Having kick-started an auction process for its ailing High Street division earlier in the week, WH Smith (SMWH) was in demand with investors again as the retailer reported soaring sales at its Travel division over the Golden Quarter. The FTSE 250 company's shares rallied 6.6% to £12.69 on an update that demonstrated why WH Smith put its UK High Street business under the hammer, as the struggli...

Stock prices in London and Frankfurt opened higher on Wednesday, while Paris blue-chips fell amid weaker trade for luxury firms, as investors await a Federal Reserve interest rate decision. The FTSE 100 index added 4.45 points, 0.1%, at 8,538.32. The FTSE 250 was up 37.56 points, 0.2%, at 20,626.07, and the AIM All-Share added 0.38 of a point, 0.1%, at 715.70. The Cboe UK 100 was flat at 855.93...

London's blue-chips made modest gains Tuesday, supported by defensive sectors, while global sentiment remained cautious amid worries over potential US tariffs on imports. The FTSE 100 index ended up 30.16 points, 0.4%, at 8,533.87. The FTSE 250 jumped 219.01 points, 1.1%, at 20,588.51, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.93 points, 0.6%, at 715.32. The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.4% at 855.97 on Tuesday, t...

SSP Group (SSPG) was one of the best mid-cap performers, gaining over 4% after the operator of restaurants and bars in travel locations said positive trading momentum has continued into the remainder of its first quarter to 31 December. The shares have struggled over the last year, underperforming the FTSE 250 index by around 26%. ROBUST FIRST QUARTER Group sales increased 14% against the prio...

European stocks were higher on Tuesday afternoon, with New York stocks set for a quieter start after a tumultuous Monday trade which saw tech stocks dive. The FTSE 100 index added 51.82 points, 0.6%, at 8,555.53. The FTSE 250 was up 190.59 points, 0.9%, at 20,560.09, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.37 points, 0.5%, at 714.76. The Cboe UK 100 was 0.6% higher at 857.38, the Cboe UK 250 rose 1.0% at...

The tech bloodbath on Wall Street overnight looks like a short, sharp shock often needed when markets get over exuberant. Pre-market data shows the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures both making modest gains as investors reset expectations in the wake of China's DeepSeek AI prompting huge debate on the state of global AI infrastructure and whether yesterday's hot stocks can stay ahead in the future...

Shares in Wickes (WIX) gained over 11% to 170p in morning trading as the DIY retailer reported a strong trading update for the six months ending 28 December. The company delivered continued sales and volume growth in retail with revenue up 3% year-on-year. Wickes also raised guidance for full year 2024. It expects adjusted pre-tax profit to be towards the upper end of the £39.7 - £44 million...

Pets at Home's (PETS) shares pawed their way 4.5% higher to 220.6p after the UK pet care leader maintained full-year profit guidance despite suffering a retail sales slowdown in a tough third quarter, which management blamed on the 'more challenging' UK consumer backdrop. Despite disappointing retail sales in the Christmas quarter, the pet specialist reiterated its year-to-March 2025 guidance f...

London's blue-chip index outperformed peers in Paris and Frankfurt on Tuesday morning, the day after US tech stocks took a dive on fears of competition in China. The likes of Nvidia, which slumped 17% overnight, were hurt by the emergence of DeepSeek in the artificial intelligence space. The Nasdaq Composite shed 3.1% on Monday. Nasdaq futures are currently 0.3% higher, the index looking set to...

London's key index closed Monday in the green amid a broad US tech sell-off which saw Nvidia holders unsettled by the progress of Chinese technology firm Deepseek. The FTSE 100 index ended up just 1.36 points at 8,503.71. The FTSE 250 lost 148.55 points, 0.7%, at 20,369.50, and the AIM All-Share fell 3.66 points, 0.50%, at 711.39. The Cboe UK 100 ended up slightly at 852.40 on Monday, the Cboe...

Blue chip indices in Europe were lower on Monday midday, while investor eyes are also stateside, as tech stocks tumble in response to China's DeepSeek AI chatbot gaining popularity. The FTSE 100 index traded down 27.06 points, 0.3%, at 8,475.29. The FTSE 250 was down 127.27 points, 0.6%, at 20,390.78, and the AIM All-Share was down 4.30 points, 0.6%, at 710.75. The Cboe UK 100 was 0.3% lower at...

Michael Dobson, non-executive director of housebuilder Berkeley Group (BKG), bought 15,000 shares at £35 for a total value of £525,000 on 15 January. Dobson's move comes after the company reported a 7.7% fall in pre-tax profit for the six months ending 31 October to £275.1 million. Despite these disappointing results and a 23% fall in the share price over the last year, the company says it r...

Iconic footwear brand Dr Martens (DOCS) confirmed its 2025 outlook and said third quarter trading was in line with expectations, with US DTC (direct to consumer) revenue returning back to growth. Early signs of a turnaround at the US business were not enough to impress investors as the shares fell around 3% to 70.3p, after initially opening in the green. Shares in the FTSE 250 company are down...