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Which analysts?

BIG banks and stockbrokers employ analysts, who draw on their expertise in order to write research notes about companies. These help inform investors about the prospects of a single firm or an entire sector. Usually they recommend buying, selling, or holding a stock, alongside more in-depth information.

Why do they have ‘days’?

Given that analysts’ views influence investors, companies are keen to keep them sweet. They want to present a positive impression of their likely growth, so that the analysts will say nice things. Every so often they will take a group of analysts somewhere in order to show them something.

Such as?

For a retail company, it might be a store opening, to show off a new shop configuration or some groundbreaking technology in action. At the other end of the scale, an oil explorer or mining company might fly analysts out to far-flung corners of the earth to look at a new production facility.

Nice day out?

Over-50s group Saga took a group of analysts to Folkestone yesterday, a trip that chimes nicely with Saga’s background in running seaside trips for older people. This conjures up a pleasant image of City bankers in pinstripes wearing knotted handkerchiefs on their heads as they chomp on a stick of rock.