Trian confirms interest in RentokilAshtead chief executive flies the flagChapel Down director buys sharesUS activist investor Trian Fund Management, a vehicle controlled by billionaire Nelson Peltz, significantly raised its stake in UK pest control and hygiene business Rentokil Initial (RTO) earlier this month shortly after securing a board spot for its head of research.According to company filing

2024 targets confirmedCash-flow forecast raised2025 outlook 'resilient'On an off-day for markets, with the FTSE 100 and the All-Share down 1%, facilities management group Serco (SRP) was a rare bright spot following its year-end trading update.The shares gained 8p or 6% to 147p, erasing much of their losses over the last month and indeed year-to-date. SOLID 2024 PERFORMANCEThe group, which

Stock prices opened in the red in London, Paris and Frankfurt on Tuesday, as investors await eurozone trade balance and US industrial production data.The Office for National Statistics reported that UK unemployment, in the three months to the end of October, remained unchanged at 4.3% compared to the three months to the end of September. Growth in average earnings including bonuses picked up to 5.

FTSE mining stocks on Wednesday were boosted by an uptick in gold prices while the Nasdaq Composite hit an all-time high, topping 20,000 for the first time.A jump in the gold price boosted Endeavour Mining and Fresnillo, while Lloyds Banking Group climbed as the Supreme Court agreed to an appeal brought by motor finance companies regarding car loans.The FTSE 100 index closed up 21.26 points, 0.3%,

Stock prices in Europe opened in the red on Tuesday as the FTSE 100 faded amid a softer start for miners.Mining firms climbed on Monday amid hopes of a China economic bounce back next year, but returned some progress on Tuesday. Anglo American was 2.2% lower, Glencore fell 2.1% and Antofagasta lost 2.0%.The FTSE 100 index traded down 38.21 points, 0.5%, at 8,313.87. The FTSE 250 was up 87.63 point

Sadly it's been less a case of 'lights, camera, action' and more 'brace for impact' lately for shareholders in Facilities by ADF (ADF:AIM), the firm which provides on-set serviced production facilities to the UK high-end TV and film industry.Floated in 2022 with hopes of bringing a touch of Hollywood glamour to the AIM market, the firm soon found itself under the spotlight as a result of the Holly

Indices in London ended the session in the green on a mixed day for retailers on Black Friday as US equities pushed higher in a shortened trading session.The FTSE 100 index rose 6.08 points, 0.1%, at 8,287.30. The FTSE 250 climbed 8.79 points, at 20,771.57, and the AIM All-Share firmed 1.58 points, 0.2%, at 732.49.For the week, the FTSE 100 rose 0.3%, the FTSE 250 advanced 0.9% and the AIM All-Sha

London indices saw modest gains on Thursday, driven in part by strong performances from food retailers Tesco and Sainsbury's, which rose on analyst upgrades, while trading volumes remained light with US markets closed for Thanksgiving.The FTSE 100 index rose 6.47 points, 0.1%, at 8,281.22. The FTSE 250 climbed 146.81 points, 0.7%, at 20,748.44, and the AIM All-Share eased 0.49 of a point, 0.1%, at

Identifying genuine growth stories is not easy but can be extremely rewarding. Nvidia (NVDA:NASDAQ) may be the ultimate growth stock example now but who was flagging its potential 10 years ago when revenue and profit was just a fraction of what it is today and when the widespread application of AI was still restricted to think pieces in periodicals. Some did catch on early and would have enjoyed e

London's stocks were mostly higher at Friday midday amid gloomy economic data which could boost expectations for interest rate cuts.The FTSE 100 index rose 52.48 points, 0.6%, at 8,201.52. The FTSE 250 climbed 170.72 points, 0.8%, at 20,520.41, and the AIM All-Share gained 4.33 points, 0.6%, at 730.07.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.6% at 824.79, the Cboe UK 250 was up 1.1% at 17,998.02, and the Cboe Sma

Consolidation is a growing theme across the investment trust sector against a backdrop of stubbornly-wide NAV (net asset value) discounts and increasing pressure on sub-scale funds.2024 is already a record year for M&A (mergers and acquisitions) in a sector which has just seen the eleventh such deal announced, the value-oriented Invesco Asia Trust (IAT) planning to combine with Asia Dragon Trust (

Gold has had a great year. Spot prices hit another all-time high (30 October) of $2,781 per ounce, based on Bloomberg data, chalking up 35% gains so far in 2024, having broken through the $2,600 level in September for the very first time.That trumps global equities, based on the FTSE World Index's 18% returns, and even high-flying tech firms have struggled to keep pace, based on the 27% year-to-da

Stocks in London climbed higher at the close on Friday, while the pound rebounded, amid renewed hopes of faster rate cuts in the US following a jobs report.The FTSE 100 index closed up 67.05 points, or 0.8%, at 8,177.15. The FTSE 250 ended up 90.78 points, or 0.5%, at 20,479.74, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.90 points, 0.3%, at 739.00.For the week, the FTSE 100 was down 0.9%, the FTSE 250 was

CEO appointed from withinDan Finley transformed DebenhamsMike Ashley may yet flex his musclesChallenged online fashion retailer Boohoo (BOO:AIM) has shunned major shareholder Frasers' (FRAS) demand to install Mike Ashley as CEO and appointed internal candidate Dan Finley as its new boss instead.Finley has been running Boohoo's fast-growing online department store Debenhams since 2022 and replaces

Stocks in London were mostly lower at Friday midday, while the FTSE 250 turned to the red after Close Brothers shares fell as it announced it will appeal a court judgement to the UK Supreme Court.The FTSE 100 index traded down 10.40 points, 0.1%, at 8,258.98. The FTSE 250 was down 15.67 points, or 0.1%, at 20,774.88, and the AIM All-Share shed 1.80 points, 0.3%, at 723.85.The Cboe UK 100 was down

The FTSE 100 made a bright start on Thursday, looking to break a four-day losing run, supported by well received earnings.The advance in London follows weak trading on Wall Street, where pre-US election and interest rate nerves hit stocks.The FTSE 100 index traded up 55.66 points, 0.7%, at 8,314.30. The FTSE 250 was up 25.76 points, or 0.1%, at 20,855.69, and the AIM All-Share added 1.40 points, 0

Stocks in London were lacking direction by Tuesday's close, but managed to claw back lost ground form earlier in the day, as the International Monetary Fund took a brighter view of the UK's prospects.The FTSE 100 index closed down 11.70 points, or 0.1%, at 8,306.54. The FTSE 250 ended up 43.05 points, or 0.2%, at 20,949.65, and the AIM All-Share lost 0.79 of a point, 0.1%, at 734.16.The Cboe UK 10

London's FTSE 100 was in the red during midday trade on Monday, returning the morning's gains as optimism fuelled by China's interest rate cuts ebbed.There was some sparkle in commodity markets from gold, however. Oil prices also climbed, supporting Shell and BP, which rose 1.1% and 1.9%.The FTSE 100 index went into the afternoon in a tepid fashion, despite the heavyweight oil majors rising. The l

European markets were lifted on Thursday as the European Central Bank enacted its second consecutive rate cut following cool inflation prints from the eurozone.The FTSE 100 index closed up 56.06 points, or 0.7%, at 8,385.13. The FTSE 250 ended up 121.42 points, or 0.6%, at 21,100.92, while the AIM All-Share closed up 2.96 points, 0.4%, at 742.39.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.7% at 840.03, the Cboe UK

London's blue chips faded after a bright start to trade in the red at midday on Thursday, ahead of US inflation data later in the session.The FTSE 100 had made a positive start, before some pre-US data nerves kicked in.The more tepid trade in Europe came despite equities in China ending the day in the green on supportive measures from the nation's central bank. The Shanghai Composite rose 1.3%, of