Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday
Recent History |
Archives
FINANCIAL TIMES
The Lex Column:
*Fried unions - Given the record of previous monetary unions, the outlook for the euro is not promising.
*Bubble trouble - Bubbles are characterised by inflated values whether its houses or tulips.
*Chinese stock market - As bubbles go, the Chinese “A” share market has a few structural props including a captive audience of mainland investors.
*UK house prices - Property derivative contracts are implying a fall in prices of as much as 10 per cent. Is this unnecessarily gloomy?
*Commodities boom - It is odd when emergency measures to unblock financial markets provide a reason to pile into commodities.
Oil & Gas Review:
*Alaskan oil tax rise sparks BP (BP.) review.
Support Services Feature:
*Technology predators on the prowl - Possible targets could be: - Civica (CIV), Coda (CODA), Axon (AXO), Innovation Group (TIG), Anite (AIE), Dicom (DCM).
Real Estate Feature:
*Ominous signs for students of history – The parallels between the commercial property slump of the early nineties and the current trends.
Further news:
*More funds are bailed out in struggle not to ‘break the buck’.
*Neville Porter counts cost of pitched battle.
*Morgan Stanley’s CICC stake in focus.
*Energy heads the charge on Footsie’s sixth day of gains.
*Cool day for LatAm equities.
THE TIMES
The Business Commentary Column:
*Just look at what Buffett has decided not to invest in - Mr Buffett announced on the evening of Christmas Day that Berkshire Hathaway was paying $4.5-billion for majority control of Marmon Holdings, an industrial conglomerate owned by the Pritzker family of Chicago. Berkshire is no stranger to overseas investments yet chose to snap up an asset in its own backyard just as America is threatened with a severe downturn, possibly a recession.
*On a wing and a prayer (MaxJet (MAXJ), which filed for bankruptcy on Christmas Eve).
*Marbles runs risk on rates - Marbles, the sub-prime credit card operator, is pushing through large increases in its lending rates, even as the base rate falls, risking being accused of fattening up its margins from a vulnerable and captive customer base.
The Business Big Shot Column:
*Helge Amotsbakken.
Feature:
*Will 2008 blow your house price down.
The Tempus Column:
*Losses follow those who seek the middle way – Mid-caps tend to have lower exposure to emerging economies.
A Tiddler to Watch:
*Camper & Nichlson Marina Investments (CNMI).
Further news:
*OFCOM studies surge in ‘stealth’ charges.
*South Korea turns to former HSBC (HSBA) chief.
*Sainsbury (SBRY) slides on fears for festive sales.
*Short-closing before the end of the year helped to lift RAB Capital (RAB), one of the significant shareholders in Northern Rock (NRK), 3.5p to 85.5p. One of its big investments, Oxus Gold (OXS), in which RAB holds 29%, gained 5.75p to 45p as shorters closed their positions.
*Talk of a share buyback at Griffin Mining (GFM), as the shares are below where the management believes they should be.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Feature:
*Chinese car makers step up a gear.
Further news:
*London stays top of the bourses.
*Bubbling of oil stocks breaks silence of quiet day.
*Gyrus (GYG) in focus.
THE GUARDIAN
No share news today
THE INDEPENDENT
Feature:
*Brokers predict FTSE-100 will break through 7000 in 2008.
The Outlook Column:
*Some contrarian reasons for optimism.
*Still no case for nationalising Rock (NRK).
The Business Analysis Column:
*Bankers rush to raise Capital.
Further news:
*Amazon (AZZ) looks to diversify after enjoying best Christmas ever.
*Clothing retailers out of fashion with traders.
DAILY MAIL
At a Glance:
*Granby Oil & Gas (GOIL).
Further news:
*Sub-prime bill may top £100-billion mark.
*Traders decide to play it safe.
DAILY EXPRESS
Share Whisper:
*Flotation of US accountancy software firm NetSuite prompts rethink of the valuation of Sage (SGE).
Further news:
*Power giants keep index on positive roll.
DAILY MIRROR
No share news today
THE SUN
No share news today
COMMENT AND BID NEWS
*LSE (LSE) claims top spot for global flotations.
*Japanese stocks will end 2007, a year it sees as so disappointing that the Japanese have branded it with the pictogram for “deception”, as the worst performers of any big equity market and unless there is a miraculous recovery today in the last trading session this year, the Nikkei 225 will end the year down nearly 10%.
*Gold and Treasuries rise on safe-haven buying.
*Huge rate rise looming for sub-prime credit card users.
*Goldman says that Citigroup (CGP) must slash dividend.
*EMI accuses Radiohead after group’s demands for more fell on deaf ears.
*Rio Tinto (RIO) chief calms investors over BHP (BLT) snub as China weighs up deal options.
*News Corp and Apple poised to offer Fox films through iTunes.
*Hopes for New Year rate cut as housing tumbles.
*Credit crisis takes its toll as property market cools.
SOME ITEMS THAT COULD INFLUENCE SHARE PRICES
*The Dow Jones lost 192.08-points to close at 13359.61, the Nasdaq fell 47.62-points to 2676.79, while the S&P lost 21.39-points to 1476.27.
*Labour market prospects sink to 10-year low as credit crisis bites.
*Office property investors hit, as losses in the south-east could reach 26%, with fears that the bottom of the downturn is still to come.
*Christmas Day sees £84-million online spree, according to IMRG.
*The body of the assassinated former Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto has been flown to her home village in Sindh for burial, amid ongoing violence. President Pervez Musharraf appealed for calm after she was killed at an election rally on Thursday.
Compiled in association with HB PLC and WH Ireland Ltd
