Housebuilders Taylor Wimpey (TW.) and Cairn Homes (CRN) joined the chorus of developers celebrating a strong 2021 thanks to positive demand and price trends.Taylor Wimpey shares added 1.7% to 147p, while Cairn shares were unchanged at 106p.PROFIT BOOSTVolume builder Taylor Wimpey's revenues for 2021 jumped 53% to £4.28 billion while pre-tax profit more than doubled, up 157% to £679.6 million.UK

London shares make steady if unspectacular gains in early trade on Friday with a mixed bag of resources, financials and leisure stocks leading the way. The FTSE 100 index edges around 38 points higher, or 0.6%, to 5,936, lending hopes that UK blue-chips could test 6,000 levels later in the day or perhaps early next week.Miners were in the lens behind Anglo American (AAL) following on from a strong

UK shares barely budge in early trade on Tuesday, failing to make up much of yesterday's lower close, with a string of firming oil and mining, financials and property stocks. This after a mixed Wall Street and Asia overnight, as Europe ekes out mild gains.The benchmark FTSE 100 index nudges barely a point higher 6,035, although investors may turn more positive through the session as they digest hi

It was the takeover that was too good to be true. Investors hoping for a golden Christmas will be sorely disappointed at news that Central Rand Gold (CRND:AIM) has scrappedall takeover talks. The news prompts a 24% collapse in the share price to 2.75p, a far cry from the 54p indicative bid price.The South African miner had been in takeover talks with four different Asian investors who had proposed

London shares make positive moves higher in early trade on Thursday as investors begin to put Greece debt deal talk behind them and focus on future corporate earnings. The benchmark FTSE 100 index rises 36 points, or about 0.54%, to 6,790, gains broadly matched by the midcap FTSE 250 and the wider FTSE All-Share.Investors remain sanguine over a possible enforced break-up of UK telecoms giant BT (B

'Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can't buy what is popular and do well.' Warren Buffett's famous quotation certainly resonates with gold mining equities. Five years ago you couldn't move for every Tom, Dick and Harry talking about the merits of the sector, giving you tips on hot prospects and everyone declaring them

London shares are again on the up in early trade Friday, but only just, as investors hold on to their seats ahead of this weekend's crucial Greece referendum on European bailout proposals. The benchmark FTSE 100 index nudges 10 points, or about 0.15%, at 6,620, with Vodafone (VOD) and Standard Chartered (STAN) heading the Footsie leader board early on, posting 1.8% and 2% increases respectively. G

London shares make advances in early trade on Wednesday, bouncing back after a Greece-inspired sell-off pushed the FTSE 100 to a new five-month low on Tuesday. The benchmark index is up around 50 points at 6,570, while midcaps and the wider market make similar gains.Retailer Sports Direct (SPD) heads the Footsie leader board with a 2.5% gain at 736.5p, while supermarket Sainsbury (SBRY) leads the

London shares begin the week in decline with investors worried about the next euro funding step after the collapse in Greek debt talks hit talks. In early trade Monday the FTSE 100 on track for its lowest finish in three months, sliding 40 points, or 0.5%, to 6,746. Midcaps take an even bigger bashing, the FTSE 250 index plunging more than 100 points, or 0.7%, to 17,822.Budget flyer Easyjet (EZJ)

London markets make sturdy gains ahead of the Bank of England's inflation report, due at 10.30am, with mining and financial stocks making the early running. In early trade on Thursday the FTSE 100 is up around 30 points, or 0.48%, at 6,851, while midcaps make even heftier gains. The FTSE 250 index is roughly 90 points higher at 16,723. Oil prices also make modest ground with WTI crude up 2% to $49

BT and Sky get mobileAs BT (BT.A) confirms (24 Nov) it is in preliminary talks about buying the O2 mobile network speculation is hotting up that Sky (SKY) might also look to expand into the mobile arena. BofA Merrill Lynch notes: 'Sky may fell under greater pressure to offer a quad play by offering mobile'. (TS)NewRiver's got it coveredShopping centre landlord NewRiver Retail's (NRR:AIM) dividend

Ready to flowEnergy supply and micro combined heat and power (mCHP) boiler designer Flowgroup (FLOW:AIM) is believed to be close to having the first units roll off the production line of manufacturing partner Jabil Circuit (JBL:NYSE). First boiler sales are predicted in January ahead of Britain's boiler replacement annual peak. (SFr)Serco story unravelsTroubles persist for FTSE 100 outsourcing gia

London stocks nudge modestly higher in trading on Tuesday, bobbing around levels not seen since late September. The FTSE 100 makes single-digit gains at 6,619 aided by a strong rally by Vodafone (VOD) and in blue-chip property stocks.The UK mobile giant heads the Footsie leader board as interim results show consumers demanding ever more data, helping revenues rise 8.9% to £20.8 billion, marginall

News of a special dividend helps to revive market interest in Aggreko (AKG) which jumps 8.3% to £17.03. The emergency power provider is to pay shareholders 75p per share and analysts are relieved that the outlook for 2014 is not as bad as feared. The market had been worried about a repeat of recent earnings downgrades and the imminent departure of chief executive officer Rupert Soames who is goin

Argos-to-Homebase owner Home Retail (HOME) rises 3% to 207.1p as its third quarter trading update highlights a good Christmas for Argos and drives full-year forecast upgrades. Benefiting from strong sales of tablets, white goods, electrical goods and toys, Argos' like-for-like sales skipped 3.8% higher over the 18 weeks to 4 January. Also fostering positive sentiment is news of the appointment of

After less than two years as chief executive officer, Lance Batchelor has resignedfrom Domino's Pizza (DOM) to take up a job with an undisclosed private equity-backed business. He leaves in April. The market is nervous about potential troubles inside Domino's given that chief financial officer Lee Ginsberg handed in his resignation just five months ago. The shares fall 8.6% to 483.3p.Housebuilder

Investors in Central Rand Gold (CRND:AIM) could soon have a chance to buy shares at a 58% discount to the 21p price at the time of writing. The South African gold producer intends to conduct an open offer at 8.78p. As the fund raising has still to be formerly launched, investors who do not already own the miner can still buy stock to qualify for the cheaper shares.Central Rand Gold needs the cash

A ugly picture of the jobs market was painted by SThree (STHR) as it reported a 9% drop in second-quarter gross profit, far worse than the 3% decline in the first period. Fees are falling from contractors in more mature markets and the banking sector. The service group is also suffering margin compression as it prioritises work for larger multinational clients, where it places greater emphasis on

Cardiff-based cake and bread manufacturer Finsbury Food (FIF: AIM) baked in a 17.2% gain to 51p after announcing the sale of its 'Free From' business for a princely £21 million. This represents two thirds of its market cap.Finsbury says the sale of the business, which produces gluten-free bread and other products and accounted for 14% of group turnover, to Genius Foods transforms a balance sheet.