London Report: Chinese factory figures see FTSE shares edge up June 2, 2014 BRITAIN’S top share index inched higher yesterday as upbeat Chinese factory data lifted mining stocks and as homebuilders shrugged off worse-than-expected mortgage approval figures in the UK. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed up 0.3 per cent, or 19.59 points, at 6,864.10 points. Mining stocks across Europe, including London-listed Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, rose [...]
British equity markets party like it’s 1999 May 13, 2014 THE FTSE 100 jumped to a 14-year high yesterday, smashing through a record level set just before the turn of the century. The UK’s major index of stocks ended at 6,873.08, up 0.31 per cent, having peaked at over 6,877 during the day. The FTSE’s all-time high at the end of 1999 was 6,950.6, a [...]
Taylor Wimpey shares jump as it lifts forecasts May 13, 2014 SHARES in Taylor Wimpey jumped over seven per cent yesterday after the housebuilder raised its profit targets on the back of a resurgence in the housing market. Housebuilders have enjoyed a dramatic recovery over the past year thanks to the government’s Help to Buy scheme and improving consumer confidence, which has helped fuel demand for [...]
London Report: FTSE climbs to its highest close since late 1999 May 13, 2014 BRITAIN’S top share index hit its highest closing level since December 1999 yesterday, led by housebuilding stocks, with technical analysts betting the broader market could push on further still. The FTSE 100 ended up 21.33 points, or 0.3 per cent, at 6,873.08 points. Forex.com technical analyst Fawad Razaqzada reckoned there was scope for the index [...]
The FTSE just hit its highest level since January 2000. Here’s what you need to know May 13, 2014 Traders are shrugging off concerns about tensions over Ukraine, and instead riding the momentum from yesterday's record-setting US session. London's leading index, the FTSE 100, is currently trading at its highest level since January 2000. More broadly European shares have risen to a six-year high after that US rally. Yesterday saw the Dow Jones and [...]
Barratt and Derwent benefit from recovery May 8, 2014 BARRATT Developments expects to secure reservations on more than a quarter of next year’s private completions by June as the UK’s housing recovery continues apace. Chief executive Mark Clare said yesterday that rising consumer confidence and better mortgage availability meant sales rates had now reached an “optimum level”, with Barratt registering an average of 0.77 [...]
London Report: Supermarkets’ results to show split in fortunes May 5, 2014 THE varying fortunes of the UK’s supermarkets will be revealed this week as Morrisons gives its quarterly results while Sainsbury’s announces full-year figures. Sainsbury’s annual results are forecast to show that underlying pre-tax profits rose 3.5 per cent to £782m. However investors will be anxious to see the company’s plans for the next year, especially [...]
London Report: Shell and Barratt push FTSE upward to seven-week high April 30, 2014 THE UK’S blue-chip share index set a seven-week high yesterday, lifted by a rally in energy stocks after solid results from Royal Dutch Shell, although tensions in Ukraine and poor US growth data capped gains. Shares in Shell gained 3.7 per cent, adding the most points to the FTSE 100 index, after the Anglo-Dutch company [...]
London Report: Housebuilders help FTSE to a modest bounce April 9, 2014 BRITAIN’S blue-chip stock index staged a technical bounce yesterday, helped by a rally in housebuilders as analysts flagged buying opportunities in shares that have underperformed recently. The FTSE 100 had shed 1.6 per cent over the previous two days. However, charts showed the trend for the index remained up and investors were still prepared to [...]
London Report: FTSE suffers its sharpest daily fall in a month April 7, 2014 BRITAIN’S top equity index had its biggest one-day decline in a month yesterday, retreating from a three-week high as a drop by housebuilders weighed on the market. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index, which rose 0.7 per cent on Friday to reach its highest point in around three weeks, closed down by 1.1 per cent, or [...]