Shares in ITV (ITV) gained over 5% on Thursday (6 March) after the free-to-air broadcaster reported a strong full year 2024 performance led by its streaming hub ITVX. Digital viewing was up 12% and digital advertising revenue was up 15% for the year ending 31 December driven by the robust performance of programmes such as the Euros, Love Island and Until I Kill You. 'By the end of 2025, we will...

Blue chip stocks in London and Paris were lower at midday Thursday, but up a notch in Frankfurt amid hopes of big investments from the incoming German government. The European Central Bank 'is expected to cut rates having been given a freer hand as inflationary pressures have eased,' AJ Bell's Russ Mould noted. The FTSE 100 index was down 82.84 points, 1.0%, at 8,673.00. The FTSE 250 was down 3...

Sports betting and gaming group Entain (ENT) delivered full-year profit at the top end of the guided range and said it was comfortable with consensus forecasts for 2025, which was enough to give the shares a 3% pop to 764.4p. The shares are up by around a tenth so far in 2025 versus a 5% advance for the FTSE 100 index, despite announcing the sudden departure of its CEO Gavin Isaacs last month....

On the surface, today's full-year results from FTSE 250 private hospital operator Spire Healthcare (SPI) looked fine, but investors spied one or two things they clearly didn't like and sent the shares sharply lower from the open. By mid-morning the stock was trading 36p or 16% lower at 188p, having earlier hit their lowest level in four years, on heavy volume. ADVERSE REACTION Optically there s...

Reckitt Benckiser's (RKT) shares rallied 2.6% to £53.22 after the consumer and household goods giant reported better-than-expected full-year margins and reiterated its bold plans to restructure and simplify the business. This more than compensated for worse-than-expected fourth quarter sales from the Durex-to-Mucinex maker after a weak cold and flu season hurt the Health division. The FTSE 100...

Stock prices in London opened mix on Thursday, ahead of a UK construction reading that is expected to show a decelerated fall in activity for February, while investors await US trade data. The FTSE 100 index opened down 19.42 points, 0.2%, at 8,736.42. The FTSE 250 was up 65.74 points, 0.3%, at 20,193.47, and the AIM All-Share was up 3.26 points, 0.5%, at 693.74. The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% a...

European stocks were mixed on Wednesday, as the FTSE 100 eased slightly despite a boost for miners from higher metal prices and hints some sectors may be left out of US tariffs. The FTSE 100 index ended down 3.16 points at 8,755.84. The FTSE 250 climbed 177.23 points, 0.9%, at 20,127.73, and the AIM All-Share gained 3.61 points, 0.5%, at 690.48. The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.3% at 877.63, the Cboe...

Stock prices in Europe were mostly higher on Wednesday midday, with higher-risk and economically sensitive sectors benefiting from a risk-on sentiment among investors. 'European and Asian markets were on the front foot on Wednesday amid hopes that Donald Trump might partially wind back tariffs if deals could be struck with Canada and Mexico,' commented AJ Bell's Russ Mould. 'Investors are looki...

Shares in Capita (CPI) rallied more than 10% to 14p in morning trading as the outsourcing firm said full year 2024 results were in line with market expectations. Capita, a one-time FTSE 100 company, reported a pre-tax profit of £116.6 million for the year ending 31 December compared to a loss of £106.6 million for the year ending 31 December 2023 boosted by the disposal of software unit Capit...

Fantasy games and miniatures retailer Games Workshop (GAW) rolled the equivalent of double-six on Wednesday (5 March) after confidently forecasting full year pre-tax profit to the end of May will be ahead of expectations. The shares jumped as much as 8% to top the FTSE 100, notching up another new all-time high of £149, taking gains over the last 12-months to 56%, comfortably ahead of the 15%...

Shares in Adidas (ADS:ETR) dropped 2% to €233.3 in Frankfurt after the sportwear giant signalled that sales growth will slow this year as it laps a strong 2024 which saw the company reap the benefits of a successful turnaround. Under CEO Bjorn Gulden, the German trainers-to-sports apparel firm has forged a track record of beating estimates, but the group's conservative outlook proved the cata...

Stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt opened mostly in the green on Wednesday, amid a slew of purchasing managers indices data, as investors await the US ADP report. 'Today, investors will watch the US ADP report, and PMI, ISM numbers from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean,' said Swissquote's Ipek Ozkardeskaya. 'While the European investors could brush off bad news on expectation that the...

European indexes sank on Tuesday as fears of a full-blown trade war grew after increased tariffs were imposed against Canada, Mexico and China by the US. The FTSE 100 index ended down 112.31 points, 1.3%, at 8,759.00. The FTSE 250 slumped 431.79 points, 2.1%, at 19,950.50, and the AIM All-Share fell 14.93 points, 2.1%, at 686.87. The Cboe UK 100 ended down 1.6% at 875.00, the Cboe UK 250 declin...