All the meetings requisitioned by Saba at UK investment trusts are now done and dusted and the scorecard makes sobering reading for the US activist hedge fund ? trusts seven, Saba nil.That doesn't mean there is room for complacency on the part of the investment trust industry, as Saba has shone a spotlight on issues around performance and persistent discounts to NAV (net asset value) which aren't

Listed infrastructure and renewable trusts have had a torrid time over the last three years with average discounts to NAV (net asset value) drifting out to between 30% and 40%.In our view the gloom and doom gone too far, with the headwinds impacting NAVs have starting to dissipate, opening the prospect of a strong recovery.We have noticed some green shoots of broad share price strength since the s

Consolidation across the investment trust sector continues, against a backdrop of wide NAV (net asset value) discounts, pressure on sub-scale funds and shareholder activism.2024 proved a record year for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) across the sector, with 11 mergers and eight trusts being acquired, and this trend has continued into 2025.On 7 February, JPMorgan Global Growth & Income (JGGI) and s

London's FTSE 100 powered higher on Thursday afternoon, setting a new record high, after the Bank of England announced an interest rate cut.The BoE announced a 25 basis point reduction to bank rate to 4.50% from 4.75%. The move was expected.The FTSE 100 index added 129.37 points, 1.5%, at 8,752.66. The index set a record high shortly after the decision. The FTSE 250 surged 354.87 points, 1.2%, at

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 rose 0

JD WetherspoonInvestors will be looking for signs pubs group's sales momentum is poised to pick up in the second halfPubs group JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is scheduled to release first half results to 29 January 2023 on 24 March. The shares have had a strong run since last October gaining around 38% on the back of a general market recovery.A January trading update said first half like for like sales gre

For investors looking for inflation protection, a decent yield and stable cash flows backed by long term contracts, global infrastructure specialist BBGI Global Infrastructure (BBGI) ticks all the right boxes.Since listing in December 2011, the trust has delivered a CAGR (compound annualised growth rate) of 9.3% a year in net asset value while the shares have delivered a CAGR of 9.1% a year.The tr

Stocks in London closed in the red on Tuesday despite an upbeat morning session, as investors wiped out earlier gains following selling pressure in the US.The FTSE 100 index closed down 65.68 points, or 0.9%, at 7,361.63 on Tuesday. The mid-cap FTSE 250 index ended down 20.07 points, or 0.1%, at 19,149.65. The AIM All-Share index closed down 9.47 points, or 1.1%, at 887.31.The Cboe UK 100 index cl

The FTSE 100 finished a rather directionless Friday in the red on continuing worries over Brexit and with the S&P 500 falling as investors fretted about the fate of a US stimulus package.At the market close, the FTSE 100 was down 0.33% at 6,529.18, while the FTSE 250 softened 0.89% to 20,116.29.NEWS ROUND UPBetfair and Paddy Power owner Flutter Entertainment (FLTR) said a Kentucky court had reinst

London's FTSE 100 traded marginally higher on Friday, with the blue chip benchmark struggling for direction after the European Union's chief negotiator said there were 'just hours left' to strike a Brexit deal.Hopes have been rising steadily over the course of the week that a 'thin' deal will be reached and a no-deal scenario can be avoided.Meanwhile the Office for National Statistics reported a f

UK stocks opened higher on Friday as the European Union's chief negotiator said there were 'just hours left' to strike a Brexit deal. Hopes have been rising steadily over the course of the week that a 'thin' deal will be reached and a no-deal scenario can be avoided.Meanwhile the Office for National Statistics reported a fall in November retail sales of 3.8% as shoppers stayed home during the seco

UK stocks see-sawed throughout Friday due to a dearth of company updates and following the news that Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would resign for health reasons. Markets are closed on Monday for a bank holiday.The benchmark FTSE 100 index ended drifting off 36 points or 0.6% to finish at 5,963, back below the psychologically significant 6,000 level.Gains in Miners Anglo Ameri

Shares in infrastructure investment trust BBGI (BBGI) edged 0.5% higher to 171p in Friday morning trading as it raised its dividend target in a welcome boost for income investors.BBGI said it was targeting a 2020 dividend of 7.18p per share, up 2.6% on the 2019 dividend, and a 2021 dividend of 7.33p per share, up 2.1% on the 2020 target.It declared an interim dividend of 3.59p per share, covered 1

UK stocks edged higher on a quiet Friday for company news following an earlier setback on news that Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would resign for health reasons. Markets are closed on Monday for a bank holiday.At midday the benchmark FTSE 100 index added 4 points or 0.1% to take it back above the 6,000 level to 6,004 points. Miners Anglo American (AAL), Fresnillo (FRES) and Po

FTSE opened 0.3% weaker at 5,992 points on Friday as investors digested Fed chairman Powell's speech where he signalled the central bank would allow inflation to run higher and unemployment to run lower.Also impacting markets and foreign exchange today was news that Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was stepping down for health reasons, ending his run as the country's longest-serving premier. Japa

This year has seen 233 London-listed companies either cancel, cut or suspend their dividends, principally because of the coronavirus crisis. This is terrible news for anyone who relies on their investments for income.In many instances, even previously-declared dividends are not going to be paid, a terrifying trend only seen during times of massive distress that has returned as fiscal prudence beco

The allure of high growth and often pre-profit companies may be finally losing its hold over investors who are increasingly counting the cost of chasing supposedly 'hot' stocks regardless of valuation.The collapse of the mooted IPO of US property firm WeWork at the end of September underlined a third quarter theme where the valuations of many recent IPOs and previously racy companies, including Ub

On the face of it, investing in infrastructure seems like a wise move.After all, you tend to get a steady stream of income for a long period of time. Assets such as ports, airports and toll roads aren't going anywhere anytime soon, and due to their essential nature their earnings are both predictable and less likely to be hit by volatility. They also have an explicit link to inflation through regu

An investor on the hunt for dividends does not have to limit their search to the UK. The latest global dividend index from asset manager Janus Henderson shows global dividends surged 12.9% in the second quarter of 2018 reaching a record $497.4bn.Dividends hit new record levels in 12 countries, including France, Japan and the US, which are among the largest contributors to the index. The index itse

The 145.2p per share cash takeover offer for John Laing Infrastructure (JLIF) on 16 July has renewed investor interest in a sector dogged by political risk of late.Infrastructure as an asset class had been gaining greater traction over the last five years or so. It is relatively uncorrelated to the equity market and can provide a predictable stream of income, often rising ahead of inflation, over