Financial News

By Mark Potter LONDON (Reuters) - Alliance Boots, created from the merger of Boots and drugs wholesaler Alliance Unichem in July, said on Thursday that trading and its integration were both going to plan. The firm (AB.L: Quote, Profile, Research) , which runs about 3,000 pharmacies and fills about one in five European prescriptions, also said it had won a contract with Pfizer (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world's biggest drugmaker, to be its sole UK distributor of prescription medici ...

LONDON (Dow Jones) -- The London Stock Exchange on Thursday predicted it would post an "excellent" performance for the year on the back of continued growth in electronic trading and a sharp jump in the value of new issues for the last five months. The LSE, which is a takeover target for the Nasdaq Stock Market (NDAQ) , said the average daily number of trades on its SETS electronic order book ro ...

By Michael Taylor LONDON (Reuters) - The FTSE opened higher on Thursday, supported by mining and oil stocks, as traders reacted positively to renewed U.S. confidence following a near record-breaking high on Wall Street on Wednesday. Oil and gas producers topped the gainers, with BP (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research) up 0.95 percent, Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile, Research) up 0.75 percent, and BG Group (BG.L: Quote, Profile, Research) up 0.54 percent. Dana Petroleum (DNX.L: Quote ...

By Mark Potter LONDON (Reuters) - Alliance Boots (AB.L: Quote, Profile, Research) , created from the merger of chemist chain Boots and drugs wholesaler Alliance Unichem in July, said on Thursday that trading and its integration were both going to plan. The firm, which runs about 3,000 pharmacies and fills about one in five European prescriptions, also said it had won a contract with Pfizer Inc (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world's biggest drugmaker, to be its sole UK distributor of p ...

This is Money28 September 2006 The heatwave helped boost High Street giant Boots as shoppers snapped up suncream and stocked up on cosmetics and perfume for summer socialising. SUNBAKED: The summer heatwave helped boost Boots' profits as shoppers stocked up on suncream WANT TO KNOW MORE? REPORT: Merged Boots kicks off cost-cutting READER SERVICE: Company reports TIPS & TACTICS: Share tips OTHER STORIES Capital owner gears up for push Market report: Thursday 09: ...

Geoff Foster, Daily Mail28 September 2006 Insurance giant Prudential had tongues wagging again as it advanced 11p to 637p on revived takeover talk. Speculation has been rife that Britain's biggest insurer Aviva (3½ easier at 777½p),2p which in March decided not to proceed with a £17bn merger with the Pru, would try again when its regulatory handcuffs were removed on Septemb ...

This is Money28 September 2006 Capital Radio and Classic FM owner GCap Media said it had recovered from a 'particularly difficult' July and was preparing a major marketing push. ON AIR: Johnny Vaughan presents Capital's flagship breakfast show WANT TO KNOW MORE? REPORT: Capital Radio takes a World Cup kicking READER SERVICE: Company reports TIPS & TACTICS: Share tips OTHER STORIES Market report: Thursday 09:15 Life's a gas for energy minnow Royal & ...

(Adds detail, background) LONDON (AFX) - Long-running bid target the London Stock Exchange Group PLC said it is set to deliver an "excellent" full year trading performance, buoyed by sustained strong growth in equity trading volumes. The LSE said the daily average number of deals on its SETS electronic trading platform stood at 315,000 in the five months to Aug 31, an increase of 58 pc ...

SYDNEY (XFN-ASIA) - Lottery operator Tattersall's Ltd said it has decided to not to bid for the license to run the UK National Lottery from Feb 2009. Tattersall's said it decided not to submit an application after a careful review of the basis on which a bid will be required to be made under the UK Government's invitation to apply for the license. Tattersall's has just completed the 1.7 bln aud  ...

The group, which last month agreed to be taken over by a consortium led by Icelandic investment firm Baugur for £351m, said promotional efforts and easier comparisons with a year ago meant like-for-like sales lifted 3.3 per cent in the past eight weeks. The figure showed a decline of 2.5 per cent in the 26 weeks to July 29, as House of Fraser battled against tough trading conditions. Investment in ...