in London afternoon trading after Russian news agency Tass reported the meeting, due to be held this Saturday in Vienna, could be postponed. However, a Russian energy ministry spokeswoman later said there were no [...]
Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate crude prices slide as production in Russia and Opec member states booms December 6, 2016 A rise in crude output in most major oil-producing regions ahead of a landmark curb to production has driven down the price of the black stuff today. Production among the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries rose to another record high in November, according to a Reuters survey, reaching 34.19m barrels per day (bpd), up [...]