Is there going to be a tech market crash? If so, you definitely didn't hear it here first. Bearish commentators have been forecasting a correction in technology stock prices for almost as long as the current bull run has galloped onwards, and upwards. The bears certainly have reasons to be wary. The valuations of the Magnificent Seven are high, and so missing elevated growth expectations can see t

HgCapital Trust(HGT) 520pGain to date: 13.2%Private equity investment trust HgCapital (HGT) has continued to put in a robust performance since we said last March that it can add growth and value to your portfolio.The businesses it invests in provide software and services ranging from tax, accounting and payrolls to factory automation, fintech, insurance, healthcare and crisis and incident manageme

Member companies raised dividends every year for more than 25Erie Indemnity, Eversource Energy, FactSet Research addedIndex now 69 stocks strong with combined 2.39% income yieldThe S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, an index that follows companies with a history of raising their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years, has announced its annual rebalancing, adding three new names to its exclusive me

London's blue chip index edged to a new record high early Tuesday, despite tariff worries emanating from the US, as investors await speeches from Jerome Powell and Andrew Bailey.Also hitting another record high, gold spiked above $2,942 an ounce but returned some progress.BP barely moved after reporting weaker fourth-quarter results, as eyes turn to a strategy update later this month.The FTSE 100

European, UK and US central banks started cutting interest rates in June, August and September 2024, respectively, yet beady-eyed investors will have noticed that 10-year bond yields are higher today than they were then.The move higher in yields reflects increasing investor nervousness over high government budget deficits, sticky inflation and uncertainty caused by US trade tariffs.Those concerns

I have built up five different pension schemes under different employments over the past 20 years. Three are worth less than £8,000 each. However, my main SIPP is worth considerably more, around £300,000.My question is would I be better keeping these pensions separate and only taking them when I want to? Perhaps I should take them when my overall income is lower and I'm paying less tax? Or woul

Allianz Technology Trust (ATT) 431pMarket cap: £1.63 billionBig technology stocks have dominated growth for more than a decade yet one of the valuable lessons to come out of recent DeepSeek developments is that financial markets are not a one-way street, and key tech stocks don't always go up.Less experienced investors may not realise it, but such shake-outs are not rare, and volatility is built

In a fitting irony for our high-tech 21st century world, it was an old-fashioned technology which brought markets back from the brink on 3 February after Donald Trump's telephone conversations with the presidents of Mexico and Canada resulted in planned 25% tariffs being delayed by a month.Mexico agreed to station 10,000 members of its National Guard on the border and Canada deployed Canadian forc

Market is worried that growth is in long-run slowdown$180 billion wiped off market cap$75 billion AI infrastructure capex spooks investorsAfter a 7% stock drop overnight for Google parent Alphabet (GOOG:NASDAQ), headlines across the internet are screaming revenue miss, but that doesn't really capture the detail of the tech giant's fourth quarter.Alphabet reported $96.47 billion Q4 revenue, below t

Stock prices in Europe were in the red Monday, with investors nervously awaiting the next possible bunch of tariffs to be announced by US President Donald Trump, after he slapped curbs on Canada, Mexico and China.The FTSE 100 index fell 109.23 points, 1.3%, at 8,564.73. The FTSE 250 shed 404.91 points, 1.9%, at 20,545.57. The AIM All-Share fell 7.52 point, 1.1%, at 710.61.The Cboe UK 100 was down

European stocks opened in the red at the start of the week as the US imposed tariffs on its neighbours Canada and Mexico, as well as China, hitting risk sentiment.Only a handful of the FTSE 100 traded higher, Imperial Brands, up 0.3% and BAT, up 0.1%, were among those. The tobacco firms, seen as defensive stocks, being two of just a small contingent of early large-cap risers typified the unease in

Environmental orders delayedCalifornia wildfires hit Rail plansWorse mix in Auto and IndustrialIn an echo of the warning from Renew Holdings (RNWH:AIM) last week (24 January), engineering and infrastructure group Ricardo (RCDO) said it would miss full-year estimates due to events beyond its control including delayed government spending on major projects.In a further echo, Ricardo shares dropped 74

I am 64 and retired from my full-time job about four years ago. At that time, I took my tax-free cash from my SIPP.I haven't yet taken any other money from my SIPP. Instead, I am working part-time as a consultant which gives me enough money for our needs.Over the last four years my pension has increased in value. Can I now take more tax-free cash from it?BlakeRachel Vahey, AJ Bell Head of Public P

Beeks Financial Cloud (BKS:AIM) 260pMarket cap: £174 millionThere is a lot to like about Beeks Financial Cloud (BKS:AIM). Namely rapid and (largely) profitable growth and improving cash flow and margin profiles from an expanding market niche.Compound average revenue growth since 2019 runs at 31.5%, and while profit has been lumpy, due to expansion investment, the shares have returned 18.5% a year

London stocks ended mixed on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 gaining as utilities rebounded, while investors awaited the Federal Reserve's rate decision and key US tech earnings.The FTSE 100 index ended up 23.94 points, 0.3%, at 8,557.81. The FTSE 250 ended down 28.81 points, 0.1%, at 20,559.70, and the AIM All-Share eased 3.13 points, 0.4%, at 712.19.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.2% at 857.74 on Wednes

Stock prices in London were mostly higher midday Wednesday, with water utilities among those leading the charge, before investors look across the pond for the Federal Reserve interest rate decision later.The FTSE 100 index added 27.29 points, 0.3%, at 8,561.16. The FTSE 250 was up 114.30 points, 0.6%, at 20,702.81, and the AIM All-Share lost just 0.14 of a point at 715.18.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.

Shares jump 10% on deal newsBuyer paying just a 25% premiumShares had halved since listingSpin-offs are usually fertile ground for investors, but that hasn't been the case for shareholders who bought into automotive components and powder metallurgy group Dowlais (DWL) after its demerger from Melrose (MRO).Fortunately, holders have been offered respite of sorts in the shape of an agreed deal with U

Stock prices in London and Frankfurt opened higher on Wednesday, while Paris blue-chips fell amid weaker trade for luxury firms, as investors await a Federal Reserve interest rate decision.The FTSE 100 index added 4.45 points, 0.1%, at 8,538.32. The FTSE 250 was up 37.56 points, 0.2%, at 20,626.07, and the AIM All-Share added 0.38 of a point, 0.1%, at 715.70.The Cboe UK 100 was flat at 855.93, the

Wickes raises full year 2024 guidanceHalfords upgrades full year 2025 profit expectationWickes shares up 11%, Halfords shares up 19%Shares in Wickes (WIX) gained over 11% to 170p in morning trading as the DIY retailer reported a strong trading update for the six months ending 28 December.The company delivered continued sales and volume growth in retail with revenue up 3% year-on-year.Wickes also r

London's blue-chip index outperformed peers in Paris and Frankfurt on Tuesday morning, the day after US tech stocks took a dive on fears of competition in China.The likes of Nvidia, which slumped 17% overnight, were hurt by the emergence of DeepSeek in the artificial intelligence space. The Nasdaq Composite shed 3.1% on Monday. Nasdaq futures are currently 0.3% higher, the index looking set to rec