The FTSE 100 was broadly flat in early trading above the 7,250 mark as investors were not unduly spooked by the air strikes on Syria over the weekend.Activist investor Elliot Advisors is now the largest investor in Costa Coffee-owner Whitbread (WTB) and is pushing for the company to spin-off its coffee chain as it sees little overlap with the rest of the business including hotel group Premier...

London's FTSE 100 edges 2.3 points lower to 7,335.5 on Monday, with fears over a hard Brexit pushing sterling lower against the US dollar and giving a boost to miners including Fresnillo (FRES), up 14p to £14.27, BHP Billiton (BLT), bid up 7.5p to £14.62, Anglo American (AAL), up 1.6% at £13.51 and Randgold Resources (RRS), which puts on 75p at £67.85.Acacia Mining (ACA), one of the...

'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...

Orosur Mining (OMI:AIM) 16.25pGain to date: 32.7%Our trade on junior gold producer Orosur Mining (OMI:AIM) is up by a third in a mere five weeks, so we're banking this excellent profit and closing the long position. As stated in the original article ('buy' at 12.25p, 12 Jun), it was always our intention to get out quick after the first rally. Orosur was clearly undervalued when we highlighted...

Gold producer Orosur Mining (OMI:AIM) is trading on a mere 0.5 times prospective earnings, a rating that suggests the market is pricing the company to go bust. That looks overly pessimistic given the South American small cap is cash generative and profitable.We acknowledge risks with the firm's short mine life, large financing requirements for a new project and low gold grades, yet this is a...

Football pools provider Sportech (SPO) soared 20.1% to 109p in response to news that it has won a battle against the tax man. A court case ruled that Sportech was wrong to have paid VAT on its 'Spot the Ball' game between 1979 and 1996. It will now get £40 million rebate plus interest which should give Sportech at least £80 million cash. Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs has until 30 April to...

Yankee Doodle, America is calling. Aberdeen Asset Management (ADN) has stepped up its expansion in North America with the £112 million acquisition of Artio Global Investors, sending its shares up 2.7% to 427.4p. It is also buying a stake in SVG Advisers for £17.5 million. Artio, which as a net asset value £90 million, deepens Aberdeen's distribution network in the region while adding to its...

Hang SengSELL 23,721 TARGET 21,680 STOP LOSS 23,920As China prepares to enter the Year of the Snake, Hong Kong's equity market looks ready to slip lower after a good run. My price target of 21,680 suggests the benchmark Hang Seng index could slide by at least 9%.After a 31% gain since last June's nadir of 18,186, the Hong Kong market has even brushed aside the 22,625 mark, a site of strong...