Blue chip stocks in London, Paris and Frankfurt closed in the red on Monday amid concerns about US tariffs, with betting operator Entain down 8.6%.The FTSE 100 index closed down 79.66 points, 0.9%, at 8,600.22. The FTSE 250 fell 253.94 points, 1.3%, at 19,875.18, and the AIM All-Share fell 11.60 points, 1.7%, at 682.63.The Cboe UK 100 fell 1.0% at 858.72, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 1.3% at 17,285

European stocks were mostly in the red at midday, as China's consumer prices declined on-year in February, while incoming Canadian prime minister Mark Carney struck a defiant tone in the face of US trade war worries.The FTSE 100 index traded down 36.71 points, 0.4%, at 8,643.17. The FTSE 250 was down 85.57 points, 0.4%, at 20,043.55, and the AIM All-Share was down 2.97 points, 0.4%, at 691.26.The

London stocks opened mixed on Monday morning as the FTSE 100 slipped behind its European peers, amid a soft Chinese data report over the weekend.The FTSE 100 index traded down 11.83 points, 0.1%, at 8,668.05. The FTSE 250 was up 20.37 points, 0.1%, at 20,149.49, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.40 of a point, 0.1%, at 694.63.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 865.84, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.2% at 17,

London's FTSE 100 ended largely flat on Friday, after an afternoon recovery ensured it outperformed European peers, which continued to struggle amid tariff worries.The dollar faded after softer-than-anticipated US nonfarm payrolls, meanwhile.The FTSE 100 index closed down just 2.96 points at 8,679.88. The FTSE 250 fell 29.95 points, 0.2%, at 20,129.12, and the AIM All-Share rose 1.77 points, 0.3%,

Firms in reverse takeover talksSerica shareholders to receive majority stakeCombined entity to be worth £670 millionLeading UK Independent energy companies EnQuest (ENQ) and Serica Energy (SQZ:AIM) jumped 15% and 4% respectively on Friday (7 March) after the two firms confirmed they are in discussions about a potential all-share reverse takeover.Over the last 12-months Serica shares are down by a

Stock prices were mostly lower in London, Paris and Frankfurt around midday Friday, as investors await US nonfarm payrolls data.'More uncertainty around tariffs has weighed on global stock markets,' said AJ Bell's Russ Mould. 'Even though Donald Trump has made more goods exempt from tariffs on Canada and Mexico, it's the constant tinkering that's upset investors...The fact Trump keeps changing his

Operating profit beats forecastsSolvency and dividend betterShares drop 14% in active tradingJust to prove that sometimes, even if you know in advance a company is going to deliver good news, you don't know how the market will react, investors in FTSE 250 retirement savings specialist Just Group (JUST) will be wondering why the shares have tumbled when the firm beat estimates.As of mid-morning Jus

Analyst talks up massive growth potential of AI stuffEstimates Optimus will dominate future revenuesReckons stock could double to $550Fresh after the latest Trump policy roulette, analysts at Wedbush Securities have slapped Tesla (TSLA:NASDAQ) on its 'Best Ideas' list, with a bold call that the share price could double over the next 12 to 18 months to $550.It's been an ugly start to 2025 for the E

Investors on Wall Street were affected by uncertainty over president Donald Trump's trade policy this week.After initially announcing immediate broad-based tariffs on neighbouring countries Canada and Mexico, exemptions for carmakers were introduced before other industries were given respite amid suggestions tariffs could be rolled back entirely.On 6 March the S&P 500 extended its losses to drop n

Stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt opened lower on Friday morning, while Goodwin on the FTSE 250 shined, while Just Group dived.The FTSE 100 index opened down 38.81 points, 0.5%, at 8,644.03. The FTSE 250 was down 174.78 points, 0.9%, at 19,984.29, and the AIM All-Share was down 2.19 points, 0.3%, at 690.27.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.6% at 865.19, the Cboe UK 250 was down 1.1% at 17,373.6

The FTSE 100 lagged European peers on Thursday, after a perceived 'hawkish' rate cut by the European Central Bank drove the euro higher.Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell said there wasn't any bad news to cause a minor sell-off.'It's just one of those days where investors reassessed their portfolios given the uncertain economic and geopolitical backdrop,' he noted.The FTSE 100 index end

Digital viewing up 12% for full year 2024Record profits at ITV StudiosDigital advertising revenue up 15%Shares in ITV (ITV) gained over 5% on Thursday (6 March) after the free-to-air broadcaster reported a strong full year 2024 performance led by its streaming hub ITVX.Digital viewing was up 12% and digital advertising revenue was up 15% for the year ending 31 December driven by the robust perform

Blue chip stocks in London and Paris were lower at midday Thursday, but up a notch in Frankfurt amid hopes of big investments from the incoming German government.The European Central Bank 'is expected to cut rates having been given a freer hand as inflationary pressures have eased,' AJ Bell's Russ Mould noted.The FTSE 100 index was down 82.84 points, 1.0%, at 8,673.00. The FTSE 250 was down 33.31

2024 sales and earnings up 11%Shares were flat year-to-dateWarning on costs and marginsOn the surface, today's full-year results from FTSE 250 private hospital operator Spire Healthcare (SPI) looked fine, but investors spied one or two things they clearly didn't like and sent the shares sharply lower from the open.By mid-morning the stock was trading 36p or 16% lower at 188p, having earlier hit th

Mixed annual resultsQ4 like-for-likes disappointEssential Home sale on trackReckitt Benckiser's (RKT) shares rallied 2.6% to £53.22 after the consumer and household goods giant reported better-than-expected full-year margins and reiterated its bold plans to restructure and simplify the business.This more than compensated for worse-than-expected fourth quarter sales from the Durex-to-Mucinex maker

Stock prices in London opened mix on Thursday, ahead of a UK construction reading that is expected to show a decelerated fall in activity for February, while investors await US trade data.The FTSE 100 index opened down 19.42 points, 0.2%, at 8,736.42. The FTSE 250 was up 65.74 points, 0.3%, at 20,193.47, and the AIM All-Share was up 3.26 points, 0.5%, at 693.74.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 875

With Saba Capital having turned the spotlight on a handful of underperforming investment trusts, there is now a wave of activity as other trusts look for ways to reduce the persistent discount to NAV (net asset value) which has dogged the asset class.Some have introduced 'discount control' mechanisms, others have launched share buybacks, and some have announced they will hold a 'continuation vote'

Elon Musk and Tesla (TSLA:NASDAQ) optimists in the analyst community appear to be pinning hopes on AI, robotaxis and robotics to reverse the negative mood surrounding the stock in recent months.Since peaking at an all-time high close to $480 in mid-December 2024, shares in the electric car firm have lost more than 40% of their value, a plunge that has wiped more than half a trillion dollars off th

Just over five years ago the stock market began to react in earnest to news of the Covid pandemic.The sell-off was short and sharp, with a modest recovery from the lows in the spring followed by sharper gains in November 2020 after AstraZeneca (AZN) made a vaccine breakthrough.However, a large number of UK stocks are still trading below the levels they were at by the close of trading on 21 Februar

Part of being a successful leader of a public company is managing expectations ? setting achievable targets which you can tick off and, by doing so, build credibility with the market.The under-pressure boss of oil and gas outfit BP (BP.) Murray Auchincloss will have been aware he needed to make a splash during a big strategy event on 26 February but telling the Financial Times he wants to get the