Stocks in London continued on their losing streak on Wednesday, as risk appetite was curbed by the upcoming UK budget, and the US presidential election. The FTSE 100 index closed down 47.90 points, or 0.6%, at 8,258.64. The FTSE 250 ended down 119.72 points, or 0.6%, at 20,829.93, and the AIM All-Share lost 5.03 points, 0.7%, at 729.13. The Cboe UK 100 closed down 0.6% at 826.94 on Wednesday, t...

London's FTSE 100 was on course to extend its losing run to four at midday on Wednesday as US election and UK budget jitters knocked the mood. US interest rate concerns are also hanging over equities. Traders have fretted over a slower than hoped Federal Reserve rate cutting path, putting pressure on equity and bond prices. The odds of a rate hold by the Federal Reserve next month have increase...

French cosmetics giant L'Oreal (OR:EPA) was on the back foot after missing third quarter sales estimates amid continued weakness in China, sending the shares down 4% to €353.80. That marks five consecutive quarters of contraction in the Chinese beauty market, a key reason for the shares falling 20% since the start of the year, wiping €50 billion off its market value. L'Oreal, whose brands i...

There's been plenty for investors to think about around the chips space after ASML's (ASML:AMS) shock bookings miss rocked the sector. TSMC (2330:TPE), the world's biggest contract chip manufacturer, has subsequently offered a boost to confidence and Texas Instruments (TXN:NASDAQ), a key player in analog chips market, lifted the mood overnight after reporting third quarter income and profits th...

Reckitt Benckiser's (RKT) shares bounced up 3.3% to £49.20, extending their recent rally off of five-year lows, after the consumer goods goliath's third quarter sales beat subdued expectations. An organic sales decline of 0.5% proved better than the 1.8% drop called for by consensus, as a beat from the health business offset a miss in hygiene and a US tornado in July had less of an impact on R...

There was little initial follow-through after today's third-quarter trading update from Lloyds Banking (LLOY), as while earnings beat estimates the group maintained its full-year outlook and questions remain over its liability for discretionary commission payments. The shares added 1p or 1.7% to 63p taking their gains over the last year to 50% against a 13% rise in the FTSE 100 index. BETTER BO...

London's FTSE 100 moved higher in early trade on Wednesday, boosted by some strong corporate updates, while the dollar marched on as a tempering of US interest rate cut zeal continued. The FTSE 100 index traded up 13.14 points, 0.2%, at 8,319.68. The FTSE 250 was up 26.44 points, or 0.1%, at 20,976.09, and the AIM All-Share added 0.61 of a point, 0.1%, at 734.77. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.1% at...

Stocks in London were lacking direction by Tuesday's close, but managed to claw back lost ground form earlier in the day, as the International Monetary Fund took a brighter view of the UK's prospects. The FTSE 100 index closed down 11.70 points, or 0.1%, at 8,306.54. The FTSE 250 ended up 43.05 points, or 0.2%, at 20,949.65, and the AIM All-Share lost 0.79 of a point, 0.1%, at 734.16. The Cboe...

European stocks traded in the red at midday on Tuesday as doubts increased as to the pace of rate cuts across the pond. The FTSE 100 index traded down 57.38 points, 0.7%, at 8,260.86. The FTSE 250 was down 93.94 points, or 0.5%, at 20,812.66, and the AIM All-Share was down 3.70 points, 0.5%, at 731.25. The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.8% at 826.88, the Cboe UK 250 fell 0.4% to 18,385.87, and the Cboe...

The message from InterContinental Hotels Group's (IHG) seems to be the global travel boom is petering out after the Holiday Inn-owner revealed slower revenue growth in the third quarter. Investors didn't appear too bothered though - after falling 1.8% in early trading the shares perked up into positive territory gaining almost 1% to £86.38. Over the last year the shares are up around 50% compa...

German enterprise software giant SAP (SAP:ETR), and now Europe's largest company since ASML's (ASML:AMS) recent falls, is on track to close at an all-time high after posting robust quarterly results and upping 2024 guidance thanks to rampant cloud computing demand. The shares, up nearly 5% at one stage (22 Oct), are changing hands at close on €219, above their previous record close of $212.85...

Investors in construction and building services group Morgan Sindall (MGNS) had plenty of reasons to be cheerful after the firm raised its profit forecast for the year to December thanks to better-than-expected trading in its Fit-Out business. The shares - a running Great Idea - leapt 460p or 14% to £37.10 taking them to the top of the FTSE 250 leaderboard and to an all-time high. 'SIGNIFICANT...

Motoring-to-cycling products purveyor Halfords (HFD) reported broadly flat first half sales as cash-strapped consumers continued to cut back on big ticket, discretionary purchases. Yet the performance was actually better than it first appeared, when you consider the car batteries and bikes seller was lapping demanding prior year comparatives. And the fact the business managed to stand still rat...