US HOUSING MARKET IN NEED OF HELP June 28, 2010 DAVID MORRISON CFD MARKET STRATEGIST, GFT STOCK indices have been positively correlated to movements in euro-dollar for such a long time that it is easy to forget that this wasn’t always the case. There is growing evidence that this relationship is breaking down – equities are struggling to rally, whether the euro is falling or [...]
Ocado to float June 24, 2010 ECHOES of the dotcom bubble returned to the City yesterday, as an online grocery delivery firm that has not turned a profit in 10 years confirmed it will float with an estimated value of £1bn. Ocado said it will seek to raise £200m when it floats this year and expects existing shareholders to cash in [...]
FTSE sinks to lowest level in a month as Fed’s statement makes investors nervous June 24, 2010 BRITAIN’S FTSE 100 share index fell yesterday as fears over the sustainability of a global recovery hit commodity-linked stocks and banks as risk appetite waned. The FTSE 100 closed down 78.29 points, or 1.5 per cent at 5,100.23 points, its lowest closing level in almost a month after shedding 1.3 per cent on Wednesday. A [...]
Budget brings down bank shares but delay in VAT rise gives retailers a boost June 22, 2010 WEAKER commodity stocks pulled Britain’s top share index lower yesterday, while retailers got a lift from the first emergency Budget from Britain’s new coalition government after an expected valued added tax rise was delayed. At the close, the FTSE was down 52.1 points, or 1.0 per cent, at 5,246.98, having hit its highest closing level [...]
Sainsbury’s supermarket to shuffle top jobs June 21, 2010 J SAINSBURY became the latest supermarket to shuffle its management team yesterday, in an attempt to cement its plans for long-term growth. The UK’s third-biggest grocer has promoted chief financial officer Darren Shapland to the post of group development director, overseeing business development and group strategy. Mike Coupe, currently trading director, will become the group’s [...]
Chancellor to declare the winners and losers June 21, 2010 WITH tax rises and spending cuts expected in today’s Budget, many equity strategists are advising investors to steer clear of stocks heavily reliant on UK-based revenues. Instead, contracts for difference (CFD) traders should target equities with international and private sector exposure. The emergency Budget is likely to focus on tax rises instead of detailed spending [...]
Ocado to report a healthy sales drive June 20, 2010 THE online grocer, Ocado, aims to make its stock market debut by the middle of next month and is expected to make a formal announcement next week. The company has achieved soaring sales but has yet to make a pretax profit. Ocado hopes to achieve a valuation of £1bn and has appointed JPMorgan Cazenove, UBS [...]
The bike and car parts retailer who wants to own Britain on the move June 20, 2010 Halfords and its chief executive David Wild are having a good recession. Earlier this month, the bikes and car maintenance retail chain posted a strong set of full-year figures: pre-tax profits rose 42 per cent to £110m, while sales rose three per cent to £832m. The FTSE 250 business said the trend for healthy living [...]
THE TIPSTER June 13, 2010 FOOTBALL results might be capturing everybody’s attention at the moment but there are some key financial scores out this week. Following positive full-year results in March, grocer J Sainsbury is expected to announce first quarter profits this week. Will its management confirm Morrisons’ news that a slowdown in the market has begun? With the firm’s [...]
Tesco chief’s exit is a blow but shares still good buy June 8, 2010 AND so the curtain falls on Terry Leahy’s remarkable reign at Tesco. Most investors will be shocked by his departure; the received wisdom was that Leahy would stick around until 2014, when its troubled Fresh & Easy US venture started to come good. His exit is a major loss for the grocer, there is no [...]