SPREAD BET GURU February 14, 2010 Q.Dear Josh, what should I keep an eye out for this week when trading equities? A.We are getting stuck in to the UK earnings season now and there are a number of firms announcing this week, including Barclays, Intercontinental Hotels, BAE Systems and the miner Anglo American. Barclays will be the major focus because it [...]
Alcatel-Lucent’s losses widen February 11, 2010 Alcatel-Lucent yesterday posted a wider-than-forecast loss, missed revenue expectations and cut its 2010 operating margin target, buffeted by a tough market for telecommunications gear. Alcatel posted 2009 revenue of €15.16bn (£13.22bn), an adjusted loss of €56m, and a net loss of €524m. Shares plunged at the French-American group that has struggled to compete with larger [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING February 10, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES BOCOM EYES $500M PRIVATE EQUITY FUND Bank of Communications is to launch a US dollar private equity fund in the latest sign of mounting Chinese interest in the asset class. BoCom International, the bank’s overseas arm, said on Wednesday it was targeting a $500m fund that would invest in mainland groups. The fund [...]
BHP Billiton is set to go on a buying spree February 10, 2010 GLOBAL mining heavyweight BHP Billiton today announced plans to ramp up its spending despite its interim profits falling victim to the commodity downturn in 2009. The FTSE 100 group posted a seven per cent drop in profit to $5.7bn (£3.7bn) in the final six months of 2009 as “significant volatility and continued uncertainty in the [...]
Peugeot Citroen gets a boost from car scrappage scheme limiting its losses February 10, 2010 FRENCH car maker Peugeot Citroen has reported a boost from car scrappage schemes despite reporting a €1.16bn (£1.02bn) loss for 2009. It lost €962m in the first six months of the year, but only €199m in the second half thanks to the the scrappage deals. However the company predicted continued tough times for the car [...]
BHP Billiton in spending boost February 10, 2010 GLOBAL mining heavyweight BHP Billiton today announced plans to ramp up its spending despite its interim profits falling victim to the commodity downturn in 2009. The FTSE 100 group posted a 7 per cent drop in profit to $5.7bn (£3.6bn) in the final six months of 2009 as “significant volatility and continued uncertainty in the [...]
Fidelity unveils details of Bolton’s $1bn Chinese investment fund February 9, 2010 FIDELITY International yesterday revealed plans to raise £630m ($1bn) in an initial fundraising for Anthony Bolton’s new China equity fund. Shares in the close-ended fund – issued at £1 – will start trading on the London Stock Exchange in April. The fund is named Fidelity China Special Situations in a nod to the Fidelity Special [...]
Nissan confident as it returns to profit February 9, 2010 NISSAN, Japan’s third-largest automaker, returned to quarterly profit yesterday and lifted its outlook for the second time, as brisk global sales signal the worst may be over for the auto industry. Nissan joins Toyota and Honda in raising annual forecasts, underscoring the impact of government stimulus and the improvement in the global economy following the [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING February 8, 2010 FINANCE TIMES DE SHAW MOBILISES TEAM TO BUY DISTRESSED ASSETS OF FUND RIVALS DE Shaw, the third largest hedge fund, has established an in-house team to look at buying portfolios of distressed assets and is targeting the holdings of rival hedge funds. The DE Shaw Portfolio Acquisitions Unit, launched last year, aims to capitalise on [...]
Tullow set for a green light from Uganda February 8, 2010 HERITAGE Oil yesterday said it expects to receive approval from the Ugandan government for the $1.5bn (£960m) sale of its lucrative oil fields in the country to FTSE 100 oil explorer Tullow Oil. “Heritage and Tullow are working closely with the Ugandan government to obtain the formal approval of the sale, which is expected imminently,” [...]