Market Comment - HBMarkets

03/09/10 - Market Comment

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:57:54 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 15-points higher, on a day bereft of corporate announcements, with RBS a likely focus after announcing swingeing job cuts. Investors are likely to remain cautious ahead of US employment data due out this afternoon. In a quiet corporate diary, interim results are due from Fyffes and Forth Ports. Whilst Firestone Diamonds, MDM Engineering Group and Prosperity Minerals Holdings host their AGMs.

02/09/10 - Market Comment

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:36:44 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 15-points lower, as profit-takers take advantage of yesterday's positive movements, with Tesco a likely focus over its Asian expansion plans. In the corporate diary for the day, interim results are due from 32Red, Abbey Protection, DataCash Group, Evraz Group, Restaurant Group, Stadium Group and Total Produce. Final results are scheduled from Eaga, Go-Ahead Group, Hays and McBride. Whilst DSG International is expected to issue a trading statement.

01/09/10 - Market Comment

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:44:40 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 20-points higher, with little in the way of company news to offer direction to investors. The latest PMI Manufacturing reading is due for release at 9:30am, along with the Halifax house price index. A quieter corporate announcement schedule today sees interim results from Green Dragon Gas, IQE and Johnson Service Group. Final numbers are expected from Hargreaves Lansdown, whilst Creston and Spice host their AGMs.

31/08/10 - Market Comment

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:50:52 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 50-points lower, following on from heavy falls in New York last night and across Asian bourses this morning. In the corporate diary today, interims results are due from 888 Holdings, Afren, Alpha Bank, British Polythene, Bunzl, Concurrent Technologies, Frontline, Goldenport, Grafton Group, Hansteen Holdings, HydroDec Group, IFG Group, Integra Group, JSC Halyk Savings Bank of Kazakhstan, Kerry Group, Omega Insurance Holdings, Pilat Media Global, Puricore, Raven Russia and Tamar European Industrial Fund. Final results are expected from Mattioli Woods and Pan African Resources. Safestore will issue a trading statement.

27/08/10 - Market Comment

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:41:05 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open marginally down on the last trading session before the Bank Holiday weekend, with investors showing cautioun ahead of the latest UK GDP reading, due to be released at 9:30am. In the announcement diary for today, interim results are due from Aegis Group, Aga Rangemaster Group, Aseana Properties Trust, Biome Technologies, Computacenter, Dana Petroleum, Davis Service Group, Frontline, Heritage Oil, Independent News & Media, JKX Oil & Gas, Lavendon Group, Marshalls, Melrose, Molins, National Bank of Greece, New Britain Palm Oil Limited, Phoenix Group Holdings, Regus, Rightmove, Stratic Energy Corporation, SVG Capital, T Clarke, Vimetco and Yule Catto.

26/08/10 - Market Comment

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:38:52 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 45-points higher, taking the lead from a late rally on Wall Street last night, on a busy day for corporate announcements. The schedule today includes interim results from Amec, Asterand, Avis Europe, Biocompatibles International, Bloomsbury Publishing, Carillion, Chaucer Holdings, Chesnara, Churchill China, Communisis, CPP Group, Filtrona, G4S, Henry Boot, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Hunting, Huntsworth, IMI, International Public Partnerships, IP Group, Kazakhmys, Macfarlane Group, New World Resources, office2office, Petropavlovsk, Premier Oil, Public Power, Robert Walters, Salamander Energy, Savills, SEGRO, Signet Jewelers, Soco International, Sportech, STV Group, Unite Group, William Hill and X5 Retail Group. Elsewhere final results are due from Diageo, Haynes Publishing Group and Impala Platinum.

25/08/10 - Market Comment

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:36:59 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is anticipated to start the session little changed to marginally lower as traders remain nervous over heavy falls in the US and Asia overnight, with the search for safer havens boosting bond sales and pushing gold over $1,232 an ounce. Another hectic day for corporate announcements sees interim results from Admiral Group, Aggreko, Ark Therapeutics, Arriva, Avengardco Investments, Axis-Shield, Bank BPH, Chime Communications, Clarkson, Costain Group, Derwent London, FBD Holdings, Forth Ports, Glanbia, Johnston Press, Paddy Power, Pinewood-Shepperton, Serco Group, Severfield-Rowen, SIG, Talvivaara Mining Company, Tullow Oil, UK Coal and Vislink. Whilst final results are scheduled from BHP Billiton and Monitise.

24/08/10 - Market Comment

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:40:14 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to start the session around 20-points lower today, with traders showing concerned over further signs of weakening recovery in the US and Asia. In the corporate diary today, interim results are due from Aer Lingus Group, Antofagasta, Cairn Energy, Corin Group, CRH, Development Securities, Gem Diamonds, H & T Group, John Wood Group, Jupiter Fund Management, OJSC Magnit, Oxford Biomedica, Persimmon, Plaza Centers, Promethean World, Source BioScience, Spectris, Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Vitec Group and WPP Group. Whilst elsewhere a trading statement is expected from housebuilder Persimmon.

23/08/10 - Market Comment

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:02:01 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 35-points better-off, with M&A rumours continuing to circulate, with the likes of ITV, Prudential, Sainsbury and Astra in the frame. In the corporate diary today, interim results are due from Amlin, Bovis Homes Group, Hiscox, KazMunaiGaz, Kingspan Group, Lamprell, Lombard Medical Technologies, Petrofac and RCG Holdings. A trading statement is scheduled from Punch Taverns. Whilst FFastFill, Iomart and Tata Tea host their AGMs.

20/08/10 - Market Comment

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 06:52:47 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is anticipated to start the final trading session of the week little changed to slightly higher, on a quiet day for company news, with investors cautious following disappointing US data casting doubt on recovery. A short corporate announcement list sees interim results from Anglo-Eastern Plantations and final numbers from engineering group Goodwin. Trading statements are expected from Next Fifteen Communications and Stobart Group. Whilst African Minerals Limited, Great Eastern Energy, Samuel Heath & Sons, North American Banks Fund Oryx International Growth Fund and ReneSola host their AGMs.

19/08/10 - Market Comment

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 07:40:00 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 20-points better-off, with BHP Billiton's hostile bid for Potash and merger rumours surrounding Xstrata keeping miners in the spotlight. UK retail sales and money supply data are due for release at 9:30am, whilst the CBI's Industrial Trends Survey is to be published at 11:00am. On the corporate news agenda for today, interim results are pencilled-in from AFI Development, Capital Drilling, Cineworld Group, CLS Holdings, Essar Energy, Hardy Oil & Gas, John Menzies, ProStrakan, PV Crystalox Solar, Quarto Group, TT Electronics and Wellstream Holdings. Elsewhere, a trading statement is expected from Chrysalis Group. Whilst ING UK, Omega Diagnostics Group and Stagecoach Group host their AGMs.

18/08/10 - Market Comment

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 07:45:36 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to start the session some 20-points lower, with M&A speculation surrounding consolidation in the insurance industry providing a continuing focus for investor attention. The minutes of the last Bank of England MPC meeting on interest rates will be released at 9:30am. In the corporate diary for today, interim results are due from Eurasian Natural Resources, Henderson Group, Hochschild Mining, Lookers, MirLand Development Corporation, Primary Health Properties, Randall & Quilter Investment and Xaar. Final results are scheduled from Greenko Group. Whilst AssetCo, City of London PR, Mulberry Group, PSG Solutions and Taliesin Property Fund host their AGMs.

17/08/10 - Market Comment

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:45:46 +0100

This Morning in London blue-chip shares are anticipated to start the session around 25-points higher, with insurers Aviva and RSA continuing to hog the spotlight as RSA shareholders call for talks over the proposed merge. The latest Consumer Price Index and Retail Price Index readings are due for release at 9:30am. In the diary for today, interim results are due from EnQuest, Frutarom, Gartmore Group, London Capital Group, Melrose Resources, Oakley Capital Investments and Resolution. Whilst Castings and Egypt Trust host their AGMs.

16/08/10 - Market Comment

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:56:34 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open fairly flat, on a quiet day for earnings news, with merger and acquisition talk involving Aviva and Vedanta Resources providing the main focus. Vedanta Resources is likely to feature following reports that it is close to an agreement to buy 40% of Cairn Energy's Indian unit, which owns and operates the oil and gas fields in Rajasthan, for about $6.5 billion. Elsewhere in the announcement diary today, interim results are due from Atlas Estates, Espirito Santo and Michael Page International.

13/08/10 - Market Comment

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:36:33 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 30-points better-off on the last trading session of the week, on a day devoid of earnings news, with BP again making the blue-chip headlines as it receives a $50 million US fine. It seems as though superstition has dictated that this Friday 13th has very little scheduled in the way of corporate announcements, with only an interim statement from Alpha Pyrenees Trust being of note. Elsewhere Davenham Group, Imagination Technologies, Northacre and Tata Steel host their AGMs.

12/08/10 - Market Comment

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:05 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around twenty-five points lower, as global markets fell sharply after what in market parlance amounted to profit warnings from the UK and US. In the corporate diary for the day, interim results are due from Aegon, Alea Group Holdings, Anglogold Ashanti, Corac Group, Cryptologic, Cyprotex, Lincat Group, Prudential, Psion, Ruukki Group and Telecom Egypt. Trading statements are expected from Greencore Group, Holidaybreak and Income & Growth VCT. Whilst Investec, Minera and Tapestry Investment Company host their AGMs.

11/08/10 - Market Comment

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:49:10 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 25-points lower, following a sell-off on Tokyo and other Asian markets this morning. This is on the back of fresh economic data suggesting a slow down in the Chinese economy. Expectations that the Bank of England will lower growth forecasts are also affecting sentiment. In the corporate diary today, interim results are due from JSC Acron, Capital & Regional, Flying Brands, Smurfit Kappa and Standard Life. Greenko Group will declare its final results and Harvey Nash Group will issue a trading statement.

10/08/10 - Market Comment

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 07:47:23 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to open around 20-points lower, as news of falling house prices and slowing retail growth add pressure to already fragile sentiment. UK balance of trade data is due for release at 9:30am. In the diary for today, interim results are due from BATM Advanced, European Goldfields, First Quantum Minerals, Greggs, InterContinental Hotels Group, International Power, Interserve, Mondi, Share and TUI Travel, while NWF Group publishes final numbers. Elsewhere RedHot Media International hosts its AGM.

09/08/10 - Market Comment

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:44:28 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 is expected to start the week with a positive leap, with BP continuing to dominate newsflow as it reports success in the Gulf of Mexico well-capping. Elsewhere International Power is expected to benefiting from GDF Suez bid news over the weekend. A quiet start to the week from a reporting point of view sees interim results from Dragon Oil, Hill and Smith, Morgan Sindall Group and Tomkins, while final numbers are due from United Carpets Group. Central China Goldfields and Tanfield Group host their AGMs.

06/08/10 - Market Comment

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:40:06 +0100

This Morning in London the FTSE-100 opened 35-points higher, as Royal Bank of Scotland wraps up a week of bankers' earnings reports. In the corporate diary today, interim results are also due from Brammer, Catlin Group, Inmarsat, Logica, Old Mutual, PartyGaming, Stanley Gibbons and Tomkins. Whilst Alpha Tiger Property Trust, Carpathian, Majestic Wine, Pathfinder Minerals and Tanzanite One host their AGMs.