In the first part of a three-part series featuring opinions and ideas from some of the UK's leading fund managers, we asked which stocks have surprised them the most over the course of the 2024 and why.While it was hard to avoid the influence of AI (artificial intelligence) on portfolios, the breadth of responses was surprising and goes to show how skilled stock-pickers can turn up gems in parts o

There was a certain degree of investor bemusement last month when shares in US electricity generation company Constellation Energy (CEG:NASDAQ) soared on news technology giant Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) had signed a 20-year power purchase agreement.This was no ordinary deal, however, as it paves the way for the restart of Three Mile Island 1 ? not the reactor which famously melted down in 1979, but a

The world's leading companies from the software, investment and microchip industries are to join forces to set-up an enormous new investment vehicle aimed at developing next generation AI (artificial intelligence) infrastructure and datacentres.Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) and BlackRock (BLK:NYSE), the world's largest software company and asset manager respectively, hope to pull in $30 billion in priva

Stock prices in London were up at the open on Wednesday, with sentiment improved ahead of an important day for investors, as UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt prepares to lay out the budget.The FTSE 100 index opened up 18.39 points, 0.2%, at 7,664.55. The FTSE 250 was up 119.71 points, 0.6%, at 19,390.74, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.71 of a point, 0.1%, at 735.60.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 767.53,

The US debt ceiling crisis may have been resolved but the feeling on the market was one of relief rather than outright celebration. This reflects the assumption among most investors that a deal would be done ahead of the deadline anyway.Now a default on US debt has been averted, attention is likely to turn to the other challenges facing the US amid signs of weakening consumer sentiment and amid th