Reuters: Stocks & Shares News

Costly living could kill Europe's consumer revival

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:37:14 +0100

PARIS (Reuters) - After a few years of brisk growth and job creation, Europeans were supposed to feel more secure and start to spend more, reviving consumer demand in the region and reducing its economic dependence on exports.

Threadneedle says get used to $100 oil

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:59:12 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Investors should get used to the idea of living with oil above $100 a barrel and shift some of their asset allocations accordingly, fund firm Threadneedle said on Thursday.

Newspaper round-up

Fri, 16 May 2008 07:01:28 +0100

(Reuters) - BT, ITV and 3i feature in our round-up of Friday's business press.

UK shares among worst performers in Europe

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:19:52 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's stock market has been one of the worst performing in the European Union over the past five years, rising by less than half of the overall average, data shows.

Markets braced for credit turmoil aftershock

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:40:39 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - After six weeks of calm, global financial markets are bracing for one more aftershock from the 9-month old credit crunch.

COLUMN-Europe sails into its own credit crunch

Wed, 14 May 2008 08:32:33 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Europe is next in line to feel the impact from tighter credit, a tough situation for an economy heavily dependent on bank financing.

Pensions fall short on life expectancy

Wed, 14 May 2008 08:42:17 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Some of Britain's top companies have increased pension scheme life expectancy assumptions, adding billion of pounds to their liabilities, but remain way off regulatory guidelines, pension consultancy Mercer said.

Alliance & Leicester may cut dividend by 30 percent

Wed, 14 May 2008 09:10:23 +0100

(Reuters) - Collins Stewart forecast a 30 percent dividend cut at Alliance & Leicester for 2008 and 2009, and said earnings will likely be materially weaker than was previously estimated for the bank due to a 10 percent fall in the mortgage book and a more than 60 percent fall in gross lending.

Banks likely to take another round of writedowns

Wed, 14 May 2008 13:41:00 +0100

(Reuters) - UK banks will likely take another round of writedowns on structured credits, that have until now plagued U.S. securities, as negative equity begins to spread in the housing and mortgage markets, Panmure Gordon & Co said.

House price declines set to continue

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:03:10 +0100

(Reuters) - House prices are set to fall further, putting pressure on the banks to increase their balance sheet provisions due to higher mortgage and unsecured impairments, as well as higher capital needs, Credit Suisse said.