After what has been a poor year for UK listings, the London Stock Exchange could afford to celebrate this week with the float of French media group Canal+ (CAN) which debuted with a market value of around £2.5 billion.Although the shares were listed in London, and at that value would normally be eligible for inclusion in the FTSE 250 mid-cap index, they are excluded as the company is still French

Notable win for London marketFloat to 'unleash potential'Analysts see £5 billion valuationAfter what has been a poor year for UK listings, the London Stock Exchange celebrated this morning with the float of French media group Canal+ (CAN), which debuted with a market value of around £2.5 billion.Although the shares are listed in London, they don't qualify for inclusion in the FTSE 250 index as t

VT Argonaut Absolute Return Fund(B79NKW0) 356.4pFunds under management: £212 millionWith stock markets trading close to highs, rising geopolitical risks and uncertainties over a Trump administration, investors are understandably concerned about increasing stock market volatility.A great way of playing both the upside and downside potential is to invest in the VT Argonaut Absolute Return Fund (B79

Stock prices in London were just about in the green at midday, outperforming Paris and Frankfurt, where shares succumbed to French budget concerns and worries that the European economy could be next to fall into the cross-hairs of Donald Trump tariffs.The FTSE 100 index added 4.24 points, 0.1%, at 8,262.85 heading into Wednesday afternoon. The FTSE 250 rose 15.49 points, 0.1%, at 20,584.14, and th

London's blue chip index was in the green while its European peers were in the red, following better-than-expected consumer price index inflation data, with on-year CPI falling below the 2% target in September.The FTSE 100 index was up 46.02 points, or 0.6%, at 8,295.30. The FTSE 250 was up 95.54 points, or 0.5%, at 20,889.98, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.34 points, or 0.2%, at 735.20.The Cboe U

Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman is not the shy, retiring type who shuns publicity, so when he announced plans to launch an IPO (initial public offering) of a new closed-end fund on the New York Stock Exchange touting a $25 billion valuation it seemed natural to believe he could execute his bold plan without any hiccups.After all, the proposed vehicle would mirror an existing closed-end

European stocks were in the red on Friday morning as investors eagerly await non-farm payrolls from the US, after tech earnings and economic data disappointed on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index slipped 27.81 points, or 0.3%, to 8,255.55 on Friday morning. The FTSE 250 fell 257.34 points, 1.2%, at 21,201.89, while the AIM All-Share traded down 3.42 points, 0.4%, at 779.66.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2%

Stocks in Europe took a hit on Thursday, with eyes on US economic data due out this afternoon and on Friday.The FTSE 100 index traded down 59.21 points, or 0.7%, at 8,094.48. The FTSE 250 was down 224.81 points, 1.1%, at 20,726.03, while the AIM All-Share fell 7.50 points, 1.0%, at 769.14.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 807.67, the Cboe UK 250 dropped 1.2% to 18,129.36, and the Cboe Small Compani

Stock prices in London opened in the green on Thursday, with some positive corporate updates helping lift the FTSE 100, a far cry from the sell-off New York tech shares suffered overnight.The tech sector comes into focus again, with streaming service Netflix, traditionally one of the FAANG stocks alongside Facebook owner Meta, Amazon, Apple and Alphabet, reporting quarterly earnings later.The FTSE

Equity prices in London found some composure heading into Wednesday afternoon, recovering from an uncertain start following an unnerving UK inflation reading.International Distribution Services jumped, after a billionaire shareholder?s takeover proposal that was rebuffed by the Royal Mail parent.The FTSE 100 index rose 46.18 points, 0.6%, at 7,866.54. The FTSE 250 climbed 107.23 points, 0.6%, at 1

Private equity firm hoping for valuation up to ?16 billionGoing public would allow firm to expand and diversify modelAmsterdam market picked over New York and LondonPrivate capital investment firm CVC Capital Partners hopes to get an IPO (initial public offering) away at the third attempt later this month.The London-based buyout giant, which owns stakes in Liptons Tea, upmarket watch maker Breitli

Semiconductors are the bedrock of the digital economy, core enablers of the data revolution and at the forefront of technological innovation. The semiconductor industry could be set for exponential growth driven by the mega forces of AI (artificial intelligence) and digitalisation, as well as those of geopolitics and economic competition.Investors looking to gain semiconductor exposure have the op

Q4 orders three times estimatesFull year earnings surge 40%?No AI without ASML? says CEODutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML (ASML:AMS) smashed analysts? forecasts for quarterly orders and earnings with its latest trading update, confirming its position as Europe?s largest technology firm.The shares climbed 6.5% in Amsterdam to ?753, just shy of their all-time high in late 2022, giving the com

Stocks in London rose on Wednesday morning, as large-cap miners benefitted from news of stimulus measures from China.The FTSE 100 index opened up 38.21 points, 0.5%, at 7,523.94. The FTSE 250 was up 85.94 points, 0.5%, at 19,078.56, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.37 points, 0.2%, at 740.29.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 751.62, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.6% at 16,517.35, and the Cboe Small Companies

Sharp slowdown in UK job marketShare prices fall across the sectorInterim earnings guidance cutThe European staffing sector became a sea of red on Tuesday with share prices down sharply after FTSE 250 bellwether Hays (HAS) posted a grim account of trading in the three months to the end of December and warned half-year profits would miss expectations.Hays shares were down as much as 19% to 87p at t

Stocks closed in the green in London on Friday as investors turn their eyes towards incoming US data.The London Stock Exchange closed at 1230 GMT on Friday, ahead of Christmas day on Monday. Markets will stay shut on Monday and Tuesday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 2.78 points at 7,697.51. The FTSE 250 ended up 59.98 points, 0.3%, at 19,630.95, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.95 points, or 0.3% a

Dalata shares are up 28% year-to-dateExpects hotel revenue to ?600 million in 2023More hotels in the pipeline for 2024Shares in Dublin-based Dalata Hotels (DAL:AIM) were up over 5% at 377p in morning trading as Ireland?s largest hotel operator said it delivered ?another record year of growth.? In a trading update for the second half of 2023, the company said it expected hotel revenue for th

Stock prices in London were lower at midday on Wednesday after a stronger-than-expected print for UK inflation supported a higher for longer narrative around interest rates.The FTSE 100 index traded down 50.75 points, 0.7%, at 7,624.46. The FTSE 250 slumped 201.77 points, 1.1%, at 17,487.69, and the AIM All-Share was down 3.79 points, 0.6%, at 686.79.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 761.40, the Cb

Bulk of business returned to growthFull-year earnings guidance upgradedFresh buyback launchedOnline food delivery platform Just Eat Takeaway (JET) raised its earnings and cash-flow guidance for the year to December 2023 following a third-quarter return to growth in the UK, Ireland and Northern Europe.The Amsterdam-headquartered company also launched a new share buyback of up to €150 million,

Persistent inflation and higher interest rates are squeezing disposable incomes. In this scenario there is logic in investors putting their cash behind companies which make premium products which confer pricing power or sell affordable luxuries which help consumers to socialise or unwind at the end of the working day.One sector that enjoys both these attributes is Beverages, the domain of soft dri