European stocks closed higher in confident trade on Wednesday, with the mood supported by cooler US data aiding interest rate cut hopes, and belief that the French election outcome could be more favourable than first feared.French voters went to the polls for the first round of the legislative election on Sunday, and they return to them this week. In the UK, there was a boost for the Labour Party

Stock prices in London were higher at Wednesday midday ahead of the UK general election on Thursday, with the opposition Labour party expect to win a comfortable majority.Also keeping stocks in the green was positive inflation news from US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, ahead of an Independence Day holiday, starting locally at 1400 EDT today.Speaking on Tuesday, Powell said the US central ba

Q3 like-for-likes down 9.7%But signs of sales stabilisation'Significant' online gainsTopps Tiles' (TPT) shares slid 4.2% to a 52-week low of 39p after the UK's leading tile specialist reported a 9.7% plunge in third quarter like-for-like sales as 'challenging' market conditions persisted.The share price reaction might have been harsher had Topps not stressed that sales stabilised through the quart

Stock prices were in the green on Wednesday morning amid optimism that the Federal Reserve in the US might cut interest rates in the future.In the UK, it is the day before election day. Polls have seen Keir Starmer's Labour party take the lead as the Conservatives slip.The FTSE 100 index opened up 42.55 points, 0.5%, at 8,163.75. The FTSE 250 was up 99.58 points, 0.5%, at 20,294.05, and the AIM Al

Stocks in London ended in the red on Tuesday, as cautious sentiment prevailed following hot eurozone inflation figures.The FTSE 100 index ended down 45.56 points, 0.6%, at 8,121.20. The FTSE 250 fell 27.61 points, 0.1%, at 20,194.47, while the AIM All-Share slipped 0.81 of a point at 764.37.The Cboe UK 100 fell 0.7% to 808.01, the Cboe UK 250 declined 0.5% to 17575.03, and the Cboe Small Companies

European stocks were under pressure on Tuesday, while US equities are set to open lower, after eurozone inflation data veered towards being unfavourable, as core price pressure remains robust.The data may have given European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde some food for thought. Lagarde, and her Federal Reserve counterpart Jerome Powell, speak at a conference in Sintra, Portugal later.The

European stocks opened in the red on Tuesday, with eyes on eurozone inflation data, a US labour market report, and words from central bankers at a conference in Portugal.The FTSE 100 index traded 51.69 points lower, 0.6%, at 8,115.07. The FTSE 250 fell 75.96 points, 0.4%, at 20,146.12, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.67 points, 0.2%, at 763.51.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.8% at 807.43, the Cboe UK

Stocks in London closed a mixed bag on Monday, as elections took top billing in a data-heavy day for Europe and the US.The FTSE 100 index ended up slightly at 8,166.76. The FTSE 250 fell 63.95 points, 0.3%, at 20,222.08, while the AIM All-Share climbed 0.80 points, 0.1%, to 765.18.The Cboe UK 100 rose marginally to 813.97, the Cboe UK 250 rose 0.2% to 17,654.04, and the Cboe Small Companies closed

European markets were solidly higher heading into Monday afternoon, with the blue-chip benchmark in Paris leading the way after more favourable than expected French election results.The FTSE 100 index was up 24.91 points, or 0.3%, at 8,189.06. The FTSE 250 was up 74.56 points, or 0.4%, at 20,360.19, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.46 points, or 0.2%, at 765.84.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 815.04,

Prices rise to 12-month highAffordability still an issue Labour promising 1.5 million new homesShares in residential developers started the week on the front foot after the latest survey by building society Nationwide showed average house prices continuing to rise.Investors were also looking to Thursday's general election and the prospect of a Labour win with the party promising in its manifesto t

Stock prices in London opened higher on Monday, ahead of the UK general election on Thursday and amid news that UK house prices grew in June.The CAC 40 in Paris was outperforming other major indices in Europe, amid news that the far right secured a lead in the first round of polling in France.The FTSE 100 index opened up 30.00 points, 0.4%, at 8,194.12. The FTSE 250 was up 120.42 points, 0.6%, at

Some end of quarter nerves meant the FTSE 100 returned solid gains by the closing bell on Friday, despite a cooler US inflation reading spurring on stocks in New York.The FTSE 100 index ended 15.56 points lower, 0.2%, at 8,164.12. The FTSE 250 fell 45.77 points, 0.2%, at 20,286.03, while the AIM All-Share fell just 0.09 to 764.38.For the week, the FTSE 100 lost 0.9%, the FTSE 250 fell 0.8% and the

Blue chips were in demand at midday on Friday, ahead of a US inflation print later in the session, which is expected to show a softening of the core personal consumption expenditures inflation gauge.The FTSE 100 index traded 46.01 points higher, 0.6%, at 8,225.69. The FTSE 250 rose 50.55 points, 0.3%, at 20,382.352, while the AIM All-Share climbed 1.52 points, 0.2%, at 765.99.The Cboe UK 100 rose

Investors have been playing a waiting game this week with all eyes on today's (28 Jun) US personal consumption price index, a key input in the Federal Reserve's 'data-driven' model which will tell it when it's safe to cut interest rates.A May figure of 2.6% or lower, against April's 2.8% print, and the market will be off to the races, although as Fed chair Jay Powell has said many times before we

London's FTSE 100 made a decent start to the final trading day of the quarter, and cooler-than-expected US data could offer it impetus for further gains.The blue-chip benchmark in Paris struggled, however, as pre-election nerves kicked in.The US data is released at 1330 BST. The core personal consumption expenditures inflation gauge is expected to have faded to 2.6% in May, from 2.8% in April, acc

With investors biding time until Friday's US Federal Reserve preferred inflation gauge, shares in London mostly fell on Thursday.Thursday also marks a week until the UK heads to the polls. Two opinion polls published in the past 24 hours see Labour taking the lead, with Conservatives taking second place and Reform coming in third.Amongst individual stocks, DS Smith shot up, but failed to take the

Stocks in London headed lower going into Thursday afternoon, with investors adopting a 'cautious' approach ahead of Friday's US inflation data.The FTSE 100 index traded 23.26 points lower, 0.3%, at 8,202.07. The FTSE 250 fell just 7.08 points at 20,291.02, while the AIM All-Share fell 3.08 points, 0.4%, at 762.84.The Cboe UK 100 fell 0.3% to 815.91, the Cboe UK 250 lost 0.1% at 17,654.85, and the

Moonpig Plus subscriptions surpass expectationsGroup remains strongly cash generativeShares up 31% over past yearShares in Moonpig (MOON) were up nearly 9% to 173p in morning trading after the online greeting cards-to-gifting platform reported a 5% rise in adjusted pre-tax profit to £58.2 million for the year ended 30 April 2024.The company delivered revenue growth of 6.6% to £341.1 million 'dri

First half tops expectationsFull-year guidance increasedMedium-term targets maintainedInvestors in Serco (SRP) received a pleasant surprise as the business services group revealed first-half profits were 'ahead of plan' and full-year profits, free cash flow and leverage would all be better than previously expected.The shares, which had drifted off their highs in the last couple of months, tacked o

Equities in London made a slow start on Thursday, but peers in Europe traded more confidently, with market focus on upcoming US data and political developments either side of the English Channel, and across the Atlantic.In London, a US blow for GSK hurt its shares. Miners also struggled in early dealings. Elsewhere, there was a guidance boost for outsourcer Serco, Watches of Switzerland reported i