Revenue fall smaller than fearedHealthy rise in year-end order bookCompany eyes return to growth in 2025Housebuilder Bellway (BWY) suffered a 30% slump in housing completions during the year to 31 July 2024, one marred by more expensive mortgages, property market softness as well as significant build-cost inflation.Yet shares in the Newcastle-headquartered builder bounced 3% higher to £27.32 as i

On 17 July, Sir Keir Starmer's new Labour government announced its plans for the first year of the new parliament, with growth and wealth creation the priority.King Charles' speech at the State Opening of Parliament included a total of 39 bills under a new legislative agenda which includes speeding up the delivery of 'high-quality infrastructure and housing' and nationalising railway operators.Sta

Markets in Europe showed signs of recovery on Wednesday at around midday, with investors pleased that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell kept hopes of a rate cut for this year alive.Speaking in Congress, Powell told lawmakers on the Senate Banking Committee that the most recent readings 'have shown some modest further progress' since the first quarter of the year.Investors are now looking ahead t

Barratt sees profit above estimatesInvestors focus on outlook insteadNew Bellway offer for Crest NicholsonStock prices usually rise when a company raises its earnings guidance, but in the case of housebuilder Barratt Developments (BDEV) the market looked straight past the upgrade to focus on the outlook and didn't particularly like what it saw in terms of home completions.The shares fell 13p or 2.

Stocks in London were marginally higher on Friday morning, as election campaigns in the UK and France continue, with Reform UK overtaking the Conservatives in the UK in a major opinion poll.The FTSE 100 index opened up 2.07 points at 8,165.74. The FTSE 250 was up 7.97 points at 20,203.92, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.63 of a point, 0.1%, at 781.06.The Cboe UK 100 was up marginally at 812.48, the

European equities closed lower on Monday, with markets unnerved by election results in Europe, ahead of a US interest rate decision later in the week.The FTSE 100 index closed down 16.89 points, 0.2%, at 8,228.48. The FTSE 250 ended down 109.33 points, 0.5%, at 20,446.04, and the AIM All-Share fell 5.25 points, 0.7%, at 788.28.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.3% at 820.02, the Cboe UK 250 also fell 0.

Stock prices in London continued to trend down this week, as new US non farms payroll data signalled that a Fed interest rate cut won't be happening anytime soon.The FTSE 100 index closed down 39.97 points, 0.5%, at 8,245.37. The FTSE 250 ended down 160.51 points, 0.8%, at 20,555.37, and the AIM All-Share closed down 3.01 points, 0.4%, at 793.53.Over the course of the week, they are down 0.4%, 0.8

Stocks in London fell on Friday at midday despite a positive outlook from the CBI for the UK economy, ahead of a US jobs report reading.The FTSE 100 index was down 47.62 points, 0.6%, at 8,237.71. The FTSE 250 was down 105.46 points, 0.5%, at 20,610.42, and the AIM All-Share was down 2.27 points, 0.3%, at 794.27.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.6% at 821.06, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.6% at 18,031.68, a

Reservations per outlet upAverage selling price higherFully sold for current yearFTSE 250 housebuilder Bellway (BWY) cited improved affordability as providing support for a rise in confidence among property buyers and a subsequent increase in reservation rates between February and June compared to the first half of its financial year.The shares, which have gained 23% in the last year but are still

Average prices up by 1.3% for top-of-the-ladderMay typically strong month for price growthShares in UK housebuilders higher on newsThe average price of a property coming to the market for sale in May hit a new record of £375,131 up 0.8% or £2,807 in the month, according to data from online property portal Rightmove (RMV).The reason for the modest upwards price pressure was due to the spring sell

Fund outperforms benchmark in 2023Dividend increases by 7% to 7.65pShares sit at 13% discount to NAVMid- and small-cap UK growth investor Mercantile Investment Trust (MRC) outperformed its benchmark in the year to 31 January, delivering a net asset total return of 4.5% and total shareholder returns of 6.1%.The dividend was increased by 7% for the year to 7.65p per share, comfortably covered by rev

JPMorgan UK Small Cap Growth & Income(JUGI) 293.5pMarket cap: £403.4 millionA major trend in the investment trust sector is mergers between sub-scale trusts with similar remits to create funds large enough and sufficiently liquid to attract wealth managers and retail investors.One example which Shares believes offers a compelling proposition is JPMorgan UK Small Cap Growth & Income (JUGI), which

No-one could accuse the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) of sitting on its hands, least of all this year.As well as investigating several high-profile mergers ? including this month alone Aviva (AV.)/AIG Life, SpreadEx/Sporting Image, RedBird IMI/Telegraph Media Group, Pharmacy2U/Lloyds Direct and Hitachi/Thales ? the regulator has been busy looking into pricing in the funeral market (again

Revenues fall 20% Profits down over 40%Company cooperating with CMAShares in Taylor Wimpey (TW.) were down over 3% to 135p in morning trading as the UK housebuilder said pre-tax profit had fallen 42.8% to £473.8 million for the year to 31 December compared to £827.9 million in the same year ago period.The company?s share price performance today contrasts with a 10% gain over the past year.

There was a divergence between US and European equities on Friday, with stocks on Wall Street largely on the up, but peers in Europe struggling to find their feet at the end of a tricky week.The divergence between markets in Europe and New York was perhaps typified by the S&P 500 hitting a record high, cementing its status above the 5,000 point threshold.The greenback ended the week by returning g

Stocks in London lacked direction at midday on Friday, as markets ?paused for breath? across Europe.The FTSE 100 index was up 8.94 points, 0.1%, at 7,604.42. The FTSE 250 was up 12.99 points, 0.1%, at 19,115.71, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.71 of a point, 0.1%, at 750.39.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.1% at 760.46, the Cboe UK 250 was flat at 16,537.56, and the Cboe Small Companies was flat at 14,58

Deal creates UK?s biggest housebuilderBarratt paying a 27% premium on paperBoth firms report improving sentimentThe housebuilding sector received a major confidence boost with the news Barratt Developments (BDEV) had agreed to acquire smaller rival Redrow (RDW) to create the UK?s largest quoted developer.Redrow shares jumped 13% to 678p, followed by Crest Nicholson (CRST), possibly the most-touted

It has been a difficult year for investment trusts as a whole. Discounts have widened across various sectors and there have been a series of failed continuation votes and mergers. Yet some trusts have still done extremely well - relative both to the wider market and their peer group. In this article we shine a light on the biggest outperformers in some of the Association of Investment Companies' m

Gains across the sector year-to-dateSome stocks trading at new highsEyes on Berkeley Group this weekEven though the most recent results from housebuilders such as Barratt Developments (BDEV) and Bellway (BWY) were resolutely downbeat, the firms? share prices have been on the charge since the middle of October as investors have bet on the Bank of England continuing to hold interest rates at their c

No sign of activity picking upPrivate reservations fall furtherCompletions seen down around 20%The UK's leading housebuilder Barratt Developments (BDEV) echoed the downbeat sentiment expressed earlier this week by rival Bellway (BWY), describing the new-build market as 'uncertain' and lamenting the end of the government's Help To Buy initiative for first-time buyers.Barratt shares slid 2.8% to 412