S&P 500 puts in its sixth rise in a row October 12, 2009 THE S&P 500 index of the biggest US companies managed a sixth consecutive day of gains to end at its closing high for the year as energy shares rose alongside the price of oil. But the market lost some strength in the afternoon and the Dow and Nasdaq ended little changed as investors opted to [...]
Attention turns to the pub as leisure sector steps out October 11, 2009 This week will give us a glimpse of how consumers are spending their time, with Whitbread, Punch Taverns and PartyGaming all reporting. But it will be opinion-polling firm YouGov that gets a reaction from investors today, as it reports its full-year results. The company said in July that it was beginning to see the benefits [...]
Labour are at an all-time low, but the prices could improve October 11, 2009 WHEN he walked off stage in Manchester last Thursday, having delivered his speech to the Conservative Party Conference, most people in the country were left believing that this time next year David Cameron will be prime minister. Indeed, Cameron is odds-on to be the next PM with most of the high street bookies, so you [...]
How to play the US third quarter earnings season October 11, 2009 THIS week is widely expected to be crunch time for the markets across the world as the third quarter earnings season kicks off in earnest in the US. With companies from across the board reporting – including big hitters like Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, IBM and General Electric – we will finally see whether the rally [...]
GOLD’S RALLY IS WITHOUT FOUNDATION October 11, 2009 JANE FOLEYRESEARCH DIRECTOR, FOREX.COMA bout of profit taking on Friday barely made a dent in gold’s storming rise last week and other commodities were not lagging far behind. Dollar-denominated commodities were underpinned by the creeping feeling that the desirability of the dollar may now be fading. Equally supportive was a rise in inflationary fears, despite [...]
THE TIPSTER METALS’ SHINE BOOSTS THE FTSE MINERS October 11, 2009 RISING commodity prices have put the mining sector in the spotlight and sent their stock prices soaring. But will the bottom line support the rising share price? Miner Rio Tinto reports on Wednesday and it has made considerable ground since the credit crunch and since rival BHP Billiton declined to acquire them. The focus is [...]
US earnings rut could be at an end October 11, 2009 Though today is Columbus Day, a public holiday in the US, most of its markets are trading regular hours. This week is going to be defined by US corporate earnings. Tomorrow we have Intel and Johnson & Johnson, JP Morgan Chase is on Wednesday; on Thursday Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Google and IBM are all due [...]
Miners lead markets higher as gold price holds steady October 8, 2009 THE top share index ended 0.9 per cent higher yesterday, buoyed by the miners on firmer metals prices and optimism over demand prospects. The FTSE 100 closed 45.74 points higher at 5,154.64, after shedding 0.6 per cent on Wednesday. “There doesn’t seem to be the same degree of buying momentum returning to the market after [...]
Alcoa gives stocks a good start in US October 8, 2009 US stocks rose yesterday as a surprising quarterly profit from Alcoa got third-quarter earnings off to a strong start. Alcoa gained 1.1 per cent to $14.35 and rose as high as $15.10, a day after the Dow component posted its first profit after three consecutive quarterly losses, on cost savings and higher aluminum prices. The [...]
Insurers fail to lift the FTSE as investors await US results October 7, 2009 BRITAIN’S leading shares closed lower yesterday as falls in oil majors and food retailers offset gains in insurers as investors waited for the start of the earnings seasons in the US to give a fresh direction. The FTSE 100 closed down 29.08 points, or 0.6 per cent, at 5,108.90, after ending 2.3 per cent higher [...]