London's FTSE 100 achieved made a small advance heading into Friday afternoon, and it looks set for a weekly gain, despite US fiscal worries hanging over markets. The FTSE 100 index traded up 7.87 points, 0.1%, at 8,747.13. It is up around 0.6% this week. The FTSE 250 was down just 5.07 points, at 20,794.59, and the AIM All-Share was up 4.65 points, 0.6%, at 741.39. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2%...

Strategic review includes possible sale of businessTwo stage process inviting indicative offersOperational improvements made in last three yearsShares in Benchmark (BMK:AIM) surged more than 25% higher to 44p on Monday after the leading aquaculture genetics and nutrition firm formally put itself up for sale.Over the last year the shares are up around 3% compared with a 4% drop in the FTSE...

Shares in aquaculture company Benchmark (BMK) gained 2.2% to 63.9p on Monday after reporting strong fourth quarter growth with revenues up 51% in constant currencies and adjusted operating profit up 35% to £3.5 million.For the full year to 30 September revenues were 24% higher in constant currencies to £125.1 million, around 3% higher than consensus while adjusted operating profit grew 37%...

Global markets regained some composure after Friday's sell-off caused by the emergence of a new virus strain Omicron which has reached at least 12 countries.Some calm was reinstalled after vaccine makers said they could make new formulae to combat the new virus strain within weeks.Asian markets steadied with China's SE Composite almost flat and Japan's Nikkei 225 index losing 1.6%. Meanwhile...

The FTSE 100 closed Monday's trading session 0.4% lower at 7,203.83 points as US stocks slipped, energy prices continued to surge following weak Chinese data overnight and UK investors fretted over a potential November interest rate rise.China's gross domestic product grew at a relatively measly 4.9% in the September quarter amid supply bottlenecks and property developer Evergrande's...

Shares in aquaculture firm Benchmark (BMK:AIM) jumped 13% to 64.5p on higher than average volume after the company said full year operating profits would be 'significantly ahead of market expectations'.Following a strong third quarter, which saw sales up 25% driven by a rise in demand across all three divisions, the fourth quarter to the end of September saw continued strong momentum thanks to...

The world is on the cusp of the most consequential disruption in food and agricultural production since domestication of plants and animals began thousands of years ago.As highlighted in Baillie Gifford's 2020 'Positive Change Impact Report', in 2050, the global population is expected to reach 10 billion, up from around 8 billion today.This explosive population growth will require global food...

UK stocks nudged higher in early trading on Tuesday as firmer commodity prices boosted mining and oil plays.By 8.40 am, the FTSE 100 index was up 0.2% at 7,121.2 points, while the FTSE 250 traded 0.4% to the good at 23,836.5 points.Major movers included mining titan BHP (BHP), which added 1.3% to £23.37, as well as oil giant BP (BP.), bid up 0.8% to 297.3p.Investor sentiment was boosted by a...

Shares in aquaculture company Benchmark Holdings (BMK:AIM) sank 5% to 54p on Friday after reporting a 15% fall in full year revenues to £105.6 million, resulting in a 51% drop in operating profits to £7.9 million.TRANSFORMATION ACHIEVEDBenchmark has successfully restructured the business over the last year, exiting loss-making activities and divesting of non-core activities. The company has...

People have continued to spend on the health and wellbeing of their pets during the pandemic, implying that retailers and service providers in this area should be fairly resilient.While the UK pet population has been broadly stable for the past decade, spending on pets has grown by 7% annually over the same period according to investment bank Liberum.Spend on vet services has also seen strong...

A 9.4% discount to net asset value at Odyssean Investment Trust (OIT) looks attractive for investors keen to pocket a ready-made portfolio of small caps with significant performance improvement potential.The trust looks to generate attractive total returns, principally through long-term capital growth, by backing often under-researched and undervalued smaller companies.Besides the re-rating...

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...

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)...

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....

Well-regarded stock-picker Stuart Widdowson says there is now 'obvious value' in UK markets, a domain being shunned by international investors, for the first time in four years. His comments accompany maiden half year results from his new vehicle, Odyssean Investment Trust (OIT), where his first seven portfolio picks are revealed.Odyssean Investment Trust listed on the Main Market in May...

As the FTSE 100 index rises by 56.2 points to 7,440 ahead of UK unemployment figures and following uninspiring performances on Wall Street overnight and in Asia this morning, insurer Admiral (ADM) sinks 6.75% to £20.31.Despite reporting marginal growth in first half profits and a boost in customer numbers and turnover, CEO David Stevens concedes some extra costs of large injury claims...

What sort of world will the infants of today experience when they reach adulthood? Will we be flying to work, holidaying on Mars, wearing super-sensory foil suits?Probably not, but we may well be desalinating huge quantities of sea water for drinking, eating more biologically enhanced super foods grown in urban farms, speeding through the city streets in self-driving cars, and wearing gadgets...

London's FTSE 100 pushes higher in early dealings, extending a 'Super Thursday' surge following the Bank of England's stimulus boost.One of the day's biggest corporate stories involves Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which reports a widening of interim losses from £179 million to £2 billion due to rising insurance mis-selling compensation demands and other litigation costs. The UK-focused...

Food and farming supplier Benchmark (BMK:AIM) nets a new contract for one of the world's top salmon producers Lerøy, triggering a 8% rise to 54p.A subsidiary of Benchmark's Breeding & Genetics division, SalmoBreed, has signed a ten-year agreement with Lerøy Aakvik Roe and Stamfisk for the supply of genetically modified salmon eggs.The agreement allows Lerøy to start...

Mid caps continue to take the lead following yesterday's rally. The FTSE 250 index rises 1% to 16,866 as the market warms to news that Theresa May will become Prime Minister. She is seen as a safe pair of hands to guide the country through difficult times.Online clothing retailer ASOS (ASC:AIM) jumps 4.7% to £45.04 on an impressive trading update. Total retail sales were up 30% in the four...