Stocks in London and Europe were down at midday on Friday, following a steady eurozone inflation reading from Eurostat for April, with Land Securities and GSK among the largest fallers on the FTSE 100.The FTSE 100 index was down 31.84 points, 0.4%, at 8,406.81. The FTSE 250 was down 117.22 points, 0.6%, at 20,705.62, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.98 of a point, 0.1%, at 791.52.The Cboe UK 100 w

Full-year revenue and profit beatAdministrations increase 22%Positive outlookBusiness advisory specialist FRP Advisory (FRP:AIM) has revealed full-year revenue to the end of April grew 23% and profit increased 37%, both ahead of market expectations, sending the shares up by a tenth to 142.1p.Today's gain lifts the shares back into positive territory for the year to date and means they are up 27% o

Balfour Beatty CEO sells sharesCarr's director snaps up stockVictrex CFO buys after first-half resultsLeo Quinn, chief executive of construction group Balfour Beatty (BBY), sold 189,921 shares at 384p for a total value of £730,423 on 16 May.Quinn's move could be seen as 'cashing in' on good news after Balfour Beatty shares have gained over 9% year-to-date. The FTSE 250 company recently said it co

Record annual salesAsia Pacific slowdown hits Q4 revenuesNicolas Bos named as CEOSales at Swiss luxury watches-to-jewellery retailer Compagnie Financière Richemont (CFR:SWX), typically known as Richemont, slowed in the fourth quarter of the year to March 2024 amid softening demand for high-end goods in the Asia Pacific region.However, shares in the Cartier-to-Montblanc owner rose 5% to 144

Wall Street spirits have been higher over the past week than a couple of college dropouts, with all three major indexes ripping up the record books, including the S&P 500 closing above 5,300 (15 May) for the first time.Cooler-than-expected inflation in April sets the scene for a potential Fed rate cut soon despite a string of hot inflation reports from the first three months of the year. Like a to

London Equities were down on Friday morning, after Thursday's mid-day rally across the pond ground to a halt, with Land Securities leading the biggest fallers on the FTSE 100.The FTSE 100 index opened down 13.93 points, 0.2%, at 8,424.72. The FTSE 250 was down 36.70 points, 0.2%, at 20,786.14, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.43 of a point, 0.1%, at 792.07.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 841.06,

Blue-chip stocks in Europe ended lower on Thursday, with a handful of ex-dividend shares hurting the FTSE 100, though there was bullishness in New York, as major benchmarks across the Atlantic hit record highs.The mood in New York was supported by retailer Walmart's first-quarter earnings beat and outlook raise.The FTSE 100 index edged down 7.15 points, 0.1%, at 8,438.65. The FTSE 250 added 47.21

Stocks in London and Europe on Thursday failed to share in Wall Street?s Wednesday triumph, with easyJet and Sage dragging down the FTSE 100 despite a rally at BT.The FTSE 100 index was down 23.84 points, 0.3%, at 8,421.96. The FTSE 250 was down 13.91 points, 0.1%, at 20,761.72, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.98 of a point, 0.1%, at 792.59.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 841.60, the Cboe UK 250 w

EasyJet CFO Kenton Jarvis to become CEOJarvis joined EasyJet in February 2021Outgoing CEO Johan Lundgren to leave early 2025Shares in EasyJet (EZJ) were down more than 5% to 498p as investors reacted to the announcement that the low-budget airline's CEO Johan Lundgren is stepping down after seven years in the role.Kenton Jarvis, board member and chief financial officer will takeover from Lundgren

Shares leap on trading updateSales improve in final quarterChief executive expresses optimismWatches of Switzerland?s (WOSG) shares surged 11% to 374.5p on a reassuring fourth-quarter update in which chief executive Brian Duffy said the high-end watch and jewellery retailer entered the new financial year with ?cautious optimism?.This followed a strong finish to the year to 28 April 2024, with four

Posts biggest revenue decline in 15 yearsCovid indigestion buckling normal IT refresh cycleQ3 beat of low expectations to spark share priceLooking purely at third quarter (to 27 Apr) numbers paints a bleak picture for the core IT kit that Cisco Systems (CSCO:NASDAQ) provides. Adjusted EPS (earnings per share) was down from $1.00 a year ago to $0.88 on a 13% fall in $12.7 billion revenue, the firm?

Organic revenue up 6.5% in Q1Advanced wound care outlook cutFull-year outlook maintainedShares in Convatec (CTEC) fell 4% to 255.7p after the medical products maker flagged short-term uncertainty in Advanced Wound Care leading to a softer outlook for the division.The news took the shine off a strong start to the year with first-quarter organic revenue up 6.5% which was slightly ahead of market for

The FTSE 100 started poorly on Thursday, despite Wednesday?s record closes across the pond, as Sage Group and easyJet offset a boost from BT.The FTSE 100 index opened down 31.09 points, 0.4%, at 8,414.71. The FTSE 250 was up 34.30 points, 0.2%, at 20,809.93, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.2 of a point at 791.81.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3% at 840.90, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.3% at 18,152.47, and

Retail bellwether Marks & Spencer (MKS) may need to deliver a modest ?beat? to the £679.8 million consensus pre-tax profit estimate, along with a reasonably confident outlook statement, when it serves up full-year results (22 May) if the foods-to-fashion giant is to sustain recent positive share price momentum.Led by CEO Stuart Machin, the FTSE 100 company?s turnaround is gaining traction and Mar

Kainos (KNOS) £10.16Market cap: £1.28 billionWe believe that market sentiment towards Kainos (KNOS) is on the cusp of a reversal, and that creates a buying opportunity for investors. Shares in the Belfast-based digital services expert are now trading at a 30% discount to 12-month highs and are barely half all-time peaks of more than £20.This is largely because of what analysts have called a cyc

Companies tend to list on the stock market when conditions look ripe for a healthy reception from investors so as to get a deal away at the best price.After a fallow period for IPOs (initial public offerings) in 2022/23, activity appears to be gathering pace buoyed by the FTSE 100 and FTSE All-Share notching up new all-time highs in recent weeks.In an unusual turn of events, London could benefit f

Discounts and premiums to NAV (net asset value), which is the value of all the investments an investment trust holds minus any debt or loans, are among the trust universe?s unique quirks and can confuse novice investors. At the moment the vast majority of trusts trade at a discount.Annabel Brodie-Smith, the AIC?s (Association of Investment Companies) communications director, says: ?Only around 20

It was the best performing stock in the ranks of the FTSE 350 by some distance in 2023, and aircraft engine-maker Rolls-Royce?s (RR.) share price has started 2024 in fine fettle to trade above pre-pandemic levels.There is no doubt Tufan Erginbilgiç has brought real seriousness to the business of turning around a company which had been struggling for years even before Covid grounded planes a

Caledonia Investments (CLDN)Price: £35.18Market cap: £1.92 billionAmid all the talk of the UK market being full of ?hidden gems?, we think Caledonia Investments (CLDN) could be one of the best examples of ?hidden value? in the mid-cap FTSE 250 index.The global multi-asset investment company tends not to get much air-time, but Shares caught up with chief executive Mat Masters and finance director

Copper is already one of the most important materials underpinning human civilisation, and the energy transition is only likely to see demand for the industrial metal build in the years to come.Limits and pressures on supply and this growing demand profile are already seeing copper prices mount a charge and recent M&A activity ? with BHP?s (BHP) unsuccessful (for now) attempt to take over Anglo Am