Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 28.53 points higher at 4,897.88. Kazakhmys tops the risers’ board, up 4.4%, following an upgrade from Bank of America Merrill Lynch. In the newspapers this morning, shareholders in Lloyds Banking Group are demanding that the board of the bank be streamlined, in return for backing a fundraising from Lloyds aimed at reducing its exposure to the government’s Asset Protection Scheme. British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh was in talks with union leaders on Thursday over pay and conditions for the airline’s cabin crew. BA intends to cut 2,000 full-time cabin crew from a workforce of 14,000. Main shareholders in the British bus and rail operator National Express have indicated that they will continue to back a rights issue plan instead of a revised takeover offer.

Posted: August 28th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 0.72 points higher at 4,889.86. Kazakhmys tops the risers’ board, up 4%, while Amec leads the fallers, down 6.2%, after both companies released their first half figures. Elsewhere, stocks in focus include Lloyds Banking Group after it was reported that the lender is hoping to reduce its use of the government’s insurance scheme for toxic assets by offering investors a new form of interest-paying capital instrument which could be converted into ordinary shares for those who choose to subscribe.

Posted: August 27th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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Markets
London - The FTSE 100 is currently 3.42 points higher at 4,920.22. Serco is the biggest percentage climber in the index, up 5.5%, after reporting first half profit that was 34% higher. In contrast, WPP tops the fallers after reporting a 48% drop in first half profit. Diageo climbs 2.6% after being upgraded by Morgan Stanley. Fresnillo loses 2.1% after beginning to trade with out the right to its next dividend.

Posted: August 26th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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Markets

London - The FTSE 100 is currently 22.14 points lower at 4,874.09. Vodafone tops the risers while Xstrata tops the fallers after JPMorgan raised Telecoms to Overweight from Neutral and downgraded Metals & Mining to Neutral from Overweight.

Posted: August 25th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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Markets

London - The FTSE 100 is currently 46.75 points higher at 4,897.64. Miners give the index its biggest boost as metal prices rise in London. Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton add almost 10 points to the blue chip index as a result. WPP tops the risers’ board, up 5.5%, after Destsche Bank advised buying the shares.

Posted: August 24th, 2009 under Asset Management.
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