Profits up 17.2%Tasty growth in foodInternational sales down 10.3%Marks & Spencer (MKS) reported a forecast-beating jump in half-year profits as the retail bellwether's turnaround continues to gain traction, sending shares in the FTSE 100 company up 8% to a five-year high of 414p.With its dependable food and revitalised clothing and home divisions both gobbling up market share and Marks & Spencer'

First revenue miss in over two yearsFull year guidance trimmed30% overseas growth pleasesComing out of the gate there was a sour reaction to second quarter results (29 August) from Canadian athleisure specialist Lululemon (LULU:NASDAQ), which revealed a first sales miss in more than two years and a cut to full year guidance from the yoga pants to belt bags purveyor.So why did the stock rally 4.6%

The issue of executive pay and how it compares with that of the average worker is one which can generate a fair amount of heat and noise, but how much does it actually matter to shareholders?A new report from the High Pay Centre, a think tank which aims to promote quote, unquote fairer pay, shows the median pay of chief executives of FTSE 100 companies increased by 2.2% to £4.19 million in 2023.N

US business is boomingFull year guidance raisedFanDuel winning market shareShares in Flutter Entertainment (FLTR) flew 10.5% higher to £161.90 in London on Wednesday as UK investors got their first chance to react to the online sports betting giant's better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised full-year guidance, which sent the stock up 8% after-hours in the US yesterday.The gaming ope

Stocks in London stormed higher on Wednesday, as US tech stocks leapt, ahead of interest rate decisions either side of the Atlantic.While the Federal Reserve is expected to leave interest rates unchanged, it may hint at an easing of policy at its September meeting. In London, a rate cut from the Bank of England is possible on Thursday, although this is viewed as a close call.The FTSE 100 index clo

Stocks in London ran out of steam by the end of Monday, with focus on the trio of major central bank meetings this week, and the UK chancellor's latest update on the '£22 billion black hole' in the country's finances.The FTSE 100 index closed up 6.64 points, 0.1%, at 8,292.35. The FTSE 250 ended down 104.23, 0.5%, at 21,252.07, and the AIM All-Share closed down 2.35 points, 0.3%, at 777.32.The bl

It has been a very mixed week for US stocks as the big tech names which had led indices to fresh records in 2024 were on the retreat.The catalyst for the sell-off was concern about AI and, notably, Alphabet's (GOOG:NASDAQ) plans to spend heavily in this area without much indication of when this investment might pay off.Notably, outside of tech it was a happier picture for Wall Street with the Russ

London's stocks were shaky going into Wednesday afternoon, despite data showing a pick up in UK private sector growth.Amongst individual stocks, easyJet was flying after it said it is on track to deliver another 'record-breaking summer'.The FTSE 100 index traded 13.83 points lower, or 0.2%, at 8,154.04. The FTSE 250 was down 58.02 points, 0.3%, at 21,033.47, while the AIM All-Share was down 1.34 p

Annual profits power 13.1% higherStand-out showing from Sports Direct'Strong' profit increase expected in FY25Frasers' (FRAS) topped the FTSE 100 leader board on Thursday 18 July, surging 9.5% higher to 899p after the retail giant delivered annual profits at the top end of guidance, driven by Sports Direct, and expressed confidence in delivering 'another strong increase' in profits this year.Contr

After a positive first-quarter trading update which helped power the shares to a 16% gain year-to-date all eyes are on Unilever's (ULVR) first-half update on 25 July.In the three months to March, the group reported 4.4% underlying sales growth with a positive performance in all five divisions led by Beauty and Wellbeing where growth topped 7% during the quarter.Moreover, the firm's 'Power Brands',

M&G chair buys sharesBreedon chair ups stakeInvestec director sells sharesEdward Braham, chair of asset manager M&G (MNG), bought 24,600 shares at 204p for a total value of £50,174 on 20 June.A person closely associated ? Isabel Braham - also bought 14,800 shares at 204p for a total value of £30,192 on the same day.These move comes after the asset manager launched a £150 million bond tender off

SharkNinja (SN:NYSE) $75.16Gain to date: 53.5%We highlighted the attractions of SharkNinja (SN:NYSE) at $49 last December and shares in the cleaning-to-cooking appliances designer have soared 53.5% higher since. Risk-averse readers may be tempted to take profits off the table, but Shares believes this would be a mistake given the massive market share opportunity ahead for the Shark and Ninja brand

Market share gains in clothing and foodFull-year dividend restoredCost savings target increasedShares in Marks & Spencer (MKS) topped the FTSE 100 leader board on Wednesday, rallying 9.1% to a five-year high of 298.6p after the retail giant's full-year results breezed past consensus estimates, prompting Shore Capital to proclaim that 'M&S is back baby!'.Chief executive Stuart Machin's turnaround p

Breedon purchase related to non-exec chairmanSofcat sale related to current chief executiveLight Science Technologies director buys sharesA PCA or person closely associated to Amit Bhatia, non-executive chair of construction materials giant Breedon (BREE:AIM), bought 1.1 million shares at 383p for a total value of £4,210,250 on 10 May.The purchase was made through Abicad Holding Limited, similar

London stocks were up at midday on Friday, on the back of an interest rate hold from the Bank of England and a better-than-expected gross domestic product reading from the Office for National Statistics.The FTSE 100 index was up 66.70 points, 0.8%, at 8,448.05, after hitting a record high 8,455.77 earlier. The FTSE 250 was up 163.86 points, 0.8%, at 20,695.16, and the AIM All-Share was up 5.05 poi

Stocks in London started strong on Friday following the Bank of England?s dovish hold on interest rates on Thursday, as new data showed UK gross domestic product reached a stronger-than-expected level in March.The FTSE 100 index opened up 43.05 points, 0.5%, at 8,424.40. The FTSE 250 was up 68.41 points, 0.3%, at 20,599.71, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.06 points, 0.3%, at 785.76.The Cboe UK 100

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

Jewellery retailer hikes guidanceQ1 organic growth of 18%But China remains a trouble spotDanish jewellery brand Pandora (PNDORA:CPH) raised its full-year organic revenue guidance after first quarter sales and profits breezed past estimates with the key US market sustaining its strength.The rings-to-lab-grown diamonds seller?s confident outlook demonstrated that its ?Phoenix? growth strategy, which

The FTSE 100 was lower on Monday at midday as the oil price declined despite high tensions between Iran and Israel, while the FTSE 250 was a tad higher.The FTSE 100 index was down 33.43 points, 0.4%, at 7,962.15. The FTSE 250 was up 12.21 points, 0.1%, at 19,733.45, and the AIM All-Share was down 4.01 points, 0.5%, at 751.90.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.5% at 795.86, the Cboe UK 250 was marginally d

London?s FTSE 100, the outperformer on Friday as investors fretted over a possible escalation in the Middle East, was the laggard on Monday in the wake of Iran?s strikes on Israel over the weekend, as the blue-chip index?s oil majors tracked crude prices lower.Large-cap benchmarks in Frankfurt and Paris, which fell on Friday, were on the up on Monday. Stocks in New York tumbled at the end of last