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Friday 25th of July 2008
January 31, 2007

New York markets gain on Fed decision, other markets see declines

by Elaine Frei
New York markets gain on Fed decision, other markets see declines
In Japan on Wednesday, the Nikkei 225 dropped 0.6 percent to 17,383.42, while the Topix index fell by the same percentage to 1,721.96 as some sectors were hit by profit-taking again. Shippers were also hurt by rising oil prices, while Nikko Cordial was hit by another setback connected to continuing accounting irregularities. In Europe, the ...



UK civil servants strike over privatization, pay issues

by Elaine Frei
Civil servants and state employees in the UK remained away from their jobs on Wednesday over concerns about wages, job cuts, and privatization of government services. The Public and Commercial Services Union said that public services are being disrupted over the Treasury’s determination to cut 100,000 civil service and public sector jobs. Public sector employees are also upset that Chancellor Gordon Brown is insisting that pay raises for ...



UK home repossession up in 2006, expected to rise again in 2007

by Elaine Frei
Home repossessions in the UK are expected to rise in both 2007 and 2008, a result of higher interest rates. This comes after repossessions rose by 65 percent in 2006 over their number in 2005. According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, there were 17,000 repossessions in 2006, a smaller number than the 18,000 that had been anticipated in a December projection. There were more repossessions in the second ...



January 30, 2007

Eurofirst, Wall Street, London markets see gains; Tokyo mixed

by Elaine Frei
Eurofirst, Wall Street, London markets see gains; Tokyo mixed
World equities markets were mixed but mostly higher on Tuesday. Europe, London and Wall Street all saw gains, but the Tokyo markets were mixed. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 was 0.1 percent higher to 17,490.19. The Topix index, however, dropped 0.1 percent to 1,731.60 and the Mothers market of small and mid-caps fell 3.5 percent to ...



Prudential sells Egg to Citigroup

by Elaine Frei
UK insurer Prudential has sold internet bank Egg to Citigroup for £575 million, £375 million less than the value assigned it by Prudential when it bought out minority shareholders a year ago. Prudential decided to sell due to growing losses for Egg. The bank lost £145 million last year, higher than previous estimates. Citigroup purchased the internet bank for 40 percent less than the business had been valued a ...



What Is Adverse Credit Remortgage?

by Brian Turner
Credit has gotten many people into trouble over the last couple of decades. Because of that, there have been many new terms developed in the financial industry. Adverse Credit remortgage is one of those terms. Let’s break it down. Adverse is defined as opposing, or against (let’s just say bad). Credit is the time allowed for payment. Remortgage is the process of paying off one mortgage ...



Motorbike insurance – What to Get and Why

by Brian Turner
Motorbike insurance is not only a smart decision to make, but it’s the law in most countries. How much coverage to get and what kind of coverage it should be often depends on the individual, the motorbike, and the finances that are involved? Liability insurance is the minimum amount of coverage that is normally offered. Like its name implies, this type of policy covers those expenses – outside your ...



Bad Credit Loans Aren’t Always A Good Idea

by Kathyrn Lang
It is possible to get a loan even with a bad credit rating, but is it the best idea? Bad credit loans have a higher interest rate, higher penalties, and cost more in the end than traditional loans. Before choosing to go down the road of a bad credit loan, take evaluate the circumstances surrounding the need. 1) Will the bad credit loan be a bandaid to bad budgeting and spending habits? ...



Bad Credit Loans - Who Makes Them, Who Gets Them

by Kathyrn Lang
Just how bad does credit have to before a loan company refuses a bad credit loan? Have you ever tried this tongue twister? As hard as it is to say, it’s just as hard to answer. The difficulty lies in the fact that the question comes in two parts – the lenders and the borrowers. The Lenders Banks are the most conservative of the lending institutions. These companies have to ...



House price inflation cool at 0.3%

by Brian Turner
The Nationwide has reported that property inflation for January was a cool 0.3%. This represents the lowest growth in property prices for 8 months, and cuts the previous 12 month inflation to 9.3%, down from December's figure of 10.5%. On a three-monthly indicator, prices were running at a growth of 3.3%. The Nationwide attributed recent interest rate rises as a key factor in the cooling, and figures from the Bank of England indicate ...



FSA fines GE Capital over PPI

by Brian Turner
In an ongoing investigation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) over Payment Protection Insurance (PPI), and the possible mis-sale of policies, GE Capital Bank Ltd (GECB) has been fined £610,000. GE Capital mainly provides finance via branded store cards, credit cards and sales finance - including PPI. However, the FSA ruled that GE Capital had failed to "have adequate systems and controls for selling insurance" and for failing to "treat its customers ...



January 29, 2007

US banks mixed on merger news, rumors

by Elaine Frei
US banks mixed on merger news, rumors
New York equities markets were slightly higher on Monday. By midday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1 percent to 12,504.88, while the Nasdaq Composite had gained 0.15 percent to 2,439.12 and the S&P 500 added 0.04 percent to 1,422.71. The banking sector was mixed on mergers news and rumors. First Republic Bank added 40.2 percent to ...



British Airways gains 2.7 percent as strike is averted

by Elaine Frei
British Airways gains 2.7 percent as strike is averted
The London equities markets were mixed on Monday as only 2.5 billion shares traded hands on the session. The FTSE 100 added 0.2 percent to 6,239.9, but the FTSE 250 dropped 0.1 percent to 11,104. In the airlines sector, British Airways added 2.7 percent to 542p as investors were relieved that a threatened 2-day strike by cabin ...



European telecoms decline on Deutsche Telekom profits warning

by Elaine Frei
European telecoms decline on Deutsche Telekom profits warning
In Europe on Monday the FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.3 percent to 1,517.07 on Monday despite declines in the telecommunications sector. Telecoms were lower after Deutsche Telekom issued its second profits warning in six months, citing competition and currency issues. Citigroup lowered its recommendation on the German telecom from “hold” to “sell” and Deutsche Telekon dropped 4 percent ...



Nikkei, Topix each add 0.3 percent

by Elaine Frei
Nikkei, Topix each add 0.3 percent
In Tokyo on Monday the Nikkei 225 and the Topix index each added 0.3 percent on the session, to close at 17,470.46 and 1,733.59 respectively. Export-focused sectors benefited as the yen weakened versus the US dollar. The machinery sector gained 1.4 percent as a whole, with Komatsu ending 3.4 percent higher to ¥2,560. The steel sector gained on the news that ...



Gold, most base metals prices decline

by Elaine Frei
Gold, most base metals prices decline
Profit-taking and doubts among speculators about the potential for crude oil price gains sent prices lower on Monday. Brent crude for March delivery dropped $1.14 to $54.15 per barrel, while March contracts for West Texas Intermediate crude on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell $1 to $54.41 per barrel. Despite predictions of more cold weather in the Northeast United States, ...



January 26, 2007

US internet sector gains on week

by Elaine Frei
US internet sector gains on week
The New York equities markets were lower at midday on Friday and seemed determined to close out the week with losses as well. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.3 percent at mid-session to 12,468.11, down 0.8 percent on the week and even on the year. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.2 percent on the day so far, ...



FTSE 100, 250 both lose on day, gain over week

by Elaine Frei
FTSE 100, 250 both lose on day, gain over week
In London on Friday, the FTSE 100 dropped 0.7 percent to 6,228. This translated to a gain of 0.1 percent for the week. Meanwhile the FTSE 250 was down 0.5 percent on the day to 11,118.6, 0.4 percent higher over the week as a whole. The tobacco sector was higher. BAT added 1.2 percent ...



Nokia adds 7.4 percent on week

by Elaine Frei
Nokia adds 7.4 percent on week
The FTSE Eurofirst 300 ended the week 0.5 percent lower than it began, closing at 1,512.70 on Friday. The declines came after posting a six-year closing high on Wednesday. This is not to say that there were not individual gains on the week. Mobile phone manufacturer Nokia added 7.4 percent on the week to €16.65 on a significant rise ...



Crude prices rise on anticipated demand for heating oil

by Elaine Frei
Crude prices rise on anticipated demand for heating oil
Anticipated demand for heating oil amid forecasts of cold weather in the United States sent crude oil prices up on Friday. One forecast has temperatures in the Northwest and Midwest US remaining below normal for at least a week. March contracts for Brent crude was 78 cents higher to $54.90 per barrel by late afternoon in London, ...