BAE Systems shares climb 15%European stocks sharply higherUK and France discuss Ukraine dealThe European defence sector enjoyed its biggest one-day rally since 2020 after the Trump administration refused to offer any security guarantees, leading investors to bet on European governments ramping up their defence spending.Shares in BAE Systems (BA.) jumped 210p or 15% to £16.15, pulling with...

London's FTSE 100 closed in the green on Tuesday, though more subdued in the afternoon against its morning highs, as US stocks were shaken by weak consumer confidence data.The FTSE 100 index closed up 9.69 points, 0.1%, at 8,668.67. The FTSE 250 ended down 36.11 points, 0.2%, at 20,448.28, while the AIM All-Share closed down 2.82 points, 0.4%, at 708.06.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.1% at 867.14,...

London stocks ended Tuesday little changed, as investors digested strong UK wage growth data while looking ahead to key inflation figures that could shape the Bank of England's next policy move.The FTSE 100 index closed down just 1.28 points at 8,776.73. The FTSE 250 ended down 57.12 points, 0.3%, at 20,881.56, while the AIM All-Share closed down 0.70 of a point, 0.1%, at 724.52.The Cboe UK...

Sales and earnings to top forecastsNuclear business better than hopedMarine contracts also impressCivil and defence contractor Babcock International (BAB) cheered investors with the revelation revenues and underlying operating profit for the year to the end of March would 'exceed the top end of the range of analyst expectations'.The shares jumped 54p, or 10%, to a new five-year high of 596p,...

Revenue and profit top estimatesGlobal instability driving demandShares spike to four-year highDefence contractor Babcock International (BAB) posted a stronger-than-expected set of interim results with 'continued momentum across the group' and confirmed it would hit its full-year targets.The shares initially marched 95p or 19% higher to 594p, their best level in four years, before settling...

Defence and banks stocks top tableM&A wave creates big winnersConsumer stocks on the skidsIt hasn't been a vintage year for the UK stock market, but there are signs investors are coming back attracted by the cheap valuations on offer compared with the US as well as decent earnings prospects for UK companies.The FTSE 350 index is up 5.5% year-to-date, with the FTSE 100 large-cap benchmark up...

Trust returns to long-run outperformance trendBenchmark-beating 17.6% returnUK mid-caps cheaper than large-capsJean Roche-run investment trust Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund (SCP) returned to form in style over the year ended 30 September 2023, delivering a net asset value total return of 17.6% versus the disappointing 30% decline in the previous year.This beat the 13.6% total return from the...

Conflict is always an unhappy subject, but it remains an area of real focus across the globe. Cross-border collisions of ideology, hegemony, raw materials, and even survival, mean national budgets reach astronomical levels, especially in the US, by far the world's largest military spender.In 2022, global military budgets hit an all-time high of $2.2 trillion, according to data released by the...

Babcock International (BAB) 401.4pGain to date: 22.1% Original BUY @ 328.8p on 16 March 2023We highlighted the FTSE 250 company was at the start of a major recovery under chief executive David Lockwood and chief financial officer David Mellors, who together successfully turned round defence outfit Cobham before its £4 billion sale to US private equity firm Advent in 2020.An increase in...

Babcock CEO offloads shares to meet tax liabilitiesMitie CEO buy signals confidence in firmNatWest CFO Katie Murray and others sell upDavid Lockwood, chief executive of aerospace and defence firm Babcock International (BAB), sold 79,574 shares at 376p on 9 August, netting proceeds of £298,000 to meet tax, national insurance contributions, dealing costs and 'retention of the balance of...

£1,000 invested in Ocado, Babcock and Rolls-Royce apiece would have returned an average 40%Combined initial £3,000 stake would now be worth £4,20110 FTSE 350 stocks have rallied more than 20%Did you back any of July's biggest FTSE 350 share price winners? £1,000 invested in Ocado (OCDO), Babcock (BAB) and Rolls-Royce (RR.) apiece would have returned an average 40% over the month, or in...

Trading in London was lukewarm at Friday's market open, despite a strong UK retail sales print and Wednesday's consumer price inflation read otherwise boosting stocks across the week so far.The FTSE 100 index opened down 1.8 points at 7,644.25. The FTSE 250 was down 54.85 points, 0.3% at 19,256.88, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.03 points, 0.1%, at 765.32.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at...

Full year results beat across the boardNew management has a strong track recordDividend to be reinstated this yearShares in defence and nuclear facilities management firm Babcock International (BAB) continued their recent rally with a gain of more than 10% to 348p after the group published stronger-than-expected results for the year to the end of March.Today's move takes the accumulated gains...

NAV (net asset value) up by 18.5%Outperforms company's benchmark return of 15%Increases interim dividend of 5.5p by 10%Schroder UK Mid Cap's (SCP) net asset value for the six months ending 31 March rose by 18.5%, 'comfortably' outperforming the company's benchmark, the FTSE 250 ex Investment Trusts Index, which returned 15% over the same period.The company attributed the rise to successful...

As volatility returns, one way to protect your portfolio is to tap into returns that aren't reliant on the global economy or the direction of markets.We think Babcock International (BAB) is a good option as it undergoes an internally-driven, multi-year turnaround.The engineering support services play has had a difficult time. However, Shares believes a rebound from October 2022 lows has...

Gordon retired in his late 50s after a successful career in media planning including a period working for The Sunday Times. He is a big fan of investing and calls his SIPP (self-invested personal pension) 'my family's future'.Dividing his time between a rented flat in Mexico City and a house in the UK, Gordon's investment journey stems from his interest in the general management of companies,...

- Majority of full year sales already signed- Underlying operating profits up 10%- Valuation 'too cheap' says analystDefence and nuclear engineering group Babcock International (BAB) surprised the market with an upbeat six-month trading update and a positive outlook for the full year.The shares topped the mid-cap leader-board surging 8% to 313p, their best level since mid-September.WHY ARE THE...

Special situation funds should, in theory, be busy making new investments in the current market environment. Their strategy includes finding unloved stocks which could either bounce back thanks to corporate self-help measures or the market eventually spots hidden value within a business which then attracts more buyers for the shares.Given how so many stocks have slumped in value this year -...

The world's richest man, Elon Musk seems to have prevailed in his $43 billion takeover of Twitter (TWTR:NASDAQ).Initially though the Twitter board looked to prevent him from gaining 'creeping' control of the company by adopting a poison pill strategy which was popularised in the 1980s.The aim was to stop Musk from increasing his stake by purchasing more shares in the open market. By doing so...

One of the biggest takeaways from the UK's new 'Energy Security Strategy' announced on 7 April was that nuclear power would be a crucial part of the Government's plan for secure and sustainable energy.The issue has become particularly pressing amid surging energy costs and the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In this article we will look at how the UK's plans sit in a global context and...