After a remarkable start to the year in terms of shareholder returns, investors in events and analysis firm Ascential (ASCL) woke to the news today that the board had agreed a £1.2 billion conditional bid for the company from rival Informa (INF). Ascential shares jumped 116p or 26% to 563p, just shy of the 568p per share cash offer and an all-time high on an adjusted basis after factoring in M...

Shares in Reckitt Benckiser (RKT) rallied 4% to £45.86 after the consumer goods powerhouse unveiled plans to sell a raft of non-core homecare brands and said it was reviewing options for its troubled infant formula business. In a similar strategy to many of its rivals including Unilever (ULVR), Reckitt is now planning to streamline and focus on the brands which have the best opportunities. The...

European stocks opened lower on Wednesday, as underwhelming results from US tech titans Alphabet and Tesla, and French luxury goods retailer LVMH, dented the mood. Still, the FTSE 100 index traded down 38.31 points, or 0.5%, at 8,129.06. The FTSE 250 was down 41.30 points, 0.2%, at 21,050.19, while the AIM All-Share was down 1.24 points, 0.2%, at 778.93. The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.4% at 811.48,...

Miners dragged the FTSE 100 into the red on Tuesday, as stocks in London finished the session lower at the close. The FTSE 100 index closed down 31.41 points, 0.4%, at 8,167.37. The FTSE 250 ended down 47.19 points, 0.2%, at 21,091.49, and the AIM All-Share closed down 3.07 points, 0.4%, at 780.17. The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.5% at 814.73, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 0.5% at 18,388.59, and the...

The FTSE 100 shrugged off a subdued start to push higher at midday on Tuesday, although an underwhelming session for miners held back further gains. The FTSE 100 index traded 27.12 points higher, or 0.3%, at 8,225.90. The FTSE 250 was down 17.71 points, 0.1%, at 21,120.97, while the AIM All-Share was down 1.33 points, 0.2%, at 781.91. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 821.39, the Cboe UK 250 was 0...

Friday's (19 Jul) massive IT outage may have caused worldwide havoc yet there is little sign that it will change the trajectory of enterprises embracing cloud computing, with all its associated benefits - if anything, adoption is becoming faster and more widespread. That is certainly the impression investors are getting from SAP (SAP:ETR), the German, and Europe's largest software giant. The â‚...

Facilities management group Mitie (MTO) delivered a pleasing first-quarter trading update showing double-digit revenue growth and a solid order book thanks to new contract wins. The shares eased 1.7p or 1.4% to 121p, having notched up gains of 25% year-to-date, as the overall market got off to a soggy start. BIG WINS WITH BIG CLIENTS For the three months to the end of June, Mitie recorded reven...

Shares in Compass Group (CPG) climbed 4.6% to £22.92 in early dealings after the catering giant upped its full year sales and profit guidance for the second time this year. The upgrade followed a forecast-beating third-quarter performance from the Chertsey-based food service star turn, which has emerged from the pandemic in a stronger position with enhanced growth opportunities and more loyal...

Stocks in London made a soggy start on Tuesday, with miners dragging the blue-chip FTSE 100 lower, although Compass bucked the weaker trend. The FTSE 100 index traded down 30.93 points, or 0.4%, at 8,167.85. The FTSE 250 was down 25.12 points, 0.1%, at 21,113.56, while the AIM All-Share was down 1.55 points, 0.2%, at 781.69. The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.4% at 815.65, the Cboe UK 250 was 0.2% lowe...

Stock prices in London closed predominantly higher on Monday, joining European peers in a relatively upbeat finish, following news that US President Joe Biden will not stand for re-election. Amongst individual stocks, airlines slid after Ryanair's warning. Rentokil led the FTSE 100 higher, though, after former BT boss eyed a bid to take over the pest control firm. The FTSE 100 index closed up 4...

Pest control and hygiene giant Rentokil Initial (RTO) topped the FTSE 100 leader board on Monday, with shares in the 'royal rat-catcher' scurrying 10% higher to 492.6p following weekend reports it is a bid target for private equity. According to The Times, former BT (BT.A) CEO Philip Jansen is in secret talks with private equity groups over a plan that would see him become executive chair of th...

Markets in Europe shook off nerves on Monday, following Joe Biden leaving the US presidential race. The FTSE 100 index was up 62.43 points, or 0.8%, at 8,218.22. The FTSE 250 was up 108.13 points, or 0.5%, at 21,175.81, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.93 of a point, or 0.1%, at 785.06. The Cboe UK 100 was up 1.0% at 820.39, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.8% at 18,494.63, but the Cboe Small Companies w...

Dr Gerry Murphy, chairman of Burberry (BRBY), bought 20,000 shares in the luxury goods group at 725p for a total value of £145,000 on 16 July. Murphy's move followed another poor update from the heritage trench coats-to-cashmere scarves seller, which suspended its dividend, and said chief executive Jonathan Akeroyd would step down with immediate effect. Year-to-date Burberry shares have fallen...