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

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

If we took a straw poll of readers and asked which country has the world?s biggest sovereign wealth fund, the chances are Saudi Arabia and Singapore would come high up the list if not at the top.In fact, the largest is Norway?s Government Pension Fund Global which has a value of more than $1.6 trillion.When the country discovered large offshore oil fields at the end of the 1960s, the government de

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

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

The American financial markets writer and publisher Jim Grant once observed that: ?Successful investing is having everyone agree with you ?. Later.? This makes perfect sense, as it distils the concept of going against the crowd to buy cheaply and then sell expensively to lock in the gain and the initial thesis is now the consensus view and thus reflected in the valuation.However, this column does

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

3i Infrastructure (3IN) 342.5pGain to date: 8.7% When we recommended buying into private equity firm 3i Infrastructure (3IN) last summer at 315p we flagged the undervaluation of its portfolio, as shown by the sale of Dutch waste treatment and recycling firm Attero for more than 30% above its most recent valuation and 2.7 times the purchase price.We stuck with our call even when the shares dipped t

Full year tops expectations2025 organic growth of 6% to 8% on expanded marginDividend increased by 7%Global data services specialist Experian (EXPN) notched-up a new high and led the FTSE gainers after revealing full year revenue growth at the top end of expectations and a strong outlook.The shares jumped 7% to £37.75 taking gains over the last 12-months to 35%, handsomely outperforming the blue-

Stocks in London were largely flat at midday on Tuesday, on the back of boosts at Burberry and Vodafone, as hopes for a summer interest rate cut were bolstered by supportive comments from the Bank of England?s top economist.The FTSE 100 index was up 5.85 points, 0.1%, at 8,420.89. The FTSE 250 was up 14.46 points, 0.1%, at 20,574.80, and the AIM All-Share was little changed at 786.60.The Cboe UK 1

Like-for-like sales up 7.3%Cash generation cuts net debtSales growth continues in 2HPubs group Marston?s (MARS) revealed continued outperformance of the wider market with like-for-like sales up 7.3% in the first half and underlying pub operating profit 22% higher at £52.7 million.The shares have performed strongly over the last week ahead of the results, inviting some profit taking today with a f

London stocks were mixed at midday on Monday, ahead of Wednesday?s US consumer price reading, though analysts believe potential London floats by Shein and Raspberry Pi could be a game-changer for UK-listed equities.The FTSE 100 index was up 7.05 points, 0.1%, at 8,440.61. The FTSE 250 was down 33.65 points, 0.2%, at 20,611.59, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.45 points, 0.1%, at 789.42.The Cboe UK

Brave Bison made all-share bidApproach deemed ?opportunistic? Board open to a higher offerShares in The Mission Group (TMG:AIM) were marked up 5.7% to 24p on Monday after the digital media-to-advertising minnow revealed it has rejected a takeover offer from Brave Bison (BBSN:AIM), a rival which snapped up the Steven Bartlett-founded social media advertising practice SocialChain in early 2023.The b

London stocks were up at midday on Friday, on the back of an interest rate hold from the Bank of England and a better-than-expected gross domestic product reading from the Office for National Statistics.The FTSE 100 index was up 66.70 points, 0.8%, at 8,448.05, after hitting a record high 8,455.77 earlier. The FTSE 250 was up 163.86 points, 0.8%, at 20,695.16, and the AIM All-Share was up 5.05 poi

Customer numbers growingFull-year guidance confirmedShares fall on ad revenue forecastInvestors in property portal Rightmove (RMV) must be getting used to the market taking a glass-half-empty view of the business, with today?s trading update a prime example.Despite positive news on users and advertisers, the shares have been knocked to the bottom of the FTSE 100 performance table with a loss of 32

Stocks in London started strong on Friday following the Bank of England?s dovish hold on interest rates on Thursday, as new data showed UK gross domestic product reached a stronger-than-expected level in March.The FTSE 100 index opened up 43.05 points, 0.5%, at 8,424.40. The FTSE 250 was up 68.41 points, 0.3%, at 20,599.71, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.06 points, 0.3%, at 785.76.The Cboe UK 100

Q1 revenue and profit ahead of expectationsBut Q2 outlook falls shortGrowth to pick up ahead of busy summerGlobal vacation booking platform Airbnb (ABNB:NASDAQ) saw its shares drop 8% in the pre-market despite revealing its most profitable quarter ever with net income more than doubling to $264 million, comfortably ahead of analysts? estimates of $152 million.Good news was tempered by a weak outlo

The last couple of years have seen outsized returns for stocks, especially those in the US, but that doesn?t mean now is a bad time to invest. The truth is there is never a bad time to invest as long as you are looking to stay invested for the long term.From its inception in 1984 to 2022, the FTSE 100 index has gained around 5.5% per year in price terms and 7.5% per year in terms of total return,

The journey of online clothing retailer ASOS (ASC) on the stock market has been a pretty extraordinary one. It started life as a penny stock on AIM ? when Shares first covered the story in 2003 it traded at 4.5p.Within a little less than five years the share price had reached more than £4, by 2014 it had hit £70 and, after another retreat, at its 2018 height it traded close to £80. Even its pan