Reuters Stocks & Shares
Should Rwanda rights concerns worry investors?
LONDON (Reuters) - Rwandan President Paul Kagame might be able to clamp down on dissent ahead of elections without much immediate donor or economic impact, but it could bring longer term investment risks.
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Oil companies more cautious on storms after Gulf spill
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Heightened caution following the BP oil spill is prompting oil and gas producers in the Gulf of Mexico to shut more production faster as storms threaten, exacerbating energy price volatility this hurricane season.
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ECB seen holding rates steady well into next year
LONDON (Reuters) - The European Central Bank will likely wait until late 2011 before hiking interest rates, according to a Reuters poll of over 70 economists who stayed cautious in July despite some encouraging economic data.
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Credit investors see bargains among Europe banks
LONDON (Reuters) - Credit investors see opportunities among Europe's banks, which offer attractive long-term plays versus other asset classes despite doubts over the rigour of stress tests on the sector.
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Goldman Sachs still under a microscope
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs has put SEC civil fraud charges to rest, but a host of regulators and lawmakers are still on its trail, leaving the firm with headaches as it tries to move on.
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Brazil's economic "mini-bubble" is deflating
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A short-lived "mini-bubble" in Brazil's economy appears to be deflating faster than most investors had anticipated.
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News Corp could walk away from BSkyB
LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Another record earnings report from satellite broadcaster BSkyB later this week will likely widen the gap between would-be buyer Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and BSkyB's other investors.
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Oil price to average $79.44 a barrel in 2010
LONDON (Reuters) - U.S crude oil is expected to average $79.44 a barrel in 2010, a Reuters poll showed on Monday, a slight decline from the June poll and the third consecutive lower monthly forecast.
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Coalition wins plaudits, but real tests to come
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's first coalition government since World War Two has managed to reassure markets and maintain public support with intial steps to tackle a huge budget deficit, but the true tests are still to come.
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Pound to push higher on UK economic view
LONDON (Reuters) - Sterling is poised to build on its broad rally as investors speculate that fiscal and economic conditions in Britain will improve faster than in the euro zone or the United States.
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Pound to push higher on economic, fiscal view
LONDON (Reuters) - The pound is poised to build on its broad rally as investors speculate that fiscal and economic conditions in Britain will improve faster than in the euro zone or the United States.
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UK firms to enjoy cash boost from pension changes
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's plans to change the rate at which private-sector pensions are indexed for inflation could erase company pension deficits and free up cash for growth or higher returns to shareholders.
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Big crops tip sugar market into 2010/11 surplus
LONDON (Reuters) - Bountiful supply of sugar from major producers India and Brazil is seen tipping the global market into surplus for 2010/11, and analysts slashed price forecasts made early this year, a Reuters poll showed on Friday.
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Metro Bank eyes 5-10 pct of London market
LONDON (Reuters) - Metro Bank, which will be Britain's first new High Street lender to launch in more than 100 years, has a long-term goal to grab up to 10 percent of the capital's retail and commercial banking market.
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Defense contractors face new cost climate
FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Unprecedented interest from Asia and the Middle East was good news for U.S. defense contractors at this year's Farnborough Airshow, but the industry's biggest players remain under mounting pressure to revamp their portfolios and boost earnings.
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Stress tests no quick fix for interbank lending
LONDON (Reuters) - European stress test results could reduce funding costs for some banks but the need to rebuild credit lines could mean lending does not pick up significantly for some time.
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Farnborough Airshow underlines geopolitical shift from West
FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - If you want to see the shift in geopolitical and military clout from Western powers towards their growing emerging rivals, look no further than the sales stands of this year's Farnborough air show.
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UK bank levy may be cut post-consultation
LONDON (Reuters) - The UK government's bank levy could be cut following a forthcoming three-month consultation period with the banking sector, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters Breakingviews.
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Wary Europeans hold off on big home improvements
LONDON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Two of Europe's biggest home improvement retailers reported falling sales on Thursday as many consumers shy away from costly revamps to kitchens and bathrooms following government austerity measures.
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Bank pay guarantees under spotlight as hiring returns
HONG KONG/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investment banks are once again luring top rival talent with generous guaranteed pay packages that may convince a top banker to jump ship, while also inviting scrutiny from regulators across the globe.
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Bund poised to rally to 134, US economy may be catalyst
LONDON (Reuters) - It could take a major economic news event to push the euro zone's bellwether bond contract out of its tight trading range, but technical analysis suggests the eventual break will take Bund prices higher.
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West Africa is iron ore's new frontier
DAKAR (Reuters) - Restive West Africa will attract even more investment in its iron ore deposits than the billions of dollars already committed this year, as resources firms race to dig mines to meet demand from steel mills.
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Cocoa rumpus raises chance of commodities crackdown
LONDON (Reuters) - Accusations of excessive speculation in London's cocoa market have come at the worst possible time for the NYSE Liffe exchange, and could lead to the introduction of tougher rules, lawyers and analysts said.
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Private capital set to transform sovereign wealth funds
LONDON (Reuters) - A curious trend is developing among powerful sovereign and state-backed investment funds: despite being super rich in mainly oil-generated wealth, they are tapping the private sector for more capital.
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Dubai World restructuring could trigger Gulf gains
LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) - Pivotal talks this week on restructuring the debts of Dubai World could be a trigger for investors to return to the Gulf region, under a cloud since the state firm suspended bond payments last year.
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Reuters Business News
Vodafone, TalkTalk sign tie-up deal - report
LONDON (Reuters) - Internet and phone provider TalkTalk has signed a deal with Vodafone to launch a mobile phone service under its own brand, the Times reported on Friday.
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Global body proposes rule to end insurer "black box"
LONDON (Reuters) - A global accounting standard setter proposed a new rule for insurers on Friday, aiming to shine a light on a sector criticised by investors for being a "black box" that keeps them in the dark.
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Spending cuts drive consumer morale to 11-month low
LONDON (Reuters) - Consumer morale fell to its lowest in almost a year in July as worries about the impact of government spending cuts drove expectations for the next 12 months to their lowest since the deepest point of the recession.
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Citigroup to pay £48 million to settle SEC charges
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc will pay $75 million (48 million pounds) to settle charges that it failed to disclose subprime exposure to investors in 2007, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Thursday.
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EU court rules AB InBev cannot trademark "Budweiser"
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's top court ruled on Thursday that Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB-InBev) may not register "Budweiser" as a trademark in the bloc, ending a 14-year legal battle over the name with a Czech brewer.
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Ex-Bayer whistleblower says fired over data
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former employee of Bayer AG has sued Germany's largest drugmaker, accusing it of wrongfully firing him in retaliation for his refusal to falsify data.
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Exxon, Shell quarterly profits soar
LONDON/HOUSTON (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil's quarterly profit jumped 85 percent on surging oil prices and a big rise in refining margins, while Royal Dutch Shell Plc's profits rose 34 percent.
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Frank talk from Cameron shakes up British diplomacy
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed a plain-speaking streak during a tour of Turkey and India that raises questions over whether it is down to youthful inexperience or a bold new approach to diplomacy.
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FTSE lower as weak banks offset upbeat UK results
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top shares closed easier on Thursday as a retreat from banks and investor caution ahead of U.S. growth data on Friday offset a batch of robust UK corporate earnings from companies including AstraZeneca.
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Customers intrigued by new bank Metro
LONDON (Reuters) - Metro Bank, Britain's first new high street retail bank in more than 100 years, opened its doors to customers on Thursday, hoping to break into a sector whose reputation has been damaged by the credit crisis.
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Soft mortgage data point to housing market weakness
LONDON (Reuters) - Mortgage approvals fell more than expected in June and overall lending stalled, Bank of England figures showed on Thursday, suggesting the housing market will continue to soften in the coming months.
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Shell Q2 profits double as overhaul beats targets
LONDON (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc said second-quarter current cost of supply (CCS) net income jumped 94 percent to $4.53 billion (2.9 billion pounds) thanks to a strong operating environment and a speedy restructuring of the group.
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Bank to tread cautiously in face of budget cuts - Reuters poll
LONDON (Reuters) - Severe budget cuts and the possibility of slower growth ahead will force the Bank of England to wait until the second quarter of 2011 to raise interest rates, according to a Reuters poll of 61 economists.
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Wary fund managers swap stocks for cash - Reuters poll
LONDON (Reuters) - Fund managers sought out the security of cash and bonds while equities remained out of favour in July, reflecting worries about the strength of the global economic recovery, according to a Reuters poll.
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BT upbeat on government spending cuts, holds view
LONDON (Reuters) - Telecoms provider BT said it did not expect to be overly damaged by looming British spending cuts and repeated its full-year outlook, shrugging off recent downbeat remarks from a rival.
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AstraZeneca doubles buyback as Brilinta shines
LONDON (Reuters) - AstraZeneca doubled its 2010 share buyback programme on Thursday, after posting strong results and winning an endorsement from a U.S. advisory panel for its potential blockbuster heart drug Brilinta.
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After crisis, firms fuel spark of European optimism
PARIS (Reuters) - A string of Europe's largest firms issued surprisingly upbeat profit reports on Thursday, bolstering an abrupt renewal of investor confidence in the region after months of debt turmoil and fears for the euro.
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FSA eyes tougher rules on bonuses
LONDON (Reuters) - The Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulator is planning tougher curbs on bankers' bonuses following plans by the European Union to clamp down on remuneration in the sector following the credit crisis.
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PartyGaming and Austria's bwin in tie-up
LONDON (Reuters) - Internet betting firm PartyGaming has agreed to a reverse takeover of Austrian rival bwin in a $3.3 billion (2.1 billion pounds) deal that will create the world's largest online gaming business.
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Vodafone Essar IPO plans at initial stage - Essar CEO
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Plans for an initial public offering by the Indian telecoms venture between Britain's Vodafone and Essar Group are in initial stages, with both partners set to discuss options before making a final decision.
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BAE and Rolls profits boosted by services growth
LONDON (Reuters) - BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce reported higher first-half profit, driven by growing services revenues, and said tight cost controls and demand from emerging markets would help deliver further growth.
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Cash-strapped Connaught agrees short-term funding
LONDON (Reuters) - Connaught agreed a short-term overdraft facility and deferral of loan payments with its banks, giving the cash-strapped social housing provider a reprieve as it reviews trading prospects.
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Osborne says no deal on rates with Bank
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The government has not stitched up any deal with the Bank of England to keep interest rates low but thinks the best way to stimulate the economy is through monetary policy, Chancellor George Osborne told Reuters on Thursday.
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AstraZeneca doubles buyback as Brilinta shines
LONDON (Reuters) - AstraZeneca doubled its 2010 share buyback programme on Thursday, after posting strong results and winning an endorsement from a U.S. advisory panel for its potential blockbuster heart drug Brilinta.
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Spain drags and Brazil sparkles in Santander H1 results
MADRID (Reuters) - The euro zone's largest bank, Santander , reported record profits at its Brazilian business on Thursday, against declines in home market Spain which is tentatively emerging from a grim recession.
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