Editor's Pick: Markets: The week that was (16-20/11/09)
(PSN.L) Persimmon PLC Buy/Sell
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| Date/Time | Headline | Source |
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| 17-11-09 | AFX UK Focus |
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Daily Telegraph
ALCHEMY TURNS BACK ON ANY NEW DEALS Alchemy has no plans for new investments and is effectively being run down. Alchemy will make only bolt-on additions to existing portfolio companies and no further fund-raising will be sought in the foreseeable future. Observers believe the private equity firm will likely sell off assets and return cash to investors, just as optimism begins to return to the private equity sector. A source at Alchemy said it is currently in "pause-mode", with the decision being made by the management, rather than being forced by investors.
SVG HIGHLIGHTS BRIGHTER OUTLOOK FOR PRIVATE EQUITY SVG Capital has reported a more positive market for asset sales is being enjoyed by private equity firms. SVG's private equity assets, which account for 13 percent of its portfolio, were written up by 55 percent since June, increasing by 26.5 million pounds to 75 million pounds. SVG said in its interim management statement: "We believe that the prospects for realisation activity, particularly for the more mature and defensive investments, are improving."
FORMER OWNERS FACE THRESHERS LIABILITY Punch Taverns and Whitbread could be forced to take over Threshers stores following the collapse of First Quench Retailing -- the group which owned the wine retailer. Punch and Whitbread previously owned First Quench, and although administrator KPMG has yet to quantify how many off licences could be forced into their ownership both companies said they believed the number would not be "material". KPMG is believed to have received numerous offers for small groups of stores, with a dozen bidders interested in acquiring a larger part of the group. The Independent
LLOYDS TO RESCUE DEBT-LADEN ADMIRAL Lloyds Banking Group is attempting to bring about a financial restructuring of the troubled pubs group Admiral Taverns, which may include a 600 million pound debt-for-equity swap. Although such a deal will not give Lloyds a majority stake in Admiral, it would effectively give it ownership of the company. In order to enable Admiral to continue trading, Lloyds is understood to be considering a pre-pack administration deal which could be unveiled this week. PERSIMMON EXPECTS "HEALTHY" ORDER BOOK Despite warning about the effect that high unemployment and a lack of mortgage availability will have on the property market, the housebuilder Persimmon has reported it has extended its good performance over the summer into the autumn. With the average price of homes reserved since July 1 2009 up six percent to 173,000 pounds, the company expects to retain a "healthy" order book into 2010. Net debt at the firm also fell from 960 million pounds to 399 million pounds during the year to the end of October.
130 STAFF LOSE JOBS AT MEALS-ON-WHEEL FIRM The meals-on-wheels company Flowfood has collapsed with the loss of 130 jobs, after no buyer was willing to come forward for the Leeds-based business. Flowfood worked with seven councils -- Gateshead, Salford, Staffordshire, Milton Keynes, Oxford, St. Helens and East Riding -- to provide food for vulnerable people. Its demise has meant councils have had to fall back on emergency supplies of ready meals. Staffordshire and Milton Keynes councils said they have managed to make alternative arrangements with another supplier. The Guardian SLASHING PUBLIC SPENDING WILL LEAD TO A "ZOMBIE ECONOMY" The general secretary of the TUC, Brendan Barber, has warned against cutting public spending too dramatically at the "Beyond Crisis" conference on how to revitalise the British economy. While allowing that the UK's national debt would have to be reduced in the long-term, Barber said premature action to cut the deficit could result in a slower recovery and a "lost decade" similar to that that experienced by Japan in the 1990s.
MINIDRESSES GIVE A LIFT TO ASOS SALES The online fashion retailer Asos has reported an impressive 112 percent rise in its overseas sales during the six months to September 30 2009, with sales growth in the UK at a relatively mediocre 33 percent. Total first-half profits at the group amounted to 4.4 million pounds, a nine percent rise on the previous year which exceeded market expectations. The chief executive Nick Robertson said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the second half of the year, but warned that demand in Britain for its products is trailing off.
DRINKERS' NEW WORLD SYMPATHY LIFTS PROFITS AT MAJESTIC The wine warehouse chain Majestic Wine has reported a nine percent increase in first-half profits to 6.1 million pounds, with like-for-like sales rising 5.4 percent in the 26 weeks to September 28. The company noted that drinkers have developed a tendency to buy cheaper wines from North America, and Prosecco instead of champagne. Shares in Majestic rose 3.7 percent, and finished the day at 254 pence. The Times
J SAINSBURY DISPUTES REPORT THAT IT IS LOSING MARKET SHARE J Sainsbury has reacted against a report that it is losing customers to its rivals, saying that it had gained share during the 12 weeks to November 1. The normally confidential switching data report was published by The Times on Monday, and showed customers moving to Tesco, Waitrose and Aldi, totalling a loss of about 8.5 million pounds to Sainsbury. TNS Worldpanel, the company responsible for the report, says market share data like this is subject to ebbs and flows and is strategically unimportant.
BA TURNS UP TEMPERATURE ON CABIN CREW British Airways has written a letter to the joint secretaries of Unite, saying it will not tolerate union members promoting strike action at work and would consider pressing criminal charges against anyone found putting stickers on the company's property. It is another sign of the fraught relationship between BA bosses and its workers in advance of the upcoming strike ballot. The company is attempting to cut 4,000 full-time jobs by reducing the number of cabin crew on its flights, a move met with resistance from the union.
Prepared for Reuters by Durrants
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters. More |
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| 17-11-09 | AFX UK Focus |
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Financial Times
GROUP AIMS TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL SECTOR The City of London Corporation is to work with financial services industry "heavy hitters" in launching an umbrella body, to be known as TheCityUK, which will promote the British financial services industry in Brussels, Washington and elsewhere. It will coordinate lobbying by existing trade groups. The organisation will launch next spring and will be chaired by Stuart Popham, senior partner at law firm Clifford Chance. TheCityUK will be funded initially by the City of London Corporation before becoming a non-for-profit organisation supported by membership dues.
MPC MEMBER UPBEAT ON THE ECONOMY According to comments by Andrew Sentance, a member of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee, Britain's economy is probably already out of recession despite official figures that showed economic growth continued to fall during the third quarter of the year. Speaking at the University of London, Sentance said the wider body of evidence -- including indicators tracked by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the CBI's industrial trends survey -- suggested that current output levels were even higher than at similar stages of previous recessions.
SCRAMBLE FOR RISK MANAGERS BOOSTS THEIR PAY According to Interim Partners, a leading provider of financial interim managers, increased demand for interim managers from financial services companies has increased the pay of those specialising in risk and compliance by an average of 50 percent over the past two years, with many now typically earning around 1,500 pounds a day. Jane Hanson, a consultant who advises companies on interim posts, said the shift in power within banks and financial companies from sales staff and traders towards those dealing with credit control, risk and compliance had been given greater urgency following Sir David Walker's report on governance in the financial sector.
LONMIN FEARS STRONG RAND AFTER DEEP LOSS Lonmin, one of the world's biggest platinum producers, said an industry recovery was being hampered by the strength of the South African rand. Shares in the miner rose nine percent to 17.40 pounds on Monday despite the announcement of a 272 million dollar pre-tax loss in the year to September 30, compared to a 779 million dollar profit the previous year. Chief executive Ian Farmer predicted the start of a "gradual improvement" in 2010 as manufacturing in the automobile and technology sectors picks up.
PERSIMMON UPBEAT AS ORDERS SWELL Persimmon said on Monday it has already met sales targets for 2009. The housebuilder also said it has secured 500 million pounds worth of forward orders for 2010, a 50 percent improvement on orders at the same stage last year. Chief executive Mike Farley said interest from first-time buyers had improved on the diminished levels seen over the last 18 months, with 18 percent of sales across the group involving first-time buyers, compared with ten percent last year. Net debt fell from 960 million pounds to 399 million pounds.
MAJESTIC WINE CHEERED BY ONLINE SPARKLE Majestic Wine saw a nine percent rise in first-half pre-tax profit to 6.1 million pounds, driven by an 8.9 percent increase in sales to private customers and a 24.6 percent rise in online sales. Majestic used a blog and notices on the Twitter website to attract online customers. Chief executive Steve Lewis said: "We've unleashed the potential of the twenty-somethings in our business, improving the blog written by staff and selling parcels of wine which are too small to send to stores as online exclusives." Shares rose nine pence to 254 pence.
ASOS EXPANDS AND PLAYS DOWN SUPERMARKET THREAT Asos chief executive Nick Robertson has dismissed the potential threat from supermarkets to Asos's online fashion business. Tesco said last month it is aiming to become the number one retailer in the clothing market by volume. Robertson said: "My fashion-loving customers aren't going to be all over the Tesco clothing website." Asos saw international sales rise 161 percent in the seven weeks to November 15. UK growth over the same period was 23 percent, marking a slowdown from the 33 percent growth seen in the first half. Shares were steady at 413 pence.
TERRA FIRMA WIRITES DOWN EMI VALUE Terra Firma has written off its investment in the music company EMI by 90 percent. The private equity house run by Guy Hands offered to inject more equity into EMI in exchange for Citigroup writing off one billion pounds of its 2.6 billion pound loan to EMI, a proposal that has been rejected by the American bank, resulting in negotiations between the two sides currently being at stalemate. A person close to Citigroup said: "(Mr Hands) is trying to get us to do something that is not economic."
CHI-X PROFILE RAISED IN UK WITH IG LINK IG Group has connected to the equities trading platform Chi-X Europe in a move that will allow ordinary investors access to the fast growing alternative to the London Stock Exchange. IG estimates that the link-up will benefit 80,000 of the spread betting group's 133,000 customers. IG is to also connect to the Turquoise trading platform and is to offer customers "smart order routing", a technology that compares and finds the best prices across various trading platforms.
INVESCO PERPETUAL LAUNCHES SPLIT CAP Invesco Perpetual has launched a new split cap investment trust in response to demand from investors for investments that are taxed as capital gains rather than investments. The new Dual Return Trust is to be structured along the same lines as the original split capital funds of the 1960s, rather than more complex versions in which many investors lost money in the early 2000s. Invesco aims to raise 75 million pounds through the fund this year, with a further 50 million pound tranche planned for early 2010.
Prepared for Reuters by Durrants
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters. More |
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| 16-11-09 | RNS |
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This news article is displayed preformatted as it may contain results tables
RNS Number : 5657C Persimmon PLC 16 November 2009 Persimmon Plc - Block Listings Following the release of the six monthly block listing returns dated 11 November 2009 for its various share schemes, Persimmon Plc announces that there are no options remaining under the following schemes:- Persimmon Plc Long Term Incentive Plan 1998 Beazer Group Discretionary Share Option Scheme 1994 Beazer Homes Sharesave Scheme 1994 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange END BLRBFBTTMMTBBPL More |
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| 16-11-09 | RNS |
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This news article is displayed preformatted as it may contain results tables
RNS Number : 5646C Persimmon PLC 16 November 2009 BLOCK LISTING SIX MONTHLY RETURN Information provided on this form must be typed or printed electronically and provided to an ris. Date: 11 November 2009 Name of applicant: Persimmon Plc Name of scheme: 1997 Share Option Plan Period of return: From: 12/05/09 To: 11/11/09 Balance of unallotted securities under scheme(s) from previous return: 40,900 Plus: The amount by which the block scheme(s) has been increased since the date of the 0 last return (if any increase has been applied for): Less: Number of securities issued/allotted under scheme(s) during period (see 0 LR3.5.7G): Equals: Balance under scheme(s) not yet issued/allotted at end of period: 40,900 Name of contact: Miss S Hickman Telephone number of contact: 01904 642199 BLOCK LISTING SIX MONTHLY RETURN Information provided on this form must be typed or printed electronically and provided to an ris. Date: 11 November 2009 Name of applicant: Persimmon Plc Name of scheme: 1997 Share Option Scheme Period of return: From: 12/05/09 To: 11/11/09 Balance of unallotted securities under scheme(s) from previous return: 183,750 Plus: The amount by which the block scheme(s) has been increased since the date of 0 the last return (if any increase has been applied for): Less: Number of securities issued/allotted under scheme(s) during period (see 0 LR3.5.7G): Equals: Balance under scheme(s) not yet issued/allotted at end of period: 183,750 Name of contact: Miss S Hickman Telephone number of contact: 01904 642199 BLOCK LISTING SIX MONTHLY RETURN Information provided on this form must be typed or printed electronically and provided to an ris. Date: 11 November 2009 Name of applicant: Persimmon Plc Name of scheme: 1998 SAYE Period of return: From: 12/05/09 To: 11/11/09 Balance of unallotted securities under scheme(s) from previous return: 403,233 Plus: The amount by which the block scheme(s) has been increased since the date of the 0 last return (if any increase has been applied for): Less: Number of securities issued/allotted under scheme(s) during period (see 0 LR3.5.7G): Equals: Balance under scheme(s) not yet issued/allotted at end of period: 403,233 Name of contact: Miss S Hickman Telephone number of contact: 01904 642199 BLOCK LISTING SIX MONTHLY RETURN Information provided on this form must be typed or printed electronically and provided to an ris. Date: 12 November 2009 Name of applicant: Persimmon Plc Name of scheme: The Westbury 1995 Executive Share Option Scheme Period of return: From: 12/05/09 To: 11/11/09 Balance of unallotted securities under scheme(s) from 10,660 previous return: Plus: The amount by which the block scheme(s) has been 0 increased since the date of the last return (if any increase has been applied for): Less: Number of securities issued/allotted under scheme(s) 0 during period (see LR3.5.7G): Equals: Balance under scheme(s) not yet issued/allotted at 10,660 end of period: Name of contact: Miss S Hickman Telephone number of contact: 01904 642199 BLOCK LISTING SIX MONTHLY RETURN Information provided on this form must be typed or printed electronically and provided to an ris. Date: 11 November 2009-11-11 Name of applicant: Persimmon Plc Name of scheme: LTIP Period of return: From: 12/05/09 To: 11/11/09 Balance of unallotted securities under scheme(s) from previous return: 140,382 Plus: The amount by which the block scheme(s) has been increased since the date of the 0 last return (if any increase has been applied for): Less: Number of securities issued/allotted under scheme(s) during period (see 0 LR3.5.7G): Equals: Balance under scheme(s) not yet issued/allotted at end of period: 140,382 Name of contact: Miss S Hickman Telephone number of contact: 01904 642199 BLOCK LISTING SIX MONTHLY RETURN Information provided on this form must be typed or printed electronically and provided to an ris. Date: 11 November 2009 Name of applicant: Persimmon Plc Name of scheme: Beazer Group Sharesave Scheme 1994 Period of return: From: 12/05/09 To: 11/11/09 Balance of unallotted securities under scheme(s) from previous return: 33,661 Plus: The amount by which the block scheme(s) has been increased since 0 the date of the last return (if any increase has been applied for): Less: Number of securities issued/allotted under scheme(s) during 0 period (see LR3.5.7G): Equals: Balance under scheme(s) not yet issued/allotted at end of 33,661 period: Name of contact: Miss S Hickman Telephone number of contact: 01904 642199 BLOCK LISTING SIX MONTHLY RETURN Information provided on this form must be typed or printed electronically and provided to an ris. Date: 11 November 2009 Name of applicant: Persimmon Plc Name of scheme: Beazer Group Discretionary Share Option Scheme 1994 Period of return: From: 12/05/09 To: 11/11/09 Balance of unallotted securities under scheme(s) from 22,083 previous return: Plus: The amount by which the block scheme(s) has been 0 increased since the date of the last return (if any increase has been applied for): Less: Number of securities issued/allotted under 0 scheme(s) during period (see LR3.5.7G): Equals: Balance under scheme(s) not yet 22,083 issued/allotted at end of period: Name of contact: Miss S Hickman Telephone number of contact: 01904 642199 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange END BLRBFBTTMMTBBJL More |
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| Fri 10:00 | ||||
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The worst of the UK housing market downturn was in the final quarter of 2008. As
has been clear in UK mortgage approval and housing transaction figures, activity levels have recovered a good deal since then. Although nowhere near as timely as the aforementioned data series, housing start figures confirm this recovery. Official figures from the UK's Department for Communities and Local Government indicate that English housing starts, seasonally adjusted, recovered from just 16,210 in Q4 2008 to 25,820 in the third quarter of this year (Q1: 18,350; Q2: 21,840). That said, while inflection points are crucial, there is no doubt that English housing starts have still some way to go before they return to historic averages. English housing starts on a seasonally adjusted basis have typically ranged 35,000-45,000 per quarter. But the trend is definitely positive. Housing starts in Q3 were 16% better than Q3 2008, the first quarter of year-on-year growth since Q3 2007. Mirroring the third consecutive quarter of sequential growth in housing starts, there are definite signs that the publicly quoted housebuilders have begun to ramp up activity. Further down the chain, the product manufacturers and distributors should feel the benefit from a recovery in housing starts during 2010. More | View thread (1) | Respond | Login to Vote up | Login to Vote down |
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| Wed 21:30 | ||||
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I sold out a while ago and have been regretting it ever since. A small drop Thursday and I am back in for the long haul!
More | View thread (1) | Respond | Login to Vote up | Login to Vote down |
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| Mon 15:33 | ||||
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Nice update today.
Good God..can you believe, the world in not ending after all lol! Margins creeping up and debt been paid down big time. You cannot beat it. And no rights issue! More | View thread (4) | Respond | Login to Vote up | Login to Vote down |
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| Mon 12:08 | ||||
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Suey, I don't think the posts you mentioned have dissappeared....
I think you posted them on TW board, not on PSN. Forgive me if I'm wrong. More | View thread (2) | Respond | Login to Vote up | Login to Vote down |
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