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March 2012 UK Share Price and Stock Market News Archive
Archived Daily Share Price/ Stock Market News...
RIM reports125 million dollar loss
30 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: RIM reports125 million dollar loss
As reported by the BBC, Blackberry maker Research in Motion (RIM) has annouced a quarterly loss, blaming it in part to lower revenues from weak smartphone shipments.
The Canadian firm made a $125 million (£78 million) lossfor the three months leading up to March 3, compared to a profit of $934 million one year earlier. Revenues have...
Foxconn owner to purchase stake in struggling Sharp
30 Mar at 9 AMStory Link: Foxconn owner to purchase stake in struggling Sharp
As reported by the BBC, the owner Foxconn, Hon Hai Group, has announced plans to invest 133 billion yen ($1.6 billipn; £1 billion) in electronics maker Sharp. The deal is expected to boost Sharp's LCD sector, which has been experiencing losses.
The tie-in comes as the firm confronts stiff competition from Taiwanese and Chinese companies....
Wolseley profits from US economic growth
28 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Wolseley profits from US economic growth
As reported by the BBC, heating and building materials firm Wolseley has watched profits rise by 28%. The company announced pre-tax profits of £250 million for the six months leading to January 31, a jump from £195 million during the same period the year before.
The firm, which owns Bathstore and Plumb Center in Britain and Ferguson in...
US stocks up on Bernanke comments
27 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: US stocks up on Bernanke comments
As reported by the BBC, US stocks ended higher after Ben Bernanke, US Federal Reserve chairman, hinted that the central bank would maintain its supportive monetary policy.
Bernanke told economists in Virginia that the job market was still weak despite strong hiring for three months. The Fed must "remain cautious", said the bank...
Fedex shares drop as firm cautions over weaker outlook
26 Mar at 4 PMStory Link: Fedex shares drop as firm cautions over weaker outlook
As reported by the BBC, Fedex shares dropped 4% after the firm said its financial recovery is not as positive as it had initially hoped. The delivery company giant said that rising fuel costs were prompting customers to send goods via land rather airfreight.
However, the company showed a strong performance during the third quarter,...
Randgold Resources shares drop after Mali coup
23 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Randgold Resources shares drop after Mali coup
As reported by the BBC, Randgold Resources shares have dropped nearly 13 percent following Mali’s military coup. The firm has three gold mines in the country, which account for the majority of its gold production. The firm says operations at Gounkoto and Loulo, as well as its Morila joint venture, are running normally.
Renegade soldiers...
Gem Diamonds profits tripled in 2011
22 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Gem Diamonds profits tripled in 2011
As reported by the BBC, Gem Diamonds announced that strong demand and production rises helped triple profits, making 2011 an "exceptional year". The London-based diamond producer said manufacturing at its Letseng mine, located in Lesotho, aided the increase.
The firm said it was still working on expanding its mining operations in...
Eurozone crisis affects Metro profits
21 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Eurozone crisis affects Metro profits
As reported by the BBC, German retail giant Metro has announced a sharp drop in profits, as European consumers cut back on spending in the thick of the economic crisis.
Net profits dropped 26% to 631 million euros ($833 million; £525 million) in 2011. No improvement is expected this year, said Metro.
The firm had previously hoped to...
Apple to buy back shares and pay dividend
20 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Apple to buy back shares and pay dividend
As reported by the BBC, Apple has announced its plans to start paying shareholders a dividend to buy back many of its shares. The tech giant stated that it would offer a quarterly dividend to investors of $2.65 per share.
The firm will purchase up to $10 billion (£6.3 billion) of its own shares during the next financial year, starting on...
Air Berlin saw losses in 2011
19 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Air Berlin saw losses in 2011
As reported by the BBC, Germany's second biggest airline, Air Berlin, reported bigger-than-expected losses in 2011 as it maintains its efforts to downsize.
The budget airline revealed a net loss of 271.8 million euros ($322 million; £205 million) for 2011. The carrier saw a loss of 97.2 million euros in 2010.
Air Berlin has blamed its...
Libya re launches stock exchange
16 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Libya re launches stock exchange
As reported by the BBC, Libya has re-launched its stock exchange for the first time since Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's regime fell. The exchange includes 10 firms, while the first day of trade was worth 3.9 billion Libyan dinars ($3 billion; £2 billion), said its general manager.
Nearly all the nation’s publicly traded companies are...
HK Cathay Pacific profits plunge 61 percent
15 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: HK Cathay Pacific profits plunge 61 percent
As reported by the BBC, Cathay Pacific’s profits have dropped 61% from one year earlier, as world economic uncertainty has hit cargo shipment and passenger travel demands.
The airline generated 5.5 billion Hong Kong dollars ($700 million; £450 million) in 2011, compared to HK$14 billion in 2010, the year when the firm was one of the...
US stock market posts 2012 best day
14 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: US stock market posts 2012 best day
As reported by Reuters, the U.S. stock market has posted its best day for 2012, with JP Morgan Chase & Co bringing on Tuesday's late spark after it announced it would raise its dividend.
The news from JP Morgan preceded the Federal Reserve's announcement of figures from its most recent stress tests of American banks. The majority of...
VW sales may hit record in 2012
13 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: VW sales may hit record in 2012
As reported by the BBC, carmaker Volkswagen has announced that 2012 could be yet another record year, as sales are anticipated to surpass last year’s net total of 8.3 million vehicles. The firm also stated that 2012 profits may match 2011’s, when profits hit 15.8 billion euros ($21.2 billion; £13.4 billion), double its 2010...
Stocks may avoid shrinking
12 Mar at 4 PMStory Link: Stocks may avoid shrinking
According to Reuters, stocks that looked like they would shrink this week, to the surprise of many analysts, did not. With more signs of a growing economy, stocks may be running higher during the upcoming week.
The Standard & Poor's 500 Index saw another positive week last Friday, defying once again calls for a turnaround in five...
Profits fall at Air France-KLM
9 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Profits fall at Air France-KLM
As reported by the BBC, Air France-KLM experienced a loss of 353 million euros in 2011, after a 28-million-euro profit in 2010. It also reported that a soaring fuel expenditure, which went up by 16.3% to 6.4 billion euros, would affect its profits for 2012.
A spokesperson said the economic outlook remained uncertain as the fuel prices...
Stock markets decline with Greek swap fears
8 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Stock markets decline with Greek swap fears
As reported by the BBC, stock markets have dropped sharply with concerns of an impending deadline to secure Greece's financial future in the euro. Investors now have until Thursday to agree to exchange Greek government bonds for debt paying a lower rate, a deal which has helped secure another bailout.
Greece would likely default on its...
BP shares lag post oil spill deal
7 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: BP shares lag post oil spill deal
As reported by Reuters, market shares in BP increased less than many analysts had expected after the oil giant finalised a settlement worth around $7.8 billion with firms and individuals hit by the oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico.
Investors said the legal settlement was generally lived up to expectations, but the reduced legal...
AIG auctions shares in HK AIA Group to repay bailout
6 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: AIG auctions shares in HK AIA Group to repay bailout
As reported by the BBC, US insurance giant AIG, who was bailed out in 2008 by the US government, is auctioning off shares worth $6 billion of the Hong Kong-based AIA Group, in order to help repay its debt to the US government.
AIG is selling 1.7 billion shares for a price range of 27.15-27.50 HK dollars per share, say Bloomberg and...
Price fears cause ONGC share sales to slightly miss target
5 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Price fears cause ONGC share sales to slightly miss target
As reported by the BBC, the Indian government's efforts to sell a 5 per cent share in the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation slightly missed the set target amid fears that stakes were over-priced. It put up for sale 428 million shares at 290 rupees each, expecting to raise 124 billion rupees ($2.5bn; £1.6bn). However, it received offers for...
Gap shares rise 7 per cent after February sales
2 Mar at 6 PMStory Link: Gap shares rise 7 per cent after February sales
As reported by the BBC, shares in clothing company Gap went up 7% after reporting strong sales for February. Abnormally warm weather has persuaded American shoppers and the company said its spring items have been selling very well. With sales growing 12%, the firm’s Banana Republic chain also had a particularly strong month.
After a...
Apple market value exceeds 500bn for first time
1 Mar at 4 PMStory Link: Apple market value exceeds 500bn for first time
As reported by the BBC, Apple's stock market value finished above $500 billion for the first time, solidifying its position as the globe’s most valuable company. Only six American firms have ever reached a value of over $500 billion.
In 2007, oil giant Exxon was worth this much, while Microsoft was temporarily worth $600 billion in...
