European stocks were in the green at Friday midday after a slew of fiscal stimulus measures from China, and as investors await key US inflation data which is crucial in the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions.The core personal consumption index remains traders' main focus going into Friday afternoon, and is expected to remain unchanged at 0.2% on a monthly basis with a small annual uptick fr

Trading ahead of forecastsHalf-year seen up on 2023Full-year profit top end of rangeFood producer Cranswick (CWK) has once again seen trading top expectations due to strong demand leading it to raise its half-year and full-year earnings guidance.The shares leapt 280p or 6% to £49.95 taking them not only to the top of the FTSE 250 leader board but to an all-time high. ONWARDS AND UPWARDSCra

Stocks in London closed higher on Thursday, as China's ongoing stimulus measures continued to buoy risk sentiment.Miners continued to rise, while luxury retail also moved higher again, boosting the CAC 40 in Paris. Travel stocks joined in on the rally, after a bullish update from a US peer.Share price falls for oil majors kept a lid on the FTSE 100's progress, however.The FTSE 100 index closed up

Stock prices in Europe were in the green on Thursday as investors awaited several US data prints and remarks from Fed Chair Jerome Powell.The People's Bank of China 'has 'thrown the proverbial kitchen sink at the economy', Pepperstone's Michael Brown said.'Fresh from big stimulus measures earlier in the week, all eyes remained focused on China amid talk that Beijing might inject up to ¥1 tril

Full-year revenue of £786 million expectedShares up 31% year-to-date£45 million share buyback continuesShares in Future (FUTR) were marginally higher at £10.29 in morning trading after the media group said its full-year 2024 performance is expected to be in line with market expectations.Future expects to report revenue of £786 million and an adjusted operating profit of £220 million for the y

Robust trading ahead of marketFull-year results ahead of expectationsEarnings upgradesPubs group Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) continued to grow sales ahead of the market in the fourth quarter despite an easing inflationary backdrop, unseasonably cool weather and disruption cased by the summer riots.The All Bar One and Toby Carvery operator said robust trading and a reduction in net cost headwinds to

Industry backdrop 'challenging'But expectations unchangedSpirits giant confident growth will returnIn a thin trading update, alcoholic drinks behemoth Diageo (DGE) warned that the global backdrop for the industry 'remains challenging' with consumers continuing to exercise caution.However, shares in the Johnnie Walker-to-Smirnoff vodka maker rallied 4% to £26 on relief that things aren't getting a

Stocks in Europe opened higher on a busy Thursday filled with economic readings from the US and Europe as well as comments from US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.The US data today will be followed on Friday by the Fed's preferred inflation gauge of core personal consumption expenditures.'The global economy is settling into a newfound stability and central banks can continue to cautiously cut

The new UK Government has made it perfectly clear that the Budget on 30 October is going to involve some tough decisions that will affect people's finances. While much of the media speculation has focused on how capital gains tax might evolve, inheritance tax (IHT) is also a potential target for big changes such as abolishing tax relief on owning certain AIM-quoted shares.The Institute for Fiscal

London's FTSE 100 went into the afternoon on decent footing, but limped over the line on Wednesday, as a weaker oil price hit BP and Shell.Hawkish words from a UK central banker did little to stir up enthusiasm for equities, though the OECD set out an encouraging outlook for the domestic economy.'With a lack of major economic news on the schedule for Wednesday and only a few big-name corporates re

Stock prices in London were higher at midday on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 outperforming its European peers after news that the UK has overtaken several G7 countries on economic growth forecasts.The Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development has placed the UK joint second in its economic growth forecasts for the rest of 2024.The prediction of 1.1% growth for the whole of this year puts

Adjusted profits down 65.7%Final dividend passedMarket growth 'could soon return'Indebted sofa seller DFS Furniture (DFS) lurched into loss for the year to June 2024 and passed the final dividend following a year marred by weak spending on big ticket items and Red Sea supply disruption.Yet shares in the clear UK living room furniture leader ticked up 2.5% to 117.8p in early dealings on Wednesday t

Strong half despite weak film slateFull year results expected to meet expectationsReduced rate of new openings in 2025Investors gave a rousing applause for posh cinema group Everyman (EMAN:AIM), sending the shares up 3.5p or 6.2% to 60p after it delivered a strong first half performance.The shares continued their recovery, rising 22% from the lows in June, taking gains over the last 12 months to 8

The FTSE 100 opened in the red on Wednesday morning, but other London stocks were mostly in the green, as investors awaited home sale and building permit data from the US.'An incredibly quiet economic calendar awaits today,' observed Pepperstone's Michael Brown, 'with only August's new home sales figures of note, though today's five-year auction will attract some attention after solid demand for y

The FTSE 100 closed higher in London on Tuesday, as miners enjoyed a boost from stimulus efforts in China, while mid-caps retreated from earlier in the day following US data.The FTSE 100 index closed up 23.05 points, or 0.3%, at 8,282.76. The FTSE 250 ended down 75.00 points, or 0.4%, at 20,770.12, and the AIM All-Share closed down 1.52 points, 0.2%, at 742.80.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.3% at 828.

Better than expected first halfInventory levels continue to normaliseFull year expectations reiteratedIt is always better to under promise and over deliver and market newbie Raspberry Pi (RPI) seems to have pulled it off after reporting a better-than-expected maiden first half.The shares soared more than 8% to 377p, topping the FTSE 250 leaderboard, taking gains since coming to the market in June

Blue-chip equities in Europe were on the up heading to Tuesday afternoon, with miners and luxury retail on top after stimulus measures in China were unveiled.Among the measures was a cut to the reserve requirement ratio, which dictates the amount of cash banks must hold in reserve.Lloyds analysts, however, commented: 'It feels like we've been here before when it comes to headline-grabbing bouts of

Missed on core profit and marginsStock slumps 8% to six-week lowPreviously faced break-up callsThere is 'panic on the streets of London' as Smiths (SMIN) missed headline profit and margin targets. While there were some pluses in the engineering outfit's annual results to end July, it is difficult to dress up the fact that headline profit was limp.The share price tanked 8% to £16.84, a six-week lo

First half profits plungeFirst interim dividend in five yearsFull year guidance unchangedFollowing a stunning run into the numbers, shares in Card Factory (CARD) cheapened 16% to 121p after the value-focused greeting cards-to-party supplies retailer delivered a drop in first half earnings and warned full year profits will be second half weighted.While some investors took profits on the unnerving n

Equities in Europe powered higher on Tuesday morning, with some stimulus measures out of China supporting stocks, before focus shifts to US data as the week progresses.The FTSE 100 index opened up 35.02 points, 0.4%, at 8,294.73. The FTSE 250 was up 11.61 points, 0.1%, at 20,856.73, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.96 points, 0.3%, at 746.28.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 829.49, the Cboe UK 250 was