Stocks in London ended lower on Monday, with housebuilders among the worst performers despite stronger mortgage approval data, as investors turned cautious ahead of a week packed with US economic data. The FTSE 100 index closed down 37.95 points, 0.4%, at 8,760.96. The FTSE 250 was 89.70 points lower, 0.4%, at 21,626.26, while the AIM All-Share added 1.32 points, 0.2%, at 770.65. The Cboe UK...

Stocks were mixed at midday Monday, after China announced it will maintain duties on some steel products from the UK, EU and other places, ahead of German CPI data. The FTSE 100 index was down 2.87 points at 8,796.04. The FTSE 250 was down 43.82 points, 0.2%, at 21,672.14, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.69 points, 0.1%, at 770.02. The Cboe UK 100 was broadly flat at 876.47, the Cboe UK 250 was...

London's blue chip index opened slightly lower on Monday, ahead of UK mortgage approvals data, after the Office for National Statistics reported that the UK economy grew as expected in the first quarter. The FTSE 100 index opened down 9.40 points, 0.1%, at 8,789.51. The FTSE 250 was down 38.68 points, 0.2%, at 21,677.28, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.52 points, 0.1%, at 769.85. The Cboe UK...

Stocks in Europe closed higher on Friday, as investors welcomed signs of progress in US-China trade talks and looked past a hotter US inflation print that may delay rate cuts. The FTSE 100 index closed 63.31 points, 0.7%, at 8,798.91. The FTSE 250 was up 241.30 points, 1.1%, at 21,715.96, and the AIM All-Share added 2.29 points, 0.3%, at 769.33. For the week, the FTSE 100 added 0.3%, the FTSE...

Stocks in Europe continued to fare higher on Friday midday as investors await a personal consumption expenditures data print from the US, which is the key inflationary gauge for the Federal Reserve. In UK news, the number of UK home sales picked up by a quarter month on month in May following a plunge in April as a stamp duty holiday ended, according to HM Revenue & Customs figures. Across the...

London stocks closed in the green on Thursday, shaking off a stronger sterling which surged against the dollar, on chatter that US President Donald Trump plans to name a new Federal Reserve chief early. The FTSE 100 index rose 16.85 points, 0.2%, at 8,735.60. The FTSE 250 added 176.62 points, 0.8%, at 21,474.66, and the AIM All-Share climbed 6.59 points, 0.9%, at 767.04. The Cboe UK 100 ended...

Tariff-free US ethanol to blame Casualty of UK-US trade deal Shares barley move year-to-date Shares in Associated British Foods (ABF) were marginally higher at £20.61 in morning trading after the global consumer conglomerate said it was in talks with the UK government about the possible wind down of its bioethanol business Vivergo. Back in April, the company flagged the commercial viability...

Stock prices in Europe were higher and New York stocks were called to open in the green, amid reports that US President Donald Trump wants to name a new Federal Reserve chair as early as September, while investors wait for a slew of US data including GDP and quarterly personal consumption expenditures to be out shortly. The FTSE 100 index was up 28.76 points, 0.3%, at 8,747.51. The FTSE 250...

Full year sales and profit beat Strong start to new financial year Five year targets within sight Volex (VLX:AIM) powered ahead as much as 22% after the mission critical data transmission specialist beat full year market expectations and said strong momentum had continued into the new financial year. The gain took the shares to a new three year high of roughly 391p, comfortably ahead of the...

Stocks in Europe were mostly higher on Thursday morning as US President Donald Trump seemed to aim for further de-escalation in the Middle East, while FTSE 250's Moonpig fell after posting a profit decline. '[US President] Trump denied earlier intelligence reports suggesting that the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites caused only limited damage,' Swissquote's Ipek Ozkardeskaya recounted. 'On...

Alternative asset manager Litigation Capital Management (LIT:AIM), which specialises in dispute financing, has seen its shares fall 75% over the last year and recently marked a new five year low of 25.8p. The share price weakness reflects a string of announced case losses, the most recent of which happened on 19 June when a high court judge delivered an adverse judgment in a commercial...

If you are of the mind, as I am, that the wave of M&A is a long-term negative for the UK market then there was a positive development on 23 June. GP practices landlord Assura (AGR) announced plans to merge with its peer Primary Health Properties (PHP) rather than be taken over by private equity group KKR. Yes, the ranks of the UK market are still thinner as a result of this deal but, assuming...

If you've been investing for a while, there's a good chance that certain funds will have found their way into your portfolio. An S&P 500 and/or Nasdaq ETF are likely inclusions. FTSE 100, 250 and World Index trackers are very good bets, as are a handful of actively managed vehicles. Take Fundsmith Equity (B41YBW7), for example. When Terry Smith launched the fund in late 2010, many investors...

In December 2024, with the risks for equity markets piling up in our minds, Shares put the spotlight on capital preservation funds. As it turns out, stocks are higher now than they were then, but obviously that does not tell the whole story, with investors facing significant volatility in the intervening period. Most of this has been centred around so-called 'Liberation Day' when president...

Stocks in London closed lower on Wednesday, giving up earlier gains, though defence shares rose after NATO members pledged to boost military spending. The FTSE 100 index closed down 40.24 points, 0.5%, at 8,718.75. It had earlier traded as high as 8,792.43. The FTSE 250 ended 28.16 points lower, 0.1%, at 21,298.04, and the AIM All-Share fell 2.09 points, 0.3%, at 760.45. The Cboe UK 100 closed...

Stocks in Europe were in the red at Wednesday midday, with risk sentiment turning somewhat cautious despite the Israel-Iran ceasefire, before Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell takes centre-stage with his testimony in front of US lawmakers later. The impetus from an Israel-Iran ceasefire faded, with stocks that had climbed after the geopolitical optimism, returning progress. Defence stocks...

Stock prices in Europe followed New York and Asian stocks higher on Wednesday morning, on an Israel-Iran ceasefire, while Babcock was the star performer on London's blue chip index as it upped its payout and reported profit growth. The FTSE 100 index opened up 31.65 points, 0.4%, at 8,790.64. The FTSE 250 rose 63.50 points, 0.3% at 21,389.70, and the AIM All-Share was down just 0.12 of a point...

Stocks in London ended flat on Tuesday as strength in travel shares offset weakness in oil majors and gold miners, with markets reacting to a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran. The FTSE 100 index closed up just 0.95 points, at 8,758.99. It had earlier traded as high as 8,831.90. The FTSE 250 ended 205.25 points higher, 1.0%, at 21,326.20, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.25 points, 0.4%,...

European stocks were in the green at Tuesday midday, as hopes of an easing of Middle East tensions lifted travel shares, hurt oil majors and hit the dollar. There was uncertainty on the status of a ceasefire, however. Iran denied it launched missiles at Israel, after the latter accused it of breaking the ceasefire. Elsewhere, central bankers were in focus. US President Donald Trump hit out at...

European stocks opened higher on Tuesday, but a fall in oil and defence firms kept a lid on the FTSE 100's advance, after Israel confirmed it agreed to a ceasefire. Travel stocks registered strong rises, however. The FTSE 100 index opened up 40.70 points, 0.5%, at 8,798.74. The FTSE 250 rose 190.65 points, 0.9% at 21,311.60, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.23 of a point, at 759.52. The Cboe UK...