European stock indices fall, miners on unsure ground – City Index Market Update
Spr ead betting provider City Index (http://www.cityindex.co.uk/) takes a look at the financial activity shaping the markets on 14th April 2011. Group profits at WH Smith have risen by three per cent for the six months ended February 28th 2011 when compared to the same period in 2010. Profit from trading operations rallied to 72 million, while profit before tax also enjoyed a three per cent hike to 64 million. An 11 per cent surge was noted for earnings per share, which has risen to 35.2 p, although high-street operating profit remained flat at 47 million. Following the report, the share prices of WH Smith rose on the FTSE 250 to 5.99 per cent as of 09:16 BST today (April 14th) compared to yesterday’s close. Such an increase represents a 27-point gain. Commenting on the financial figures, group chief executive Kate Swann stated: “During the first half we have returned 27 million to shareholders through the share buyback and increased the interim dividend by 18 per cent, demonstrating the board’s confidence in the future prospects of the group and its continued cash generative nature.” See how you can start spread betting with City Index at http://www.cityindex.co.uk/spread-betting/ Spread betting and CFDs are leveraged products which can result in losses greater than your initial deposit. Ensure you fully understand the risks. * Spread betting and CFD trading are exempt from UK stamp duty. Spread betting is also exempt from UK Capital Gains Tax. However, tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Please seek independent advice if necessary. About City Index: Today more and more individual traders are discovering the benefits of derivatives, and many of them are discovering them through a City Index trading platform. As a group, we transact in excess of 1.5 million trades every month for individuals in over 50 countries worldwide. We provide access to a wide range of instruments including margined foreign exchange, CFD trading and, in the UK, financial spread betting. We constantly look to widen the range of assets we offer, improve the performance of our platforms and expand the range of services we provide. The result is that our customers benefit from innovative trading tools with transparent pricing, competitive spreads, and a high standard of customer service and support. Visit http://www.cityindex.co.uk/ for more information.