Goldman warms to RBSRoyal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is in demand at 234.7p as Goldman Sachs ups its recommendation on the stock from 'neutral' to 'buy'. Adding RBS to its 'Conviction List' the investment bank points to an attractive valuation and opportunities in the domestic mortgage market. (TS)Minoan lands approvalMinoan (MIN:AIM) has been granted presidential land use approval for its...

London stocks decline in quiet trade early on Wednesday as oil prices reverse gains in the previous session. Brent crude falls 1.9% to $37.06 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate drops 2.5% to $36.93 per barrel. A slump in metal prices also drags mining stocks lower, with heavyweights BHP Billiton (BLT), Glencore (GLEN) and Rio Tinto (RIO) all nudging south.The FTSE 100 index falls 40...

BP dividend reliefOil major BP's (BP) third quarter numbers (27 Oct) were taken positively by the market with profit of $1.8 billion down 40% but better than the $1.2 billion pencilled in by analysts. Commitment to the dividend was also welcomed as we previewed (Agenda, Shares, 8 Oct) with the shares currently trading at 387.5p. (TS)Minoan's Greek hopesShares in Minoan (MIN:AIM) leapt 25% on...

London's blue chip index makes modest gains in early trading, rising 3.59 points to 6,673. Several stocks moved higher on positive newsflow, such as ITV (ITV), which climbed 2% to 277p on Liberty Global increasing its stake in the media group to 9.9%.Royal Mail (RMG) finds some buyers after a tough week for the stock which included a claim from regulator Ofcom that it had 'distorted...

European equity outperformance? Pigs might fly.Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain (the PIIGS) are confounding commentators' 2015 predictions with improving economic and stock market performance early in the year.Shares correctly called a rally on European stocks ahead of the European Central Bank's quantitative easing (QE) announcement (22 Jan, ECBonanza). European stock indices in...

Investors raised a glass to Punch Taverns (PUB) today, sending the shares 13% higher to 12p. The leased and tenanted pubs operator made encouraging noises about the long-awaited restructuring of its borrowings as it served up better-than-expected half-year figures.For the half to 2 March, the £70 million cap reported taxable profits of £26.2 million, down on the prior year's £33.3 million...