Sharewatch

Market update - 5 December

The FTSE 100 was down 32.67 points at 4130.94 and the FTSE 250 eased to 5792.89, down 8.93 points, at noon.

Inside Sharewatch

Market Report: Friends Provident proves popular on bid talk

Friday, 5 December 2008

Friends Provident was strong last night amid talk of possible bid interest from Resolution, Clive Cowdery's investment vehicle that it is due to list on the London market next week. Citing reports of heavy institutional interest in the IPO, traders speculated that Resolution might secure enough funding to go after Friends.

Investment Column: Michael Page story takes a turn for the worse

Friday, 5 December 2008

Our view: SellShare price: 182p (-11p)Michael Page International, the recruitment group, brought forward its January trading update yesterday to warn the market that its profits would come in at the lower end of forecasts, at around £136m.

Market update - 4 December

Thursday, 4 December 2008

The FTSE 100 was up 15.58 per cent or 4185.54 and the FTSE 250 gained 24.36 points at 5873.3 at 12:16 pm after the Bank of England bowed to calls from the market and reduced the UK’s benchmark interest rate to 2 per cent from 3 per cent.

Investment Column: Numis set to suffer as IPO market dries up

Thursday, 4 December 2008

By Alistair Dawber

Market Report: Rio Tinto slides further amid debt fears

Thursday, 4 December 2008

A number of leading miners fell back following fresh falls in commodities prices last night.

Market update - 3 December

Wednesday, 3 December 2008

The FTSE 100 was down 23.49 points at 4099.37 while the FTSE 250 fell to 5763.95, down 96.44 points, at 11.59am.

Investment Column: Game will suffer as economy turns down

Wednesday, 3 December 2008

Greene King; Park Group

Market Report: RBS soars on back of Merrill's rescue plan

Wednesday, 3 December 2008

Royal Bank of Scotland registered a stellar 16.79 per cent rise last night after the house broker Merrill Lynch suggested a radical restructuring strategy to save the bank, already majority-owned by the British taxpayer, from full nationalisation.

Investment Column: Aberdeen may prove a good asset – when things improve

Tuesday, 2 December 2008

Our view: Cautious holdShare price: 88p (-2p)

Market Report: Morgan Stanley calls time on Punch Taverns

Tuesday, 2 December 2008

Punch Taverns closed down more than 15 per cent after it was suggested that a sharp fall in profits and the resulting covenant breaches might trigger a major restructuring that could leave the stock, worth 106.25p last night, trading at 10p.

More sharewatch: