The market is alive with chatter about a mega-merger in the mining space after the revelation of a failed coupling between Rio Tinto (RIO) and Glencore (GLEN). That's understandable for several reasons, but recent history shows flirtations between corporate giants often go unconsummated.Having covered the oil and gas sector for nearly 20 years, I have seen the topic of a combination...

London's blue chip index was slightly in the red on Friday midday, while US markets are expected to open higher after a weak start on Wall Street on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index traded down 4.69 points, 0.1%, at 8,255.40. The FTSE 250 was down 48.37 points, 0.2%, at 20,591.86, and the AIM All-Share was up just 0.19 of a point at 723.54.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 827.28, the Cboe UK 250...

London's blue chip index opened in the red on Friday morning, following a healthy start to the new year, after stocks in New York declined on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index opened down 5.86 points, 0.1%, at 8,254.23. The FTSE 250 was down 51.56 points, 0.3%, at 20,588.67, and the AIM All-Share was down just 0.01 of a point at 723.69.The Cboe UK 100 was flat at 827.68, the Cboe UK 250 was 0.1%...

UK takeovers moved up a gear in 2024 as predators targeted bigger companies. The average value of deals was £1.07 billion, nearly three times higher than the £390 million average in 2023. In total, there were £49 billion worth of recommended bids versus £17.2 billion last year.A bounty of unloved or underappreciated companies were swept off their feet, signalling the UK market as being 'on...

Some of the most successful businesses of our time (and all time in fairness) are effective monopolies (or perhaps part of a duopoly or triopoly) with such dominant market positions they are able to enjoy significant pricing power and generate above-average margins and returns on investment.This type of situation can be overturned in two main ways: either competition emerges, attracted by the...

London's FTSE 100 held modest gains around midday on Monday but there were mixed fortunes elsewhere in Europe, as the DAX 40 hit a new high while the CAC 40 faltered.The FTSE 100 index rose 13.07 points, 0.2%, to 8,300.37. The FTSE 250 slipped just 6.30 points at 20,765.27, and the AIM All-Share added only 0.18 of a point at 732.67.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 833.95, the Cboe UK 250 lost...

I can't be the only person who walks down the aisle of a local convenience-style supermarket and finds their jaw dropping at some of the prices.For anyone without a car and/or uncomfortable with buying online, and therefore reliant on these outlets for their weekly grocery shop rather than just picking up bits and pieces, the extra cost is significant. Consumer group Which? reckons you're...

Stock prices in London opened higher on Monday morning, ahead of the US presidential election on Tuesday and the Bank of England's interest rate decision on Thursday.'Markets are seemingly scaling back some Trump trades,' commented ING analysts, 'and we suspect the next two days can see some abnormal swings in USD crosses due to tighter volatility conditions ahead of a closely contested and...

On 24 September, the PBOC (People's Bank of China) unveiled a major stimulus package to support economic growth, promote the expansion of consumption and investment and throw a lifeline to struggling industries and sectors.The central bank also announced a 800-billion-yuan ($114 billion) lending pool to help fund managers, insurers and brokers buy more stocks and initiate share...

At the start of 2024, I speculated that interest rate cuts could lead to takeovers involving bigger companies than the type of deals seen in 2023. While the rate-cut journey still remains in its infancy for the UK and other key geographies, the predicted wave of large-cap takeovers is firmly in motion. It's a reminder there is value on the UK market in droves.There have been bids or...

Server and home pc giant joins key indexTracker funds will need to buy sharesPalantir and insurer Erie Indemnity also joinOne of the world's biggest players in servers, the powerful computers that sit inside datacentres, and one of Shares investment ideas from June 2024, Dell Technologies (DELL:NYSE) has been included in the S&P 500 after the latest quarterly reshuffle.The S&P 500 is the most...

Miners dragged the FTSE 100 into the red on Tuesday, as stocks in London finished the session lower at the close.The FTSE 100 index closed down 31.41 points, 0.4%, at 8,167.37. The FTSE 250 ended down 47.19 points, 0.2%, at 21,091.49, and the AIM All-Share closed down 3.07 points, 0.4%, at 780.17.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.5% at 814.73, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 0.5% at 18,388.59, and the...

Stocks in London made a cautious start to the week, with falls in mining stocks pegging back the FTSE 100 after mixed economic data from China.The FTSE 100 index traded down 7.60 points, 0.1%, at 8,139.26. The FTSE 250 edged up just 1.22 points to 20,121.58, and the AIM All-Share lost 0.54 of a point, 0.1%, at 775.50.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 810.01, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.1% at...

Firm has received four bidsFinal bid pitched at 230pDeadline for talks extendedThe board of oil services and consulting firm Wood Group (WG.) last night published a statement saying while they were confident in the company's strategic direction and its prospects they had decided to engage with bidder Sidara.Wood Group shares jumped 19p or 10% to 205p, which is still some way short of Sidara's...

It was the best performing stock in the ranks of the FTSE 350 by some distance in 2023, and aircraft engine-maker Rolls-Royce's (RR.) share price has started 2024 in fine fettle to trade above pre-pandemic levels.There is no doubt Tufan Erginbilgiç has brought real seriousness to the business of turning around a company which had been struggling for years even before Covid grounded...

Copper is already one of the most important materials underpinning human civilisation, and the energy transition is only likely to see demand for the industrial metal build in the years to come.Limits and pressures on supply and this growing demand profile are already seeing copper prices mount a charge and recent M&A activity ? with BHP's (BHP) unsuccessful (for now) attempt to take over...

One of the factors undoubtedly helping lift the UK stock market to new highs this year is an upturn in M&A (merger and acquisition) activity.According to Dealogic, the value of UK takeovers so far in 2024 is more than $78 billion, the highest level since 2018, as overseas buyers in particular home in on the undervaluation of the market.'The UK has become structurally very attractive for M&A....

In 1995, Oasis and Blur were duking it out at the top of the charts, Barings Bank went bust and Manchester United broke the British transfer record by signing Andrew Cole from Newcastle.Meanwhile, in Downing Street, a Conservative prime minister faced plotting from MPs seeking to unseat him amid weak polling ? plus ça change.To paraphrase Mark Twain, ?history doesn?t repeat itself but...

Australian miner launches deal worth proposed $38.8 billionAnglo has huge copper assets crucial to buyoutCopper prices at two-year highs as renewable energy demand risesFTSE 100 mining group Anglo American (AAL) has huge iron ore, platinum, coal and, through its? controlling stake in dealer De Beers, diamonds, but make no mistake, BHP?s (BHP) interest in the business is a big bet on...

London stocks closed up on Friday, as consumer confidence reached a two-year high and the Federal Reserve appeared more likely to consider cutting rates.The FTSE 100 index closed up 105.36 points, 1.4%, at 7,635.09. The FTSE 250 ended up 114.92 points, 0.6%, at 19,338.02, and the AIM All-Share closed up 2.60 points, 0.4%, at 750.70.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 1.4% at 763.67, the Cboe UK 250...