After a dismal year for the FTSE 100, could 2015 finally see it go past the 7,000 mark? December 21, 2014 Laith Khalaf is senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, says Yes. As we enter 2015, the prospects for UK stock markets and the FTSE 100 in particular are finely balanced. There are a number of destabilising events at play. First, the general election in May is likely to give the markets a case of the jitters, [...]
Rudd returns to the FTSE 100 as Meggitt’s chair December 18, 2014 City grandee Sir Nigel Rudd is to become non-executive chairman of military and aerospace engineer Meggitt, leading the charge on a bumper day of chairmanship announcements. This signals his return to the FTSE 100, having led the board of BAE Systems and Invensys previously, as well as having held deputy chairmanship at Barclays until 2009. [...]
Santa rally in sight as FTSE jumps again – London Report December 18, 2014 THE FTSE 100 enjoyed one of its best days of 2014 yesterday, as the US Federal Reserve’s pledge for a “patient approach” to any interest rate increase lifted stock markets around the world. Financial services company Old Mutual and British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) were among the best performers on the blue-chip [...]
FTSE 100 edges up as oil and metals recover – London Report December 17, 2014 Energy and mining stocks rallied to help the UK’s top share index end slightly higher after a sharp decline earlier in the session, buoyed by a recovery in crude oil and industrial metals prices. Expectations the European Central Bank will take fresh measures to support the region’s economy and that the US Federal Reserve’s final [...]
FTSE 100 closes up despite volatile day as rouble plunges – London Report December 16, 2014 BRITAIN’S top equity index rose yesterday as a drop in UK inflation propped up the stock market in the face of market turmoil caused by Russia, while energy stocks rebounded. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index endured a volatile session, caused by a plunge in Russia’s rouble currency, before closing up by 2.4 per cent, or [...]
The FTSE 100 slumps to a new yearly low amid crumbling oil prices December 15, 2014 Britain's FTSE 100 closed down again today taking the index to its lowest level this year, as crumbling oil prices and fresh concerns about Russia's economy scared investors. The FTSE 100 shed another 1.9 per cent to close down 117.9 points at 6,182.7 which was its lowest closing level since mid-2013. It fell 6.6 per [...]
How diverse is the FTSE 100? White men dominate executive roles – and it’s getting worse December 15, 2014 The government faces an uphill struggle to meet diversity targets in FTSE 100 boardrooms after research revealed that 69 per cent of FTSE 100 companies are run by all-white executive teams. This comes despite the UK having a population that is 13 per cent non-white, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). In the [...]
Miners weigh on FTSE as demand for metal drops – London Report December 11, 2014 BRITAIN’S top share index slipped to a six-week low yesterday, as mining shares fell sharply on concern that metal demand was weakening, while some stocks traded without the attraction of their latest dividend payouts. The mining companies put pressure on the blue chip FTSE 100 index, which closed 0.6 per cent lower at 6,461.70 points. [...]
FTSE 100 slips again as oil prices hit energy groups – London Report December 10, 2014 Britain's main equity index fell yesterday for a third day in a row as a further drop in the price of oil hit energy stocks. The blue chip FTSE 100 index closed down by 0.5 per cent, or 29.43 points, at 6,500.04 points – its lowest closing level since early November. Following the decline [...]
Where are the UK’s most powerful companies based? The FTSE 100 is more diverse than you think December 10, 2014 Conspiracy theorists may merrily refer to the "metropolitan elite", but it turns out that when it comes to the FTSE 100, the north-south divide is practically a myth: half of the companies on the index are based outside London, we've found, while others have made their homes all over the world Zoom out to see [...]