FTSE closes at two-month high despite light volumes April 26, 2011 aBRITAIN’S FTSE 100 closed at its highest level in over two months yesterday, albeit in light volumes, as earnings from the US and Europe supported gains ahead of results from UK companies such as ARM and BP. The blue-chip FTSE 100 closed up 0.9 per cent at 6,069.36, with volumes still thin after the four-day [...]
Corporate results boost US stocks April 26, 2011 A FRESH batch of corporate results pushed US stocks to their best levels since June 2008 yesterday, renewing optimism that profit growth will remain resilient enough to keep equities on the rise. The S&P 500 barreled through the 1,344 level, seen as a key resistance point the benchmark index needed to surpass in order to [...]
FTSE buoyed by upbeat corporate results April 26, 2011 Strong corporate results and positive broker research buoyed the FTSE today, leading the market to its highest close in more than two months. The FTSE 100 closed 0.9 per cent higher at 6.069.36 in low volumes following the long Easter weekend and ahead of a second four-day weekend to celebrate the Royal wedding and Mayday. [...]
Ford idles plants over shortages April 25, 2011 Ford will idle plants in Taiwan, China and South Africa beginning this week due to the shortage of parts from Japan after the 11 March earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, the company said yesterday. All three plants were scheduled to be shut at a later date.
CAR TALK April 19, 2011 LUXE NEW MINI BMW has introduced the most exclusive and luxurious Mini yet at the Shanghai motor show. The “Mini Inspired by Goodward” is a 1,000 limited edition Mini crafted using Rolls-Royce materials and overseen by RR designers. The Mini has an interior trimmed in walnut burr, black RR-quality nappa leather, a deep-pile lambswool carpet, [...]
Japan nuclear crisis deepens April 12, 2011 THE NUCLEAR crisis in Japan was yesterday upgraded to the maximum level of severity, on a par with the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. The problems centred around the Fukushima Daiichi plant are now classed as “a major release of radioactive material with widespread health and environmental effects”, the International Atomic Energy Agency said yesterday. The [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING April 11, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES ALLIANCE TRUST FORCED TO OFFER VOTE CONCESSION Alliance Trust will make radical changes to its shareholder voting system in an attempt to fend off mounting pressure from activist investors, the Dundee-based company will say today. The £2.4bn investment company, which last month fell out of the FTSE 100, is expected to introduce a [...]
A political Budget in Gordon Brown’s mould March 23, 2011 GEORGE Osborne added the two most eye catching measures to his Budget at the very last minute. We know this because the Office for Budget Responsibility said it learned of the 2p cut in corporation tax and the 1p cut in fuel duty too late to consider their effects on its economic forecasts. Always the [...]
Japan quake hits product supply chain March 15, 2011 FEARS over a significant shortage of components needed by manufacturers worldwide due to Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami saw prices for key technology parts surge higher yesterday. Japan is a dominant chip industry player, with around one-fifth of the world’s semiconductor production. Spot prices of NAND flash memory chips used in the fast-growing mobile devices [...]
Lookers bullish on 2011 outlook March 9, 2011 LOOKERS yesterday reported a better-then-expected full-year profit, driven by a strong performance from its motor and car parts businesses and a reduction in costs, and the British car dealer said it was well-placed for further growth. The 124-outlet firm, which sells cars from manufacturers including Ford, Vauxhall, Nissan and Toyota, said January to December adjusted [...]