ANALYST VIEWS: WERE BHP’S RESULTS IN LINE WITH EXPECTATIONS? August 24, 2011 CHRIS HEYHOE | INVESTEC BHP was marginally ahead of consensus figures due to strong iron ore and petroleum results, with attributable profit seven per cent above consensus, partly down to positive change in tax provisions and liabilities. Although we expect prices and earnings will be volatile, BHP looks strongly positioned for 2012. DOMINIC O’KANE | [...]
Miners and energy firms push FTSE to week’s highest close August 24, 2011 Strong miners and energy stocks helped drive Britain’s top share index to its highest close in a week yesterday in choppy trade as investors jostled for position ahead of a speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Friday. Traders pointed to continued speculation that the Fed could unveil a further round of US quantitative [...]
Market crash a boon for IG Group profits August 22, 2011 EXTREME market volatility over the past two months pushed revenues up almost a fifth higher than last year at spread-better and derivatives trader IG Group, it said yesterday. IG said its customers had spent the summer months trading rather than holidaying as normal, which had pushed its client activity to “record levels” since the start [...]
The lucky few that gain from stock falls August 22, 2011 IG Group is one of the few to emerge pleased from the turbulence in financial markets. The spread-better and contracts-for-difference trader said it saw the same number of trades in the first two weeks of August alone as in the whole of August last year, as client took time out from their holidays to cash [...]
Evo faces bid war as fresh offers pour in August 16, 2011 A BIDDING war for City broker and wealth manager Evolution Group looked increasingly likely yesterday after it admitted it had received a number of approaches. Evolution has been viewed as up for sale since it received an approach from South Africa asset manager Investec two weeks ago. The news sparked the interest of a number [...]
Evolution’s finance boss quits amid takeover talk August 15, 2011 EVOLUTION Group lost its finance director and reappointed one of its former non-executives to its board yesterday amid signs that a takeover bid for the firm was progressing. Andrew Westenberger, the group’s finance director for almost two and a half years, resigned with immediate effect and with no explanation or an immediate successor. But Evolution [...]
Michael Page in boost from Asia August 15, 2011 RECRUITER Michael Page yesterday reported a jump in pre-tax profits, fuelled by a buoyant jobs market in Asia, but warned the UK outlook remains grim. The company saw international business overall outstrip the performance in the UK. Sales in Asia Pacific climbed 43 per cent to £76.7m, in the six months to 30 June. Meanwhile [...]
Hockey teams sign new deal August 15, 2011 HOCKEY: England and Great Britain’s women’s teams have signed a lucrative new sponsorship agreement with bank Investec. The five-year agreement will begin this month when England head to the EuroHockey Nations Championship in Germany.
IS STANDARD LIFE’S turnaround WORKING? August 10, 2011 ABID HUSSEIN | JEFFERIES The investment spend over the last 18 months is starting to deliver netflows ahead of expectations. Standard Life is also benefiting from a first-mover advantage in the pre-RDR market by increasing its market share in SIPPs. Our concern remains that spend will remain high beyond 2012 to defend its market share. [...]
RIGHTMOVE IN WRONG MOVE AFTER RIOTS GAFFE August 9, 2011 RED FACES at Rightmove, after the property website waded into the online chatter about the London riots with a horribly misjudged Facebook and Twitter message about house prices. “Are the riots affecting where you live?” Rightmove asked its 13,600 followers as buildings burned, shops were looted and families feared for the safety of their children. [...]