News and comment

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Welcome to your on-line financial newsletter. This service is regularly updated to bring you news of important developments in financial matters.


Citywire Investment News

  • Friday Papers: tips and comment
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:53:51 GMT
    Comment on interest rates, BA, Morrison, Michael Page, Balfour Beatty, Optos, Qinetiq, Bellway and Western Oriental and tips for Brit Insurance, Assetco, Intec and Aurelian Oil Gas.

BBC Business News

  • Banks face pressure on rate cut
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:12:45 GMT
    MPs pressure banks to pass on 1% cut in interest rates to customers as HBOS offers only 0.25%.
  • Marston's hit by 'difficult' year
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:48:30 GMT
    Brewer Marston's full year profits fall and the brewer and pub-owner warns of another "difficult year ahead".
  • Crude steady near four-year low
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:25:55 GMT
    Oil prices are steady at almost four-year lows below $44 a barrel as demand continues to be hit by the slowing global economy.
  • China, US pledge $20bn trade aid
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:32:16 GMT
    The two countries pledged $20bn (13.6bn) to help finance global trade, as part of efforts to boost the faltering world economy.

Mortgage News

  • Skipton MD quits
    Thur, 4 Dec 2008 16:07:22 GMT
    Steve Haggerty has unexpectedly quit as managing director of Skipton.
  • Rate cut is good but tough times are ahead
    Thur, 4 Dec 2008 15:30:30 GMT
    Buy-to-let broker Mortgages for Business is warning that while the drop in Bank of England base rate is good news there are still tough times ahead in 2009.
  • Spowart to plead against Lloyds takeover on C4
    Thur, 4 Dec 2008 14:42:12 GMT
    Jim Spowart, the founder of Intelligent Finance, and Scottish National Party MSP Alex Neil will call on HBOS shareholders to vote against the planned Lloyds TSB takeover on Channel Four tonight.
  • A&L pulls tracker range
    Thur, 4 Dec 2008 14:30:10 GMT
    Alliance & Leicester has withdrawn its tracker range following the base rate cut of 1%.

Citywire News


London Stock Exchange News

  • Nikkei '"spooked" by whispers of automakers bankruptcy deal
    Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:50:28 +0000
    Reports that the US car manufacturers General Motors (GM) and Chrysler could accept a pre-arranged bankruptcy in return for a government-funded bailout sparked selling on Asia's markets on Thursday (December 4th), with investors seeking to distance themselves from financial institutions linked to the automakers.
  • "Rapid" deterioration could prompt slash in rates
    Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:40:18 +0000
    The "rapid deterioration" in business conditions experienced since November's interest rate cut could prompt the Bank of England's monetary policy committee (MPC) to once again slash rates later today (December 4th).
  • Wall Street 'retreats on retail news'
    Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:58:56 +0000
    Share prices retreated on Wall Street in early trading on Thursday (December 4th), as declining retail sales, high unemployment and news of more job losses to come reversed the momentum of the markets following two days of gains.
  • MPC decision "bad news" for savers
    Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:16:33 +0000
    The monetary policy committee's (MPC) decision to knock a full percentage point off the base rate of interest is "more bad news for savers", as banks are "all too quick" to pass on the cut in their standard variable rates, an independent analyst has said.

BBC News

  • Global crisis ends Honda F1 dream
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:15:55 GMT
    Japanese car giant Honda is quitting Formula One blaming the world economic crisis and at a cost of 800 jobs to the UK.
  • Banks face pressure on rate cut
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:12:45 GMT
    MPs pressure banks to pass on 1% cut in interest rates to customers as HBOS offers only 0.25%.
  • Marston's hit by 'difficult' year
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:48:30 GMT
    Brewer Marston's full year profits fall and the brewer and pub-owner warns of another "difficult year ahead".
  • Sunderland begin hunt for manager
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:44:51 GMT
    Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn begins the search for a new team boss as Sam Allardyce is installed as the bookmakers favourite.
  • Search on for angler swept to sea
    Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:43:44 GMT
    An air and sea search is under way for a fisherman swept out to sea while angling off rocks in the north east of Scotland.

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