FTSE

Debenhams, the leading multi-channel retailer, has reported an increase of 1.4% in its H1 gross transactions, mainly driven by the successful winter sale as well as an encouraging start to the new season.

Ted Baker, the British designer brand, expects to end the season with a clean stock position as it is scheduled to report its 2011 annual results on March 21, 2012.

J Sainsbury, the retailing and financial services and property investment group, expects customers to spend cautiously in 2012, particularly in first half of the year. Although the short term remains challenging, key events later in the year, such as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games provide opportunities for growth.

Mears Group, a holding company engaged in the provision of a range of outsourced services to the public and private sectors, is delivering a strategy that will join its leadership within the developed markets of social housing and care.

Berkeley Group, the residential-led property developer is well placed to double its profits before tax around £220 million by 30 April 2013, two years earlier than originally planned and to enhance the value of its land bank to £3 billion by April 2015.

Debenhams, the seller of fashion clothing, accessories, cosmetics and products, expects to benefit from lower input prices in the H2 of FY 2012. Britain's No. 2 department store group is scheduled to release its H1 trading update on Tuesday.

EMIS Group Plc, the UK's leading supplier of clinical software and related services, has reported a total revenue of £73.2 million for the year ended 31 December 2011, up £61.9 million in 2010 and EPS from continuing operations at 28.71 pence as compared to 23.31 pence in 2010.

Tullow Oil, an independent oil and gas company, announced that it has successfully encountered oil in very good quality sandstone reservoirs in the Enyenra-4A appraisal well, in the Deepwater Tano licence offshore Ghana.

Brady, a commodity risk management software provider, has reported a rise of 72 per cent in its full year revenue to £19.16 million, up from £11.12 million in 2010, including an increase in recurring revenues of 147 per cent to £9.79 million.

SThree, an international staffing business firm has reported that its first quarter gross profit rose 15 percent year on year to £47.7 million, up 12 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Markets jumpy amid fears Greece will fail to secure debt haircut deal with private investors to get another IMF bailout.

Glencore, the supplier of metals, minerals, energy and agriculture products has reported its preliminary 2011 results with revenues for the year ended 31 December 2011 at $186,152 million, a 28% increase compared to $144,978 million in 2010.

WPP, the largest communications services provider, has reported a rise in its full year revenues by 7.4% to £10.022 billion and pre-tax profit of £1.00 billion for the first time

Britain’s FTSE 100 index ended lower 56.40 points or 1 per cent at 5,871.51 on Wednesday, though investors digested the latest second round of a European Central Bank long term liquidity operation.

Using the social media to predict the stock market sentiments is a bizarre task but it is not possible to ascertain the moods or emotions of investors by mining the huge chunk of data sets, especially from Twitter.

Serco, the services group has delivered solid results for the period ended on December 31, 2011. It recorded robust growth in revenues including good organic growth, increased the operating margins and maintained a strong cash generation profile and financing position.

Serco, a FTSE 100 international service company, has been added in the 'Buy' list by all the UK top brokers as it is expected to deliver the full year results in line with expectations on Tuesday, February 28, 2012.

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UK markets brush off latest multibillion eurozone deal to save crisis-hit Greece.

The eurozone debt crisis is back in full swing after talks between the debt laden Greek government and its private creditors collapsed just before the weekend.

Standard & Poor's downgrade of French credit rating to AA has sent shockwaves through eurozone and global markets.

The shadow business secretary, Chuka Umunna, believes business needs to show it is a force for good.

About 20 campaigners were detained while they tried to barge into a West End Office in central London.

The company blames stringent emission policies of the EU environment legislation for the decision.

Italy's business lobby, the equivalent of Britain's CBI, has urged quick government action and warned that the country risks being unable to meet its financial needs.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi denied media reports that he could resign within hours.

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc. (RBS) Friday reported a decline in its third quarter profits. The much watched banking stock in the FTSE posted an operating profit of 267 million pounds which is 63 percent down for the same quarter last year.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has decided to go ahead with his decision to conduct the referendum to decide on his country's future with European Union, brushing aside the market turmoil caused by his announcement Monday as "short lived."

Prime Minister George Papandreou's shock announcement Monday night that Greece's bailout plan will be put to referendum has been coldly received by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, bringing accusations the move will intensify the euro zone crisis.

FTSE 100 directors saw a pay increase of 49 per cent over the last year, averaging a take-home pay packet of just under £2.7 million.