There have been two major pieces of news regarding weight-loss drugs in recent weeks, adding further evidence that we're seeing one of the biggest healthcare revolutions in decades. It's also feeding into the investment world with more stocks being drawn into the conversation. A new study concluded that weight-loss drugs could halve the risk of obesity-related cancers. Cancer experts said the...

JPMorgan Claverhouse Investment Trust (JCH) 760p Market cap: £419.9 million Investors seeking to inflation-proof portfolios and tap into the re-rating potential of the undervalued UK equity market, with further Bank of England rate cuts among the catalysts, should consider putting to money to work with JPMorgan Claverhouse (JCH). This UK Equity Income sector mainstay boasts a 52-year track...

The FTSE 100 pushed higher on Friday, supported by some of the index's heavyweights trading higher, while geopolitical tensions remain in focus, as talks between Moscow and Kyiv got going. The FTSE 100 index was up 58.09 points, 0.7%, at 8,691.84. It is up around 1.5% so far this week and spiked as high as 8,696.99 points on Friday, its best level since late March. 'The FTSE 100 continued its...

As tariff fears ease elsewhere, the pharmaceutical sector now finds itself in the crosshairs thanks to an executive order trailed by president Donald Trump on 11 May. The administration apparently mandated a reduction in prescription drug prices of between a third and 80% to give the US 'most favoured nation' pricing. This put global pharma stocks on the back foot, although the vagueness of...

According to the latest Dividend Monitor report from Computershare, which looks after the share registers of 900 companies, total UK corporate dividend payments fell 4.6% or £700 million in the first quarter of this year to £14 billion. The decline was mainly due to lower one-off special dividends and a handful of large cuts from firms such as Burberry (BRBY) and Vodafone (VOD), which halved...

Pharma stocks fall on Trump drug price pledge Measures could cost NHS billions Markets rally on US-China truce On a day when 'risk-on' returned with a vengeance following a 90-day truce on tariffs between the US and China, the usually defensive healthcare sector was already on the back foot. The sector was further whacked by president Trump's proposed executive order on Sunday (11 May) to...

Stock prices in Europe were in the doldrums on Wednesday afternoon, as investors await the next US Federal Reserve decision. The FTSE 100 index traded down 25.85 points, 0.3%, at 8,571.57. It came into Wednesday on a 16-day winning streak, which is under threat of being snapped. The FTSE 250 lost 31.01 points, 0.2%, at 20,321.48, and the AIM All-Share is up 2.21 points, 0.3% at 712.55. The...

London's FTSE 100 remained in the green for its twelfth consecutive day on Tuesday, boosted by HSBC's first-quarter earnings and in spite of softened US economic data. The FTSE 100 index rose 46.12 points, 0.6%, at 8,463.46. The FTSE 250 advanced 76.41 points, 0.4%, at 19,809.72, and the AIM All-Share gained 5.56 points, 0.8%, at 681.31. The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.6% to 843.73, the Cboe UK 250...

Stock prices in London and Frankfurt were higher at Tuesday midday, as investors wait for US trade balance data, with US house price index data to follow. Asked whether the power cut there had triggered a fear that British infrastructure could be affected in the same way, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News that the UK has a 'continued approach' to 'resilience' and 'security issues'....

The US markets have come full circle thanks to several U-turns from the Trump administration on tariffs and attacks on US Fed chair Jerome Powell. Over the past three trading sessions (22, 23 and 24 April) the tech-heavy Nasdaq index has soared over 8%, the S&P 500 by just over 6% and the (DJIA) Dow Jones Industrial Average Index by more than 5%. These gains are in stark contrast to Easter...

Stocks in London, Paris and Frankfurt were firmly in the green on Thursday morning, after the US announced it will keep 10% baseline tariffs but pause higher levies. Trump paused new tariffs on most countries but doubled down on China, raising tariffs on the world's second-largest economy to 125%. Meanwhile in the UK, Downing Street said that the UK will 'coolly and calmly' continue its...

In December, Luxembourg's financial regulator the CSSF announced new rules around tax exemption and portfolio transparency for European active ETFs (exchange-traded funds). Along with Ireland, Luxembourg is one of the main domiciles for exchange-traded funds and since its rule change there have been a flurry of new products coming to market. Here we explain what an active ETF is, how it works,...

The FTSE 100 suffered fresh losses on Wednesday as China hiked tariffs on US goods and market volatility spread to bonds, compounding investor nerves. The FTSE 100 index closed down 231.05 points, 2.9%, at 7,679.48. The FTSE 250 ended 458.51 points lower, 2.5%, at 17,890.64. The AIM All-Share declined 14.65 points, 2.3%, at 627.01. The Cboe UK 100 ended down 2.9% at 764.65, the Cboe UK 250...

Just over five years ago the stock market began to react in earnest to news of the Covid pandemic.The sell-off was short and sharp, with a modest recovery from the lows in the spring followed by sharper gains in November 2020 after AstraZeneca (AZN) made a vaccine breakthrough.However, a large number of UK stocks are still trading below the levels they were at by the close of trading on 21...

Q4 sales and earnings beat consensusTotal dividend raised by 7% to $3.10Double-digit 2025 EPS growth targetShares in mega-cap pharmaceutical maker AstraZeneca (AZN) leapt to the top of the FTSE 100 leader board, gaining almost 5% after the company delivered a strong final quarter and despite what appeared to be a slightly below-market earnings outlook.Over the last 12 months, the shares have...

Stock prices in Europe opened in the green on Thursday, ahead of an expected interest rate cut by the Bank of England, with weekly US jobless claims figures also on the horizon.The FTSE 100 index added 67.85 points, 0.8%, at 8,691.14. The FTSE 250 rose 99.21 points, 0.5%, at 20,862.09. The AIM All-Share rose 1.51 points, 0.2%, at 717.17.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.9% at 870.14, the Cboe UK 250...

First US approval for breast cancer drugTreatment reduces risk of death by 37%Eighth new medicine out of 20 set to deliver by 2030AstraZeneca (AZN) said the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved its cancer treatment Datroway to treat adult patients with breast cancer where surgery is not possible or where the cancer has spread through the body, who have already received standard...

Out of nowhere the market for weight loss drugs has become one of the most exciting investment themes in the last two years, rivalling investor enthusiasm for AI.There is good reason for the excitement. Rod Wong, managing partner at RTW Biotech Opportunities (RTW) fund describes the development of obesity drugs as the biggest ever financial opportunity in healthcare.That is because obesity is...

Analysts expect £78.5 billion in payouts£56.5 billion of buybacks this yearFTSE 100 up over 7% in 2024The latest AJ Bell Dividend Dashboard report shows FTSE 100 constituents are on course to pay £78.5 billion in ordinary dividends this year.That figure is almost flat on 2023 and well below the all-time high of £85.2 billion recorded in 2018, although analysts are penciling in a 6.5%...

The FTSE 100 index closed up on Thursday, with AstraZeneca shares rising on US FDA approval of its Imfinzi treatment.Also on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised a 'relentless focus on delivering for working people' ahead of a major speech setting out targets to measure progress on his government's plans.AJ Bell's Danni Hewson noted: 'The prime minister today said that households...