The UK's benchmark index gave up its early trading gains in a subdued session early in the afternoon on Friday. At midday, the FTSE 100 was down 0.03% at 7,123.17.In a market that has struggled to find both momentum and direction investors will be focusing on the comments made by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell at the Jackson Hole symposium. The market will be scrutinizing his remarks for any outline o

The controversial moneylender Amigo (AMGO) announced first quarter (April-June) results this morning that showed a sharp increase in profit.The group announced a £15 million pre-tax profit in the first quarter of the year, up from £1.4 million a year earlier.This announcement comes rapidly on the heels of an earlier announcement this week reporting a significant loss for the last financial year.

The FTSE 100 made a slow start to the final trading day of the week ahead of the long Bank Holiday weekend with investors keeping their powder dry ahead of Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's comments at the Jackson Hole symposium for central bankers.Economic watchers largely expect the address to the remote conference will be unremarkable, but the market awaits in anticipation regardless.At 9am

UK stocks see-sawed throughout Friday due to a dearth of company updates and following the news that Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would resign for health reasons. Markets are closed on Monday for a bank holiday.The benchmark FTSE 100 index ended drifting off 36 points or 0.6% to finish at 5,963, back below the psychologically significant 6,000 level.Gains in Miners Anglo Ameri

UK stocks edged higher on a quiet Friday for company news following an earlier setback on news that Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would resign for health reasons. Markets are closed on Monday for a bank holiday.At midday the benchmark FTSE 100 index added 4 points or 0.1% to take it back above the 6,000 level to 6,004 points. Miners Anglo American (AAL), Fresnillo (FRES) and Po

Shares in troubled guarantor lender Amigo (AMGO) soared 13% to 13.5p after it scraped a profit in the first quarter and said it would resume lending on 'a prudent basis'.The update comes less than a month after shares crashed to 7.4p on news that a probe by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) into customer credit checks could see the firm hit with a significant fine and damages claims.SLIM PICKI

UK stocks ended Monday's trading session modestly lower as worries over the size of future financial packages in Europe and the US overshadowed positive Covid-19 vaccine and treatment data and oil companies also weighed on sentiment. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index closed down 28.78 points, or 0.46%, at 6,261.52.LARGE AND MID CAP RISERS AND FALLERSBP (BP.) dropped 2% to 303.2p and Royal Dutch Sh

Guarantor loans company Amigo (AMGO) has warned that its very survival is under threat as it reported a massive plunge into the red last year, sending the share price crashing 23% lower to 7.42p. That values the lender at just £35 million.The company said that a Financial Conduct Authority investigation into customer credit worthiness checks could have a number of potential outcomes, including a

UK stocks traded lower midway through the session on Monday, with oil companies weighing, as mounting Covid-19 cases stoked fears of a short-lived recovery in the global economy.At 11.35, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 41.66 points, or 0.66%, at 6,248.64.LARGE AND MID CAP RISERS AND FALLERSBP (BP.) dropped 1.6% to 302.45p and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) 1.3% to £12.24 amid a fall in crude pri

UK stocks eased on Monday ahead of the latest round of talks with the European Union regarding Britain's post-Brexit trading relationship with the bloc. Early confidence that a deal could be reached quickly has ebbed, with the two sides seemingly as far apart as ever.Sterling was steady against the US dollar at $1.2560 while Brent crude futures fell for a third session to $42.75 and gold prices co

Shares in Amigo (AMGO) rallied 61% to 13.7p on Friday after the embattled lender extended a deadline with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to deal with a customer complaints backlog and insisted it has enough liquidity to see it through testing times.BUYING SOME TIMEProviding loans to borrowers who struggle to obtain credit from mainstream lenders if a friend or family member can act as a gua

UK markets began trading very slowly on what will be a US-free Friday session because of the Independence Day holiday, with company news typically light on the ground.This followed a firm rally for Asian shares overnight on robust US payrolls data and a brisk pickup in Chinese service sector activity, but a surge in coronavirus cases in the United States kept a lid on stronger gains.But the gloom

Stock markets around the world have staged a big recovery from their March lows, yet there are many individual companies that have stubbornly failed to find their feet.Supermarket chain Sainsbury's (SBRY) and aircraft engines maker Rolls-Royce (RR.) are among a small clutch of FTSE 100 companies to have extended share price losses since 23 March, when the UK's benchmark index hit its pandemic low

Shares in troubled loans business Amigo (AMGO) have tumbled 18% to 8p as it warned of a 'material' hit to its balance sheet following a wave of complaints.The loans provider had set aside £35m to deal with a backlog of 9,000 complaints received so far this year, after an agreement with finance watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).But in an update today, Amigo said it has continued to se

London's FTSE 100 traded 0.22% lower at 6278.68 early on Monday as a rising number of COVID-19 cases, including in the US and China, stoked fears of a second wave of global infections.Sportswear giant JD Sports Fashion (JD.) cheapened 3.7p to 643.3p after confirming it has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators to its struggling Go Outdoors division with the courts, although it has

London's FTSE 100 fell 41 points to 6,774.6 early on Thursday, dragged down by ongoing coronavirus fears, a confidence knock from Flybe's collapse into administration, and losses for the likes of miners Rio Tinto (RIO) and BHP (BHP) as well as a share price slide from Standard Chartered (STAN).Also weighing down the blue chip benchmark was free-to-air broadcaster ITV (ITV), which plunged 9.1% to 1

Stocks around the world were hit on Monday as fears intensified over China's virus outbreak and the economic impact on the luxury and travel sectors.The FTSE 100 fell 1.4% to 7,485 points and the FTSE 250 was off 1.1% at 21,490 points. European markets saw falls of between 0.9% and 1.5%. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 dropped 2% while markets in China and Hong Kong were closed for a holiday.Miners were

UK stocks trod water at the opening following gains overnight in Asia and in Friday's trading in New York.After finishing up more than 100 points or 1.4% on Friday, the FTSE 100 index of leading stocks slipped 0.1% to 7,230.The week ahead sees the UK hold its third election in four years as well as interest rate decisions from the European Central Bank (ECB) and the US Federal Reserve Bank.Stocks

Suffering shareholders in guarantor loans firm Amigo Loans (AMGO) are offered some respite today as first half results and clarification on the latest regulatory intervention by the Financial Conduct Authority prompt a 16% advance to 69.6p.Probably the most important factor in today's performance is the fact guidance for full year performance is left unchanged for 'key metrics' - including growth

The latest quarterly re-shuffle of the FTSE 100 threw up few surprises but there were several notable promotions and demotions in the mid-cap FTSE 250.Joining the top flight next quarter as expected are pharmaceutical firm Hikma (HIK), electrical and electronic kit-maker Meggitt (MGGT) and Russian precious metal miner Polymetal (POLY).Making way are under-pressure insurer Direct Line (DLG), out-of