Unilever and China weigh on FTSE but Randgold shines – London Report August 13, 2015 BRITAIN’S top share index was dragged lower yesterday by Unilever and mining companies after the fall in the value of China’s currency pulled down metal prices. The blue chip FTSE 100 index was down 1.4 per cent at 6,571.19p by the close, slightly outperforming other European equities. Consumer goods company Unilever shed 4.3 per cent [...]
Investor worries over commodity markets drag the FTSE August 13, 2015 COPPER prices hit six-year lows this week, and mining stocks have tumbled over the past few days, with companies in the sector the biggest losers on the FTSE yesterday. Currency weakness in China has prompted concerns among commodity investors, who fear that import costs for Chinese firms could rise if prolonged weakness in the yuan [...]
China currency move pulls on mining stocks – London Report August 12, 2015 LUXURY goods firm Burberry was one of the hardest hit UK firms yesterday, after China devalued its currency, raising the costs of imports. The FTSE 100 closed down 1.1 per cent. Weakness in commodity stocks has contributed to recent declines in the index, which is now more than six per cent off April’s record high. [...]
Chinese shock leaves the FTSE 100 nursing losses after renminbi devaluation August 12, 2015 The FTSE 100 fell by 72 points yesterday as luxury goods and mining firms suffered from China’s unexpected devaluation of the renminbi. The Chinese devaluation, news of which broke after the FTSE closed on Monday night, saw Burberry shares open 12p down on the previous day at 1,595p, before falling throughout the day to [...]
Joblessness data and retail figures focus of quiet week – London Report August 9, 2015 THE CORPORATE results season has past its peak, but the week ahead is due to see some big financial news nonetheless, including UK unemployment figures on Wednesday. Tomorrow retail sales data will be published, while on Friday construction industry output figures will be out. Prudential is reporting its half-year interims tomorrow after chief executive Tidjane [...]
Commodities in freefall as China faces slowdown August 4, 2015 Mining stocks were dealt a body blow yesterday, with one index dropping to a 13-year low, as Chinese manufacturing PMI data dragged the commodities market down yet again. The data, which came out yesterday morning, showed that the downturn in China’s manufacturing sector intensified at the start of the third quarter. Production was cut at [...]
FTSE decreases after miners fall down a hole – London Report July 22, 2015 BRITAIN’S top share index yesterday dropped to its lowest level in more than a week after a poorly received earnings report from Apple hit tech stocks and weaker metals prices and an update from BHP Billiton dragged down miners. The FTSE 100 index closed 1.5 per cent weaker at 6,667.34 points after falling earlier to [...]
Commodities plunge to 13 year-low dragged down by mining shares July 22, 2015 Commodity prices continue to plunge, as falling mining shares dragged a commodity index down to its lowest point since 2002. Bloomberg’s commodity price index, tracking gold, crude oil and other raw materials, has plunged by 40 per cent since 2011. Today the index fell to 95.5 points, its lowest point in 13 years. Mining shares [...]
Worst sectors for boardroom diversity: Women joining FTSE 100 boards but mining lags far behind retail industry as Conservatives push to end gender pay gap July 13, 2015 More women are joining the boards of Britain’s most powerful companies, but there’s a big difference between different industries, a breakdown by sector reveals. In a bid to end the gender pay gap "in a generation”, Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans today to require UK firms to publish gender pay audits. But progress is [...]
Glencore share price falls as FTSE miners feel the heat from commodities selloff July 7, 2015 London-listed miners felt the heat today after the outlook for the Chinese economy darkened amid ongoing equity market turmoil. Earlier in the day copper prices fell 5.9 per cent to a six-year low of $2.389 a pound on concern about economic growth in China, the world's top metals consumer. It comes a day after Chinese brokerages [...]