Stock prices in London were in the red at midday Tuesday as eurozone consumer prices were confirmed to have risen as expected in October, while global geopolitical tensions rose.Ukraine is utilising its new ability to hit Russia with US missiles, reportedly prompting stocks to fall as investors lose their appetites for risk.Investors are also starting to scale back expectations for interest rate c

There is a lot to be said for being boring, especially when markets are volatile, and no firm quite captures that essence like FTSE 100 specialist distribution group Diploma (DPLM), whose shares have already sailed serenely to half a dozen all-time highs so far this year.Diploma operates a decentralised model with three divisions: Controls, which supplies components including specialised wiring, S

Stocks in London were in the red on Monday during midday trading, as downbeat Chinese manufacturing data cast a cloud over equities.It is likely to be a quieter day, given that US markets will be closed today for the Labor Day holiday.The FTSE 100 index was down 13.03 points, or 0.2%, at 8,363.46. The FTSE 250 was down 61.15 points, or 0.3%, at 21,025.39, and the AIM All-Share was down 4.31 points

Stock prices opened lower on Monday morning in Europe, which has a lot of purchasing managers' index data out today, while financial markets in the US and Canada remain closed for Labor Day.In early corporate news, Australia's REA Group confirmed it is considering making a takeover offer for UK peer Rightmove.The FTSE 100 index opened down 15.50 points, or 0.2%, at 8,361.13. The FTSE 250 was down

European equities ended higher on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 and DAX 40 achieving record highs, the former boosted by a dovish tilt to the latest Bank of England decision.Across the Atlantic, weaker US labour data hurt the dollar, amid the expectation that a cooler jobs market could presage an eventual rate cut by the BoE?s US counterpart.At its May meeting, the BoE?s Monetary Policy Committee vo

Stock prices in London surged on Thursday afternoon, shaking off a muted morning, as a dovish tilt to the Bank of England?s latest rate hold supported equities.Threadneedle Street maintained bank rate at a 16-year high of 5.25% for the sixth meeting in-a-row. However, two members of its Monetary Policy Committee backed a 25 basis point cut. Seven, Governor Andrew Bailey included, supported the hol

Stock prices in Europe closed mostly in the green on Thursday, as oil prices recovered during quiet Thanksgiving trade and after the release of European Central Bank minutes.The FTSE 100 index closed up 14.07 points, 0.2%, at 7,483.58. The FTSE 250 ended up 0.66 of a point at 18,480.83, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.18 points, or 0.2%, at 718.08.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.3% at 747.41 and the

There have been a couple of bits of retail news over the last few weeks that bear real consideration. The first was that Swedish 'flat pack' maestro Ikea was taking over a massive shopping centre in the heart of Brighton and the second that after 137 years of calling, beauty products seller Avon is setting up shop in the UK.By themselves they might not raise much of an eyebrow amongst investors bu

Stocks closed lower on Friday in London as investors looked increasingly risk averse amid an expectation that interest rates will stay higher for longer and clashes continue in the Middle East.The FTSE 100 index closed down 45.18 points, or 0.6% at 7,599.60 on Friday but finished the week 1.4% higher.The FTSE 250 ended down 381.47 points, or 2.1%, at 17,454.22 and closed the week down 1.6%.The AIM

Stocks in London closed lower on Tuesday, as a stalemate in US debt ceiling talks hurt market sentiment for yet another day.The FTSE 100 index closed down 8.04 points, 0.1%, at 7,762.95. Gains for oil majors and international earners, amid a muted pound, shielded London's blue-chip index from a sharper decline.The FTSE 250 lost 65.03 points, 0.3%, at 19,208.31, and the AIM All-Share ended down jus

As an investor, you should be willing to sell shares in a company should you believe its best days are in the past. You will inevitably get things wrong from time to time and/or the investment case can change and, in these circumstances, you must summon up the courage to click the sell button.Buying low and selling high is the key objective when it comes to investing in shares, but even experience

Can retail stalwart Marks & Spencer maintain its positive momentum?High street fashion-to-foods seller's results provide investors with their next chance to check on the health of the UK consumerForthcoming results (24 May) for the year ended 2 April 2023 from Marks & Spencer (MKS) will give investors another opportunity to take the temperature of the UK consumer, with upbeat guidance probably req

The common factor across the latest trading updates from the big housebuilders is they are all forecasting fewer completions and land purchases this year.That could spell trouble for the various trades which support the new-build home industry, from legal services to building materials and equipment hire to fitted kitchens and bathrooms.With mortgage costs soaring after repeated interest rate incr

Among the strategies that can richly reward those investors with a bit of patience is dividend growth investing.At its heart this involves putting money to work in companies that compound their earnings over time and convert a high proportion of profits into the cold, hard cash needed to fund consistent increases in the shareholder reward.One fan of this investing style is legendary US fund manage

More leaks have been found in the pipeline bringing Russian gas to Europe, scuppering what had promised to be a positive open for stock markets.'There are two leaks on the Swedish side and two leaks on the Danish side,' a Swedish Coast Guard official said, after three leaks were confirmed earlier this week on the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea.Suspicions of sabotage emerged after the leak

- Shares gain after positive trading update- Challenging backdrop drives growth in insolvencies- Progress in integration of recent acquisitionsShares in business advisory group Begbies Traynor (BEG:AIM), moved 3.4% higher following the release of an encouraging trading update covering the three months to the end of July.Management reiterated its confidence in meeting market expectations of adjuste

London's blue-chip index lagged behind its European counterparts on Wednesday, as falls in oil and mining stocks offset gains for energy suppliers.The FTSE 100 index ended down 62.61 points, 0.9%, at 7,237.83 on Wednesday. London's blue-chip benchmark failed to make it a fourth successive day in the green.The mid-cap FTSE 250 index fell 9.36 points, or 0.1%, at 18,811.48. The AIM All-Share index a

Power suppliers Centrica and SSE were helping the FTSE 100 index in London to recover some of its opening loss on Wednesday at midday, as the UK awaits a government plan to tackle runaway energy prices.'Action on energy bills continues to be widely trailed as new prime minister, Liz Truss, prepares for an official announcement on her policy. Given the big package that is expected, anything short c

Stock market investors were confronted with multiple yellow signals on Tuesday, after a US social media company warned about ad revenue, UK power companies were added to the cross hairs of a windfall profit tax, and surveys suggested economic growth in the UK and eurozone slowed this month.The FTSE 100 index was down 21.65 points, or 0.3%, at 7,491.79 midday Tuesday, benefiting as sterling lost gr

London shares were being sold early Tuesday, after another US technology stock issued an earnings warning and saw its stock punished.The FTSE 100 index was down 74.37 points, or 1.0%, at 7,439.07 early Tuesday. The mid-cap FTSE 250 index was down 198.55 points, or 1.0%, at 19,947.63. The AIM All-Share index was down 3.37 points, or 0.4%, at 960.48.The Cboe UK 100 index was down 0.7% at 742.95. The