London stocks slipped on Wednesday as investors digested cautious updates from WH Smith and Bunzl, while fresh US probes into Chinese imports and semiconductor controls reignited trade war fears. The FTSE 100 index was down 29.39 points, 0.4%, at 8,219.73. The FTSE 250 was down 107.02 points, 0.6%, at 19,160.92, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.73 points, 0.1%, at 665.28. The Cboe UK 100 was...

Firm blames soft trading in US Worst one-day drop in a decade £2.3 billion wiped off market cap Investors in global distribution and outsourcing group Bunzl (BNZL) received an uncharacteristic negative surprise as the FTSE 100 firm cut its earnings outlook and suspended its share buyback. The shares slumped as much as 826p or 27% before steadying to sit at a three-year low of £23.76, a loss...

Raised full-year profit guidance Record revenue of £5.1 billion New £125 million share buyback Mitie (MTO) was one of the top mid cap gainers on Wednesday (16 April), with the shares jumping 5% to a new three-year high of 128p after the facilities transformation specialist upgraded its full-year profit guidance and announced a new £125 million share buyback. The shares have handsomely...

UK stocks edged lower on Wednesday morning as inflation eased more than forecast and Bunzl slumped on a downbeat trading update. Meanwhile, trade disputes between the US and China continue. Bloomberg previously reported that Beijing has ordered airlines not to take further deliveries of jets from US aviation major Boeing. More recently, Trump ordered a probe that may result in tariffs on...

London stocks closed in the green for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, as investors remain hopeful for a potential trade deal with the US and the pound rises amid a slow-down in wage growth. The FTSE 100 index rose 114.78 points, 1.4%, at 8,249.12. The FTSE 250 jumped 277.52 points, 1.5%, at 19,256.03, and the AIM All-Share advanced 6.99 points, 1.1%, at 666.01. The Cboe UK 100 rose 1.5%...

London equities were higher at midday on Tuesday, lifted in part by suggestions of tariff flexibility for the motor sector. The US, meanwhile, is 'certainly working very hard with Starmer's government' on negotiating a trade deal, Vice President JD Vance has said. Vance told website UnHerd: 'The President really loves the UK. He loved the Queen. He admires and loves the King. It is a very...

Recommended 130p cash offer Rival bid considered Proposal has 40% backing Shares in Bank of England bank note printer De La Rue (DLAR) climbed 17% to a new three-year high of 130.7p after agreeing an all-cash takeover by US private equity group Atlas at 130p per share. This follows the announcement by De La Rue on 4 February that it was launching a formal sale process. > More detailed chart...

London stocks opened higher on Tuesday, with UK unemployment holding steady in the latest quarter. The FTSE 100 index opened up 37.85 points, 0.5%, at 8,172.19. The FTSE 250 was up 97.15 points, 0.5%, at 19,075.66, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.01 points, 0.3%, at 661.03. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.6% at 814.10, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.9% at 16,642.96, and the Cboe Small Companies was flat at...

London stocks closed in the green on Monday, while the pound rose, in the wake of a partial reprieve to the US tariff chaos of prior weeks. The FTSE 100 index rose 170.16 points, 2.1%, at 8,134.34. The FTSE 250 jumped 463.66 points, 2.5%, at 18,978.51, and the AIM All-Share advanced 11.19 points, 1.7%, at 659.02. The Cboe UK 100 rose 2.1% at 809.34, the Cboe UK 250 firmed 2.7% at 16,489.66,...

London stocks were up at midday on Monday as news that US tariffs will exempt smartphones and other electronics lifted tech sentiment globally, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and mixed signals from Washington. AJ Bell's Russ Mould commented: 'An announcement slipped out quietly late on Friday exempting smartphones and other electronic goods and components from reciprocal tariffs is...

Next directors sell 50,000 shares Saga director buys 1,479,385 shares Alliance Witan director buys £113,058 shares Jane Shields, group sales marketing and HR director at clothing and homeware retailer Next (NXT) (and a related party) have sold 22,000 shares at £109.87 for a total value of £2,417,164 and 28,000 shares at £109.87 for a total value of £3,076,391 on 1 April. > More detailed...

London stocks opened higher on Monday, buoyed by news that consumer electronics will be exempt from US tariffs, easing investor concerns after last week's turmoil. However, Trump has said over the weekend that new tariffs on semiconductors will be announced 'over the next week' and 'be in place in the not distant future'. Swissquote's Ipek Ozkardeskaya commented that the week 'starts on relief...

London stocks outperformed European peers on Friday as tariff tension lingered and mixed US bank earnings failed to lift broader sentiment. US stocks were lower, though JPMorgan climbed, leaving banking peers in its wake. There was possible M&A action in the UK property sector, while both the euro and gold surged. The FTSE 100 index rose 50.93 points, 0.6%, at 7,964.18. The FTSE 250 fell just...

London stocks were mostly in the green at midday on Friday, as China vows to ignore further tariffs from US President Donald Trump. China has announced it will raise tariffs on US goods to 125%, effective Saturday, but will ignore further levies by US President Donald Trump. However, the Chinese finance ministry said further action by the US will be ignored because 'at the current tariff...

Oil prices moving against energy giant Weaker gas trading Debt pile growing Shares in BP (BP.) cheapened 2.6% to 333p in early dealings on 11 April after the energy giant braced investors for a 'weak' first quarter gas marketing and trading result and warned of an uptick in net debt, heaping further pressure on the oil major's management. Ahead of the results on 29 April, BP said debt at the...

London stocks opened in the green on Friday as UK GDP growth exceeded expectations, despite US tariffs continuing to weigh on global markets. US tariffs on Chinese imports have been raised to 145% not 125% as the White House had previously announced, a member of the US administration has said, with China reaching out to other partners as tensions rise. However, UK GDP showed the economy...

UK stocks posted their biggest gains since the pandemic on Thursday after the US paused new reciprocal tariffs, as investors welcomed a break from recent volatility and easing price pressures in the US. The FTSE 100 index closed up 233.77 points, 3.0%, at 7,913.25. The FTSE 250 ended 626.77 points higher, 3.5%, at 18,517.41. The AIM All-Share advanced 17.96 points, 2.9%, at 644.97. The Cboe UK...

The FTSE 100 snapped back on Thursday, mirroring a global relief rally after US President Donald Trump paused the rollout of new tariffs. China, on the other hand, has urged the US to meet it 'halfway' after Trump said he was raising tariffs on China to 125% from an earlier 104%. These took effect at the same time as retaliatory levies of 84% slapped on by Beijing on US imports. China's...

Strong momentum continued into Q3 Full year guidance maintained Land-based reforms expected in the summer Casino and bingo operator Rank Group (RNK) said strong momentum continued into the third quarter through March with like-for-like net gaming revenue up 10.9% to £195.6 million. Chief executive John O'Reilly commented: 'Since announcing our interim results in January, we have continued to...

Last year's earnings top estimates This year's guidance disappoints Shares fall from recent highs The much-awaited full-year 2024/25 earnings update from supermarket giant Tesco (TSCO) ended up being something of a let-down after the firm beat forecasts but warned operating profit for the coming year would be lower due to the 'competitive intensity' of the UK market. The shares, which recently...