Uptick in orders continuesTrading in line with expectationsNew CFO John Fallon namedOn the day the ONS (Office for National Statistics) announced disappointing retail sales for October as Budget uncertainty sapped spending, DFS Furniture (DFS) defied the doom and gloom with news of robust orders growth into the new financial year.The reassuring update will come as a relief to shareholders, who mig

Blue-chips in London traded in the green around midday on Thursday, as the escalating conflict in Ukraine pushed oil and gold prices higher.The FTSE 100 index added 25.97 points, 0.3%, at 8,111.04. The FTSE 250 lost 45.77 points, 0.2%, at 20,198.99, and the AIM All-Share rose 2.00 points, 0.3%, at 724.34.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 815.30, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.2% at 17,701.10, and the Cbo

European equities were mostly in the red on Thursday morning amid a threat of higher for longer interest rates, following a lofty UK inflation reading and a caution against turbocharged US easing from a Federal Reserve official.The FTSE 100 index added just 0.40 of a point at 8,085.47. The FTSE 250 lost just 7.21 points at 20,237.55, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.18 points, 0.4%, at 725.52.The Cboe

Could you please explain how someone's drawdown pot is taken into account when working out how much you have to pay towards care costs.For example, for the purposes of working this out, is the pot of money converted into an annuity income based on the person's age and capital pot value.And if so, what type of annuity is used? Is it a single life one regardless of whether the person in the home is

After nearly 25 years of ups and downs on the stock market, compound semiconductor wafer supplier IQE (IQE:AIM) is at a real low point.The shares are trading at their lowest level in more than 15 years, after the company announced it would look to raise £15 million from its largest shareholder Lombard Odier as it carries out a strategic review from which one of the options is putting its Taiwan o

It's been a prosperous time to have invested in the markets. Each one of the major share indices around the world has delivered a positive total return over the past 12 months, factoring in share price performance and dividends.At the top end, the US has returned 32.5% as measured by the S&P 500 index; Japan's Nikkei 225 index has returned 15.3%; and even 'unloved' UK has lined investors' pockets

Weaker demand for discretionary toys and treats and an ongoing vet industry investigation by the CMA (Competition & Markets Authority), driven by concerns market consolidation has led to pet owners being overcharged for medicines and prescriptions, have kept Pets at Home's (PETS) shares on a tight leash this past year.Having previously expressed 'disappointment' over the CMA probe, the UK pet care

International Biotechnology Trust (IBT) 716pMarket cap: £263.2 millionWarren Buffett tells investors to be greedy when others are fearful and take advantage of depressed prices. That in a nutshell is the investment proposition for International Biotechnology Trust (IBT), which sits on an 11% discount to NAV (net asset value).The discount is not quite as extreme as it was when we highlighted the t

SDI (SDI:AIM) 58pMarket cap: £60.6 millionThe past couple of years have seen many a growth grenade tossed at SDI (SDI:AIM) yet the company has stuck to its largely successful knitting and we expect its fortunes to significantly improve through 2025. A casual glance at the share price chart might put a quick end to investors' research into this small cap business, but that's a mistake, in our view

AJ Bell's Money Matters campaign aims to help more women feel good investing. As part of the campaign, we've been pulling together a series of articles considering the particular issues you might be thinking about as you reach different milestones.This article looks at some of the specific issues that you might be thinking about in your sixth decade, and this is one that particularly resonates wit

To date, a small, exclusive club of UK retailers have exceeded £1 billion in annual profits, a high street elite that includes Tesco (TSCO), Marks & Spencer (MKS) and Kingfisher (KGF). Some may view this £1 billion figure as merely symbolic, but breaching this barrier is no mean feat and demonstrates a retailer has a lasting place in consumers' affections and the scale to win in a competitive ma

If it seems as though each week brings news of yet another takeover offer for a UK firm, the actual figures from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) are quite mind-boggling.Aside from the number of listed companies being bought, either by 'inward' investors or domestic buyers, hundreds of privately-owned firms are being snapped up every quarter.If you are in a position where a company you own

Organic revenue growth over 20%Budget creates more opportunitiesCEO confident of full-year outcomeSpecialist business services group FRP Advisory (FRP:AIM) delivered a strong first-half update with chief executive Geoff Rowley saying he was 'confident' in meeting market expectations for the full year.The shares climbed 9p or 6% to a new 12-month high of 155p, topping their October peak. STR

Underlying earnings up 18%Core product lines in growthDistribution wins with major retailersUnloved cosmetics company Revolution Beauty (REVB:AIM) swung from pre-tax profits of £400,000 to a £10.9 million loss after a one-off stock provision during a transitional half to August 2024.Why then, did shares in the beauty retailer rise 2% to 13.9p today (19 November)?Well, the company highlighted enc

Stocks in Europe were mixed on Monday midday amid more staffing announcements by incoming US president Donald Trump, while the gold price continued to climb.'The FTSE 100 ticked higher on Monday, helped by a decent showing for resources and financial stocks,' commented AJ Bell's Russ Mould.Meanwhile in Europe, the eurozone's trade surplus with the rest of the world grew significantly in September,

Stocks in London edged lower on Friday, while equities in New York dropped in early trade following some hawkish comments from the chair of the US Federal Reserve.The FTSE 100 index lost 7.58 points, 0.1%, at 8,063.61. The FTSE 250 declined 46.17 points, 0.2%, at 20,476.64, and the AIM All-Share gave back 2.24 points, 0.3%, at 727.14.For the week, the FTSE 100 slipped 0.1%, the FTSE 250 declined 0

Stocks were mixed on Thursday morning in Europe as investors await eurozone GDP and jobless data, and a US producer price inflation reading later.Also in the UK, data from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors showed signs of improvement in the housing market. A net balance of 16% of property professionals reported house prices rising in October, and a 12% balance saw fresh buyer inquiries

The result of the US presidential election has created shockwaves in the financial markets and beyond and I'm sure raised questions about your own portfolios.That's understandable and arguably this was among the more consequential elections of recent times. However, the occupant of the White House has historically made little difference to the long-term returns available from the financial markets

International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) 239p Gain to date: 47.5% Since we flagged the appeal of the stock in March, British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines (IAG) has gone from strength-to-strength.Passenger numbers have increased despite continued pressures on household budgets and the company has put in a strong financial performance which looks set to continue.The airline's s

MercadoLibre (MELI:NASDAQ) $1,961.16Gain to date: 28.2% Quarterly reporting maybe great for transparency but it can be a curse for long-run growth stocks, as investors in MercadoLibre (MELI:NASDAQ) are finding out.The stock was thumped last week (7 November) after a third-quarter report saw sales surge but profits miss expectations. Quarterly revenue jumped 35% year-on-year to $5.31 billion, beati