I hold these stock.

DYOH (do your own homework.)

To-day there was a slight drop in price, but number of analysts are giving favourable reports.

What triggered my interest was better than expected results and if I am right looking at charts it shows an inverted head and shoulders. Hopefully a good sign. Also the current rate of Share price growth is about 90% pa over the last 5weeks. This is unlikely to continue indefinitely but SP could hit 850p over next few weeks.

To-day at close, there were some large buys of about 5million shares. 40million approx.

Another trigger for me was the following which should increase earnings.

Aviva to form JV in Taiwan with First FinancialAFX
LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Aviva PLC, the UK's largest insurer, said it has entered into a joint venture with First Financial Holding Co Ltd to sell insurance and pension products in Taiwan. The joint venture company, First-Aviva, will distribute long-term savings and pension products in Taiwan through an exclusive agreement with First Financial's flagship unit, First Commercial Bank. Aviva, which will have a 49 pct stake in the joint venture, added that the initial paid up capital of the new company will be 34 mln stg.First Commercial Bank is Taiwan's second largest bank network, with five mln retail customers, it added.TFN.newsdesk@thomson.comkkb/faj/slm




Date: Wednesday 25 Apr 2007
LONDON (ShareCast) - If the message gets home that Aviva will not bid for Prudential, the stock should rebound strongly, especially if Aviva can sustain its current impressive performance. There is still work to be done but, at 794.5p, the shares are a strong buy says the Independent.
Date: Tuesday 24 Apr 2007
LONDON (ShareCast) - Aviva stood out among the risers on a tough day for blue chip stocks. The life insurer posted an upbeat first quarter statement with brokers pleased with the numbers.



DYOH

B***s

Aviva reported its losses by using market consistent embedded value (MCEV) accounting principles. Aviva are the first to use this standard which is planned to become the bench mark used by all insurance companies, maybe this is what the analysts dislike.

The problem with large insurance companies is trying to understand the accounts, which took me ages to read through yesterday morning and still it was confusing. The banks are the same, I need a new rule. Only invest in companies when I fully understand the balance sheets. In other words medium to small caps.

Plenty of weakness in these again today...they could fall to 40p imo.

Mitzy, your opinion was that these would fall, yet they seem to be rallying with no news. Any ideas why? i wish I'd gone in at 164p and made a bit.

there is a short covering buying back operation going on here from having sold out higher in recent weeks--I therefore see the shares falling back again and would prefer to see some stability before being tempted to buy in view of the many uncertainties surrounding this company at present particularly regarding their annuities book--remember what happened to Equitable Life!!

Ex-divi date 25th March, 19.91p. Many may think this is worth having in todays market. Don't think I will want to be holding after that date.

What do you mean no news?

ING Canada is considering a bid on it.

Where do you get that from?

Sp 235p currently.
Ex div 25th March. Suspect this may get severely trimmed back from that date.

I hear that the market makers have marked the shares sharply higher to sell the stock they bought in at lower levels when the shorting was going on--be careful as these shares could easley be marked down at a stroke!!

And guess what? They were!!!! High 242 close 219! Sorry I missed your post til now!

From Eastern Evening News 19th March:
"Insurance giant Aviva could end the practice of lending shares to hedge funds in a move against short-selling.
Aviva shares were battered on the stock market earlier this month - losing 40% of their value in two days - amid claims that short-sellers were looking to make quick profits by driving down the company's share price. Now Aviva directors are said to favour bringing to an end the company's involvement in lending shares from it's own investment portfolio to hedge funds.
To make quick profits, hedge funds rely on borrowing shares from major investors, such as pension funds. They sell the borrowed shares in the hope the price falls, before buying them back at a lower price."

Wow! He has shown great confidence.


Director Deals - Aviva Plc (AV.)

It has been announced that Mark Hodges, Executive Director has bought 50 shares in the company on the 25th March 2009 at a price of 249.08p.

Let's hope he doesn't regret it! ;o)

I think he bought the shares on behalf of his kid, but reduced his pocket money to claw back the cost!

IMHO these shares are well underpriced especially in the light of yesterdays good results. There will come a point when all the shorters over the last year or so will swing back to buying and it will rocket. It's just a matter of time. Hold.

Open A Buy Bet In The Aviva Rolling Spread. A fundamental and technical view on UK-Analyst.com

Business Financial Newswire
"Aviva Investors - the global asset management business of financial services giant Aviva - has agreed to buy 100% of River Road Asset Management.

Kentucky-based River Road is a leading value-orientated US equity manager with $3.6bn assets under management.

This acquisition supports the expansion of Aviva Investors' third party institutional asset management business by combining its existing expertise in fixed income in North America with River Road's equity investment capability.

The management team and the integrity of River Road's investment process will remain unchanged.

River Road, which has gross assets of $6m, will continue to be based in Louisville and will form part of Aviva Investors North America ("AINA"), which is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa.

AINA also has offices in New York, Chicago, Manhattan Beach, California, and Toronto, Canada.

The transaction is expected to complete by the end of the first quarter. "

Hi all,

Happy New Year.

Another article I bumbed into yesterday...www.uk-analyst.com

AV. is a good shorting opportunity here...now 347p