STOCKS NEWS UK-RBS up 4 pct as results, bad debts reassure

STOCKS NEWS Reuters Results diary

Europe [STXNEWS/EU] Real-time Equity News [E] [GB/EQUITY]

UK [STXNEWS/UK] Stocks on the move [HOT-RTRS]

UK smallcaps [STX/UKSC] UK smallcaps news [GB/SMALL]

09:00GMT 06Nov2009-RBS up 4 pct as results, bad debts reassure

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Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) rise as much as 4 percent, outperforming a 1.5 percent rise for its European peers .SX7P, after the bank more than halves operating losses in third quarter versus the previous three months and offers a few shreds of comfort in relation to bad debts.

Analysts at Cazenove point to "slightly more positive commentary on impairment" although they note that the group's outlook is still cautious overall.

Analysts at Nomura note that impairments on bad loans, at 3.3 billion pounds, were lower than their 3.9 billion pound estimate: "We currently have flat impairment charges in our 2010 estimates. However, some may be disappointed that the company has not yet signalled the potential for declines."

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09:00GMT 06Nov2009-Antofagasta higher; Citi upgrades

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Shares in Antofagasta (ANTO.L) gain 1.6 percent, leading rallying blue chip miners higher as Citigroup ups its rating to "buy" for "hold" for the Chilean copper firm in a review looking at laggards in the sector.