The less than happy story of football clubs on the stock market has a new chapter as Manchester United (MANU:NYSE) might be put up for sale by its controversial owners, the Glazer family.Casual observers might be surprised to learn that such a significant global brand from the world's most popular sport is valued by the market at just £3.5 billion - for context that's roughly comparable with hous

- Speculation puts club value at up to $5 billion- Football has largely failed to add value for ordinary investors- News follows Ronaldo's contract being cancelled after interviewManchester United (MANU:NYSE) has effectively put itself up for sale after the board confirmed that it has launched a process to 'explore strategic alternatives' for the club.The New York-listed shares jumped 15% on initi

Despite choppy stock market conditions and an inhospitable retail backdrop, London's latest IPO, Watches of Switzerland (WOSG), has successfully priced its shares at the top end of the range.The luxury watch-to-prestige jewellery retailer, the UK's biggest purveyor of Rolex watches, is not only a leader in attractive and growing luxury watch markets with a resilient bent, it is also delivering pro

Video games developer Sumo (SUMO:AIM) joins AIM on Thursday with a £145m debut market value. The company has convinced institutional investors to invest £38.45m of fresh growth funding.That evident firm appetite for the IPO from professional fund managers likely reflects Sumo's compelling growth story and prospects. It may also be supported by the stellar returns delivered by industry peers in r

In the third part of a three-part series looking at the best performers from the 19 super sectors which make up the London market we look at the last six super sector stars.You can read parts one and two here. The data from SharePad is taken from 5 October and covers the previous 12 months. We have concentrated exclusively on shares with market values of £100m or more.Real EstateBest performer: P

Of all the long-term consequences of the financial crisis of 2008, one of the most serious is the partial withdrawal of the banks from some of their traditional lending activities.Tougher capital adequacy requirements have made it more expensive for them to provide loans, which has left key areas of the economy short of funding and created a lucrative gap in the market.Part of the shortfall has be

Cough-cold drug developer Vernalis (VER:AIM) remains on track to launch several products in the coming years after another of its candidates completes clinical trials.Shares move 2.3% higher to 38.6p on extended release flu treatment CCP-08 set to be filed with US regulator the Food & Drug Administration later this year.The treatment has to complete a stability study before the results are handed

The markets appear to be treading water ahead of the key US non-farm payrolls release later with the FTSE 100 up a modest 0.1% to 6540.11. The move follows falls in US and Asia overnight.Financials are under pressure with Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) down 1.9% to 155.6p and Aviva (AV.) falling 0.76% to £13.07 but mining stocks provide some support on stronger metals prices with Rio Tinto (RIO) le

The stock market's smallest and riskiest companies have always held fascination for private investors. On the premise that 'elephants don't gallop, but fleas leap,' to borrow Jim Slater's often quoted phrase, it's easier for a tiny company to double its size, and investor's money, than for a big one. Let's face it, a blue chip company worth £1 billion will find it much harder to double or even tr

Drug developer Vernalis (VER:AIM) is accelerating its launch programme by moving two further long-acting cough/cold treatments a step closer to being sold in the lucrative American market. The company has already filed an application with US regulator the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for its Tuzistra XR product, with the authority expected to make a decision by the middle of next year. However

The quest to cure cat and dust mite allergies appears an unlikely spark of a revolution. Yet the significance of Circassia Pharmaceutical's (CIR) initial public offering (IPO) is hard to avoid.The Oxford-based concern is the first biotechnology company to be admitted (18 Mar) to London's Main Market in years raising £200 million, above expectations for £175 million in the 'biggest-ever biotech f

Development-stage pharmaceutical play Vernalis (VER:AIM) could launch its leading long-acting cough cold medicine in the US during the second half of next year. This could open the door to more than $150 million of sales from 2018.The Berkshire-based concern last month (24 Feb) successfully completed a multi-dose half-year stability study for CCP-01, which is expected to be filed with the Food & D

BUY 80pTarget 118pStop Loss 63pFootball club operator Celtic (CCP:AIM) looks set for significant gains after its first move above the 75p threshold for a decade.The £73 million cap has never seriously challenged the highs achieved in the late 1990s after a series of failed rallies. A number of chart patterns witnessed since January suggest this may be about to change.The move above significant r

Few companies can match the potential upside offered by biotechnology firms and when such 'biotechs' succeed in getting an idea out of a scientist's head and onto a pharmacist's shelf the rewards can be great. Just ask shareholders of Pfizer (PFE: NYSE) for details following the firm's great success with anti-impotency wonder drug Viagra.The little blue pill - developed at the US drug giant's form

Biotechnology specialist Vernalis (VER:AIM) could record its maiden profit by 2017 if its portfolio of unique long-acting cough and cold treatments is approved by US regulators.Tris Pharma is developing up to six extended-release (ER) liquid formulations on behalf of the company. Management estimates sales of each could peak at $500 million. The first product, CCP-01, has completed proof-of-concep