Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 5.68 points to close at 3,917.14. Both Cairn Energy and Royal Dutch Shell rise about 2% after rival Premier Oil reported a record profit in 2008, sending its shares 12% higher. Tullow Oil adds 1.3% after Citigroup upgraded the shares to a Buy. Aviva tumbles 12%, topping the fallers’ board, after going ex-dividend. Amlin and Intercontinental Hotels lose 5.1% and 3.7% respectively for the same reason. Smiths Group slides 8.1% after reporting first half results.

Posted: March 25th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 12.87 points higher at 3,965.68. Financials unsurprisingly top the risers’ board with Royal Bank of Scotland up 8.4%, Lloyds Banking Group up 5.2% and Barclays up 5.1%. Lonmin climbs 4% after Temasek Holdings Pte said it will consider further mining investments. Rio Tinto tops the fallers’ board, down 3.4%, after Iron Ore CEO Sam Walsh said Tuesday that iron ore contract prices will need to fall this year based on current market conditions. RSA Insurance falls after JPMorgan cut its rating on the stock to Neutral from Overweight.

Posted: March 24th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 57.20 points higher at 3,900.05. Financial stocks are prominent ahead of an announcement by the Obama administration on how it plans to expand the $700 billion rescue package. Barclays jumps 10.5% while Lloyds Banking Group climbs 8.1%. Rio Tinto leads miners higher, up 5.2%, after metal prices climbed in London. Anglo American adds 5% while Vedanta Resources rises 3.9%. British Land edges lower after UBS downgraded the company to Neutral.

Posted: March 23rd, 2009 under Asset Management.
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Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 5.5 points lower at 3,811.43. HSBC tops the fallers’ board, down 16.7%, after going ex-rights. Barclays falls 3% following allegations it has made £1 billion pounds a year in profit through tax avoidance. Insurers top the risers’ board with Legal & General gaining 9.7%, Prudential adding 6.1% and Aviva climbing 3.7%.

Posted: March 20th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 1.52 points better at 3,806.51. Randgold Resources leads the index higher after gold futures rallied. The miner is currently 11.8% higher. FirstGroup jumps 11.7% after saying full year earnings would be in line with analysts’ expectations. Prudential climbs 9.2% after reporting stronger than expected results. British Land drops 3.8% after announcing that shareholders have agreed to buy 97% of the stock for sale in its rights offer. Friends Provident loses 2.1% after Citigroup downgraded the shares to “hold” from “buy”. HSBC loses 2.4% as investors lock in profits following several sessions of repeated gains.

Posted: March 19th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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