Tate & Lyle (TATE) was in demand with investors on Thursday, shares sweetening up 5.2% to 712.5p after the company completed its strategic shift towards a speciality food and beverage business with the $350 million (£279 million) sale of its remaining 49.7% stake in Primient to KPS Capital Partners. The global ingredients innovator plans to return the net cash proceeds from the sale, expected...

Shares in pet care supplier Pets at Home (PETS) were down 5% to 265p in morning trading as the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) confirmed it would launch a full investigation into the veterinary services sector. In contrast, shares in veterinary practice operator CVS (CVSG:AIM) were up nearly 3% in morning trading to £10.66. Commenting on the different reaction, AJ Bell investment direc...

Multinational electricity and gas provider National Grid (NG.) surprised the market with the launch of a £7 billion fund-raise to finance investments in its network to the end of the decade. The shares, which had enjoyed a strong run from the £10 level in April up to £11.40 last week, went into reverse falling 103p or 9% to £10.24 as investors took the news on board. DEEP DISCOUNT The UK-ba...

Stock prices in London opened mixed on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 dragged down by National Grid after it announced a £60 billion investment. The FTSE 100 index opened down 19.61 points, 0.2%, at 8,350.72. The FTSE 250 was up 12.17 points, 0.1%, at 20,722.24, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.54 of a point, 0.1%, at 803.33. The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3% at 833.24, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.2%...

Stock prices in London closed lower on Wednesday, ahead of an announcement from Westminster calling a general election on July 4, and amid hotter-than-expected inflationary figures from the UK. The FTSE 100 index closed down 46.12 points, 0.6%, at 8,370.33. The FTSE 250 ended down 73.30 points, 0.4%, at 20,710.07, and the AIM All-Share closed down 3.22 points, 0.4%, at 803.87. The Cboe UK 100 e...

Stocks in London fell back on Wednesday, despite a jump in flagship retailer Marks & Spencer, as hot inflation figures dealt a blow to hopes for a June interest rate cut. Over in the US, focus will be on the latest batch of Federal Reserve meeting minutes, as well as earnings from chipmaker Nvidia. The FTSE 100 index traded down 28.02 points, 0.3%, at 8,388.43. The FTSE 250 was down 39.56 point...

Shares in Zotefoams (ZTF) traded 1.6% higher at 528p this morning as the specialty chemicals maker reported a trading update for the four months ending 30 April 2024 ahead of its annual general meeting. The company said trading in the period had been strong with overall sales growth of 14%. Sales of high performance products increased by 46% and footwear sales grew significantly by 44% after b...

Just as Glastonbury go'ers might love a bit of Paul Heaton, Paloma Faith and Sza, it's Coldplay and Dua Lipa that will headline the Pyramid stage this summer. So far, the first quarter earnings support acts have been good, now for the main event. Investor enthusiasm over all-things AI (artificial intelligence) has helped the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index rally to all-time highs this year, u...

Pubs group Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) smashed first half sales and profit forecasts and said the full year was likely to be at the top end of expectations, sending shares in the All-Bar-One and Toby carvery operator to the top of the FTSE mid-cap leaderboard, gaining as much as 14% to 303p. Over the last year the shares are up 44%, comfortably ahead of the FTSE 250 return of 7% driven by continu...

Shares in Marks & Spencer (MKS) topped the FTSE 100 leader board on Wednesday, rallying 9.1% to a five-year high of 298.6p after the retail giant's full-year results breezed past consensus estimates, prompting Shore Capital to proclaim that 'M&S is back baby!'. Chief executive Stuart Machin's turnaround plan is clearly paying off and both divisions have positive momentum, Marks & Spencer's Food...

It has been something of a wild ride for investors in fire safety specialist Marlowe (MRL:AIM) over the past six months or so, but today they can celebrate after the firm announced it would return a significant part of the proceeds from the sale of some of its software and service assets. The shares, which collapsed more than 30% last December from 500p to 310p, have gradually clawed their way...

Stocks in London largely fell at the open on Wednesday, as a stronger than expected inflation reading damped hope of a June interest rate cut by the Bank of England, but boosted sterling. The FTSE 100 index opened down 37.88 points, 0.5%, at 8,378.57. The FTSE 250 was down 66.19 points, 0.3%, at 20,717.18. The AIM All-Share barely budged, inching up just 0.1 of a point at 807.19. The Cboe UK 10...

Stocks in London closed lower on Tuesday, as investor nerves around Bank of England interest rates dominated the market, before the next UK inflation print. The FTSE 100 index closed down 7.75 points, 0.1%, at 8,416.45. The FTSE 250 ended down 89.96 points, 0.4%, at 20,783.37, and the AIM All-Share closed down 2.85 points, 0.4%, at 807.09. The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.1% at 840.04, the Cboe UK...