FTSE hit by Eurozone jitters April 23, 2012 The FTSE 100 slipped this morning as investors reacted badly to uncertainty in France as Nicolas Sarkozy lost the first round of the country’s presidential election. Sarkozy was narrowly beaten by socialist Francois Hollande who has said that he favours spending to boost growth rather than austerity. Meanwhile Spain’s economy probably contracted 0.4 per cent [...]
Omega rebels demand board heads for exit April 22, 2012 ACTIVIST shareholders have lashed out at struggling insurer Omega, saying that they expect the firm to “do the right thing” and initiate a boardroom shake-up. Investors who are exasperated with the company’s poor results under chief executive Richard Pexton have now publicly set their sights on removing him and a number of other directors. Yesterday [...]
FTSE shored up by banks April 20, 2012 The FTSE 100 was broadly flat this morning as investors turned their attention to an IMF meeting later today and French Presidential elections at the weekend. IMF leaders gathering in Washington want a big boost in funding to handle the Eurozone dent but Brazil has called for more power in the organisation for emerging nations. [...]
Lloyd’s given the slip of the Titanic’s rescuer April 18, 2012 THE insurance group Marsh has presented to Lloyd’s of London the original insurance slip for the RMS Carpathia, the ship that rescued more than 700 survivors from the HMS Titanic after she sank 100 years ago (pictured). The insurance slip contains a summary of the Carpathia’s insurance policy and the signatures of more than 80 [...]
A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE CITY April 17, 2012 THERE’S plenty of construction work going on in the City, especially in the area immediately west of Bank station, where vast tracts of land have been given over to building sites. These cranes (pictured above) are opposite the Lloyd’s of London building.
FTSE edges up thanks to banks April 17, 2012 London’s blue chip index edged up this morning but the Eurozone debt crisis continued to cast a shadow. Spain’s borrowing costs have jumped and the country is grappling to get back on track with a tough set of austerity measures. The FTSE 100 built on limited gains in yesterday’s session as investors took cover in [...]
Daisy to buy Wordlwide for £28m April 13, 2012 The FTSE 100 edged down in early trading as investors digested data showing a slowdown of growth in China’s economy. Official figures released overnight showed that China’s economy grew at its slowest rate in almost three years. Gross domestic product increased by a rate of 8.1 per cent in the first quarter, down from 8.9 [...]
FTSE down as China growth slows April 13, 2012 The FTSE 100 edged down in early trading as investors digested data showing a slowdown of growth in China’s economy. Official figures released overnight showed that China’s economy grew at its slowest rate in almost three years. Gross domestic product increased by a rate of 8.1 per cent in the first quarter, down from 8.9 [...]
Oil giants dent FTSE April 12, 2012 The FTSE 100 was flat this morning as oil giants BP and Shell saw their stocks hit. Royal Dutch Shell reported that oil had been spotted in the water near one of its platforms in the Gulf of Mexico while BP faced a shareholder revolt today. Another significant drag on the market was the World [...]
Banks lead FTSE to a rebound in spite of jitters over the Eurozone April 11, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index rebounded from a three-session slide yesterday as a rise in banking stocks following a positive broker comment and gains in mining shares boosted the index. The FTSE 100 index closed up 39.19 points, or 0.7 per cent at 5,634.74, reversing a downward spiral when the index surrendered almost all its remaining [...]