Greg Secker – U.K. Market update brought to you by Traders University

UK Stock Market Report 7th March 2011

UK markets closed mixed on Friday, as gains in insurers and other stocks, benefited from broker upgrades, were offset by losses in miners and travel stocks. Standard Life, up 2.9%, led insurers higher, after Investec Securities raised its price target and earnings estimates on the stock, ahead of its full-year 2010 results. Among other stocks, Serco Group climbed 4.6%, after Bank of America upgraded the stock to “Buy” from “Neutral”, while IMI gained 1.5%, after various brokers took a positive stance on the stock. However, miners, Anglo American, Kazakhmys and Antofagasta, lost between 0.7% and 1.1%, tracking lower base metal prices. Travel and cruise operator stocks, International Consolidated Airlines Group and Carnival, declined 2.9% and 2.7%, respectively, as crude oil prices surged, following renewed unrest in Libya. FTSE 100 dropped 0.2% to 5,990.4. FTSE 250 gained 0.6% to 11,723.0.

UK Stock Market Report 26th July 2010

The FTSE 100 ended down 1.19 points at 5,312.62.

THE UK economy grew by a higher than expected 1.1 per cent between April and June According to the figures from the Office for National Statistics the construction industry saw its biggest lift since 1963 at 6.6 per cent. The service sector also saw a healthy rise.

This week David Cameron will lead this country’s strongest ever trade mission to India, in a drive to boost cooperation between the UK and one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
Over 50 of the UK’s top business leaders will join the Prime Minister, Chancellor George Osborne, foreign secretary William Hague and business secretary Vince on the trip.
House prices fell for the first time in 15 months in June, according to the monthly Hometrack national housing survey published today. The survey showed that house prices fell by 0.1 per cent last month, trimming the annual increase to 2 per cent, mostly as a result of slumping demand and a flood of properties onto the market. House prices in the capital, which had led the recovery in the property market, saw the biggest monthly decline of 0.2 per cent on the back of a 2.7 per cent drop in demand and 4.5 per cent growth in supply. North and south west London saw the largest falls of 0.5 per cent and 0.6 per cent respectively.

Due for release today
USD  New Home Sales   3.00pm

UK Stock Market Report 22nd June 2010

The FTSE 100 closed down 0.92% at 5,299.

Yesterday, David Cameron’s spokesman stated that Britain needed to move quickly to reduce its budget deficit despite US President Barack Obama’s warning over the perils of withdrawing economic stimulus too quickly. Yesterday, a poll showed that Britons expected the economy to worsen over the next year but are optimistic that the coalition government’s policies will pay off in the long run.  The Reuters/Ipsos MORI poll, released what is expected to be the toughest Budget in a generation, it also showed Prime Minister David Cameron enjoyed an approval rating of 57%. The poll showed that Lib Dem support slipped 5% points to 19% since the election on 6 May, while the Conservatives were up two points at 39%. 40% of those surveyed thought that the economic condition of the country would get worse over the next year.

Due for release today is the EUR German Ifo Business Climate, GBP Annual Budget Release, USD Existing Home Sales and NZD Current Account.