London's FTSE 100 held modest gains around lunchtime on Tuesday but mid-caps wavered as nerves set in ahead of the budget. The UK budget, the first under this Labour government, is announced on Wednesday. The latest ADP US jobs report is also tomorrow afternoon, about 48 hours before Friday's official nonfarm payrolls. Election day in the US is next week Tuesday, with decisions from the Federal...

Shares in online research data and analytics group YouGov (YOU:AIM) jumped more than 10% to 441p after revealing better-than-expected full-year revenue and profit and predicting a pick-up in sales bookings. The stock is down 64% so far in 2024 following a profit warning in June when the company flagged lower than anticipated bookings and lowered guidance. Revenue for the year to 31 July increas...

Rounding out the results of the Big Four UK banks, HSBC (HSBA) delivered third-quarter earnings which beat market forecasts and announced it would launch a fresh $3 billion share buyback. After rallying 4% in Hong Kong earlier in the day, the shares had popped 28p or 4% to 720p by mid-morning taking them to a new 12-month high and the top of the FTSE 100 leader board. BOTTOM LINE BEATS Total re...

Shares in Pearson (PSON) were up more than 3% to £11.13 as the education media group said it was on track to meet full year expectations in a third-quarter trading update. Underlying group sales growth, adjusted operating profit, interest and tax outlook for 2024 remain in line with guidance. Free cash flow conversion is expected to be 95-100%. The company reported a 5% rise in underlying grou...

Oil major BP (BP.) delivered a better-than-feared drop in profits for the third quarter to September and said it will keep the rate of its share buyback programme unchanged at $1.75 billion (£1.35 billion) over the next three months. Nevertheless, the energy major's shares were marked down 1% to 395p with investors unnerved by a net debt uptick from $22.6 billion at the end of June to $24.3 bi...

Blue chips in London made a solid start to trading on Tuesday, reflecting gains elsewhere in Europe, boosted by well received updates from HSBC and Pearson. The FTSE 100 index opened up 23.39 points, 0.3%, at 8,309.01. The FTSE 250 was down 70.22 points, 0.3%, at 20,764.88, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.96 of a point, 0.1%, at 720.14. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 832.16, the Cboe UK 250 f...

Stocks in London recovered to close Monday in the green, as all eyes look to the UK budget to come on Wednesday. The FTSE 100 index closed up 36.78 points, or 0.5%, at 8,285.62. The FTSE 250 ended up 15.19 points, or 0.1%, at 20,835.10, and the AIM All-Share closed down 0.2%, or 1.57 points, at 721.10. The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.5% at 830.25, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.3% at 18,385.28, and the...

Stocks in London trended lower on Monday, as oil majors retreated due to easing fears about Middle Eastern conflict, and car finance providers slumped further. The FTSE 100 index traded down 20.47 points, 0.3%, at 8,228.18. The FTSE 250 was 42.07 points lower, or 0.2%, at 20,778.66, and the AIM All-Share shed 3.15 points, 0.4%, at 719.52. The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3% at 823.83, the Cboe UK 250...

Melanie Dickinson, chief people officer at tenpin bowling and mini-golf centre operator, Hollywood Bowl (BOWL) has sold 150,000 shares at 331p for a total value of £497,505 on 24 October. Dickinson now has 290,276 shares after the sale. Matthew Hart, chief marketing and technology officer, followed suit and sold 150,000 shares at 331p on the same day. Hart now has 602,171 shares after the sale...

Global fintech and trading platform Plus500 (PLUS) revealed continued strong trading in the third quarter as revenues and profit increased by 11% and 2% respectively. The company also reiterated full year expectations in line with raised guidance given at the half year results. The shares added 1% to £24.46 taking gains over the last 12-months to 71% compared with a 23% advance for the FTSE 25...

Investors in online travel booking platform Trainline (TRN) enjoyed an uplift in the firm's valuation after it raised its outlook for the year to next February for a second time thanks to increased economies of scale. The shares accelerated 37p or 11% to a new three-month high of 374p, topping the FTSE 250 mid-cap leader board. STRONG FIRST-HALF TRADING For the six months to the end of August,...

Blue chip stocks in the UK, France and Germany opened higher on Monday morning, but shares in London-listed oil majors BP and Shell fell alongside the price of Brent. The FTSE 100 index opened up 13.33 points, 0.2%, at 8,262.17. The FTSE 250 was up 89.53 points, 0.4%, at 20,909.44, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.81 points, 0.3%, at 724.48. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 827.28, the Cboe UK 250...

Stocks in London closed lower on Friday, as a car finance probe weighed on the shares of Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays and Close Brothers. The FTSE 100 index closed down 19.13 points, 0.3%, at 8,248.84. The FTSE 250 ended up 29.36 points, or 0.1%, at 20,819.91, and the AIM All-Share lost 3.02 points, 0.4%, at 722.67. The Cboe UK 100 closed down 0.3% at 826.07 on Friday, the Cboe UK 250 ended d...