Date: Friday 18 Jun 2010
London's blue chips have risen for the past seven days and started higher again this morning.BP is higher despite the eight-hour verbal assault for chief executive Tony Hayward from US politicians yesterday. Hayward was up in front of a US Congressional Committee to explain how the Gulf of Mexico catastrophe arose. He didn't, driving his already angry interrogators even more irate in the process.
They accused the oil man of ignoring the risks his company was taking drilling a mile down in the Gulf of Mexico.
There was "not a single e-mail or document that you paid even the slightest attention to the dangers at this well," Henry Waxman, joint chairman of the House committee on energy and commerce, told a subdued Hayward Thursday. Hayward did say he was “deeply sorry” for the spill, the worst environmental disaster in US history.
Spain’s Santander has confirmed that it has entered a bid for about 300 high street branches being sold by the Royal Bank of Scotland. The banking giant didn’t comment on any financial details, but market speculation earlier this week suggest a deal could be worth about £1.8bn.
Elsewhere, Capita and Serco are subdued on news yesterday that the new government has put the brakes on £11.5bn of projects casting doubts on growth prospects for two of public sector's favourite outsource companies.
BT is also lower on reports it faces a long-drawn out strike with its blue-collar workers.
Engineering services group Lamprell has secured a $129m new contract from Seajacks for the design and construction of a Gusto MSC NG-5500 design self-elevating and self-propelled offshore wind turbine installation vessel. The vessel, named "Seajacks Zaratan", will be constructed at Lamprell's Hamriyah facility and is due to be delivered in 2012.
Fund manager Henderson has scrapped its planned acquisition of fund boutiques run by US asset manager RidgeWorth Capital Management after failing to agree terms with owner SunTrust Banks. The £1bn UK firm said discussions “have been discontinued as the parties have not reached agreement on terms”.
Blue-collar recruitment and training specialist Staffline now expects earnings for both the first half and full financial year to be significantly ahead of current expectations. The company upped its forecasts thanks to a number of new business wins and the impact of recent acquisitions together with increased demand from existing clients.
Giant TV screen renter Avesco halved interim loses and expects to make a trading profit for the full year buoyed by orders for the World Cup and World Expo in Shanghai.
Kazakhstan-focused oil explorer Roxi has firmed up its estimate of reserves at its main Galaz prospect. Estimates for total gross proved recoverable oil reserves on the NW Konys field are 2.4m barrels, total proved plus probable are 7.5m barrels while there are 10.9m barrels including possible reserves.
British wireless communications technology firm Innovision Research & Technologyhas been snapped up by American giant Broadcom Corporation for £32m, almost twice its value yesterday evening. The AIM-listed company’s shareholders will get 35p in cash for each Innovision share compared with a closing price of just 19p when the stock market closed on Thursday, an 84% premium.FTSE 100 - Risers
BP (BP.) 368.95p +2.57%
Aviva (AV.) 356.00p +2.24%
Fresnillo (FRES) 1,039.00p +1.37%
Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 47.28p +1.24%
Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CW.) 91.65p +1.21%
Randgold Resources (RRS) 6,325.00p +1.20%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Capita Group (CPI) 787.00p -1.56%
BT Group (BT.A) 138.40p -0.86%
HSBC Holdings (HSBA) 646.40p -0.39%
Wolseley (WOS) 1,568.00p -0.38%
Shire Plc (SHP) 1,447.00p -0.34%
Inmarsat (ISAT) 757.50p -0.33%
FTSE 250 - Risers
Lamprell (LAM) 218.90p +4.99%
Melrose Resources (MRS) 280.20p +3.78%
Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP) 382.90p +2.93%
Yell Group (YELL) 30.84p +2.80%
Grainger (GRI) 115.00p +2.59%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
Victrex (VCT) 1,146.00p -2.47%
Bankers Inv Trust (BNKR) 356.60p -1.76%
Hansteen Holdings (HSTN) 66.80p -1.76%
Moneysupermarket.com (MONY) 72.25p -1.50%
Rathbone Brothers (RAT) 822.50p -1.50%
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