Funds inevitably have their up and downs in performance. When a fund has gone through a particularly poor spell, does this represent a buying opportunity for investors in the expectation it will bounce back to form?Likewise for existing investors, should they stick or twist? Fortunately, there are lots of studies from the institutional fund management world which provide answers to that question a

The ISA turns 25 on 6 April 2024 and few would argue that the tax-efficient savings wrapper has been anything other than a raging success story. Something like 22 million Brits have one, attracting somewhere over £700 billion of cash and stock market investments since 1999. In the coming 12-months, ISA investors will save an estimated £7 billion in tax.Hundreds of ISA millionaires are thoughts t

Stock markets have been making new all-time highs in the US, Europe and Japan and investors are asking whether they are witnessing a new global bull market for stocks which began in November 2023.Momentum is a powerful factor in stock markets. Prices tend to trend in the same direction which mean buying winners and selling losers can be a profitable strategy.It is not only about price but also ear

Equities in London made an underwhelming start to the week, in a sign of investor unease ahead of a key few days on the fiscal and monetary policy fronts.A pre-election budget will be the key event in the UK this week. Eyes will be on whether UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will size up some tax relief. In the eurozone, focus will be on the European Central Bank?s interest rate decision on Thursday. In

European equities ended lower on Friday, though the pound and euro climbed, as Federal Reserve interest rate expectations swung to-and-fro after contrasting US data in the afternoon.A stronger employment report meant some rethought their rate cut expectations for March. Interest rate nerves were soothed later, however, after an underwhelming reading of the US service economy.Among individual share

Firm rakes in money on higher ratesPanama and Suez passages chokedUK retailers could be affectedShares in shipbroking and shipping services group Clarkson (CKN) were the stand-out performer in the FTSE 250 after chief executive Andi Case raised the outlook for full-year earnings.Clarkson shares jumped as much as 9.5% to £35.95, taking them to a new 12-month high and straight to the top of the mid

Given profit can be subject to alterations and adjustments and presented in a flattering light, trying to find value purely based on the ratio between a company's share price and earnings per share can trip you up.A solution is to look at firm's cash flow instead. It is best practice to look at free cash flow which is the cash a company generates through its operations minus any capital expenditur

- Shares climb 7% on 50% jump in earnings- Dividend raised for 20th year in a row- Scope for further growth across sectorsIntegrated shipping services firm Clarkson (CKN) produced record underlying earnings in 2022, in what chairman Laurence Hollingworth described as 'a remarkable year' for the shipping industry.The company's shares gained as much as 7% to a new six-month high of £35.45 with more

- Tight supply-demand situation is driving prices up- Strong likelihood of another dividend increase - Firm is embedded in the 'green' transitionShipbroking and finance firm Clarkson (CKN) posted a sharp increase in first half earnings thanks to strong demand for shipping capacity and healthy shipping rates.The company raised its interim dividend by 2p to 20p per share, putting it on track for a 2

Clarksons (CKN), the world's leading provider of shipping services, posted record earnings for the year to December.The results pleased investors, with the company's shares gaining 7.5% to £33.45 while the FTSE 250 mid-cap index dropped 4.5% on the ongoing war in Ukraine.STRONG MARKETLast year saw a healthy rebound in shipping markets after the upheaval caused by the pandemic.Shipping rates impro

The FTSE 100 closed higher on Friday, ignoring declines in US stocks as inflation, looming interest rate hikes and weak jobs report spooked investors across the pond.At the close, the UK benchmark index had rallied 0.47% to hit 7,485.28, although the mid-cap FTSE 250 lost further ground, down 0.27% to finish at 23,353.25.'Although today's jobs report shows yet another disappointing top line jobs n

Major UK stocks are struggling for direction at lunchtime on Friday with European markets a mixed bag, and while mid-cap sellers are out in force investors may take some comfort that futures are pointing to US markets finishing on the front foot after a turbulent week.At 12pm, the benchmark FTSE 100 was just a touch south of flat at 7,448.84, roughly matching the 0.07% decline of the pan-European

UK stocks drifted in early trading as investors awaited the next piece of US economic data, the December non-farm payrolls report due at lunchtime. A stronger than expected number could be negative for markets as it adds to worries the US Federal Reserve will raise rates earlier than expected.There was positive news in the technology sector with Samsung Electronics, a major Asian chipmaker, and ST

UK equity markets ended Monday's session on a positive note, having managed to build on gains established earlier in the day.Both the FTSE 100 blue chip index and the mid-cap FTSE 250 index ended the day in positive territory. The former added 1.7% to reach 7,241 and the latter moved ahead by 1% to hit 22,873.UK equity markets were helped by a strong opening from American markets, with all the maj

UK equities continued to trade in positive territory by midday on Monday with the FTSE 100 blue chip index 1% higher at 7,191 points and the mid-cap FTSE 250 index 0.4% firmer at 22,734 pointsThe market was encouraged by the latest IHS Markit monthly construction purchasing managers index for November which improved to 55.5 from 54.6 in October.A score of above 50 indicates growth, and the index h

Shares in 170 year-old shipping services group Clarksons (CKN) floated 6.5% higher to £39.25 after the company raised its earnings guidance due to strong trading in the second half to date, particularly in its financial and broking divisions.The firm is now forecasting pre-tax profits of at least £65 million compared with a consensus estimate of £55 million and underlying profits of around £45

Aerospace, hospitality and oil stocks are driving early progress for UK stocks as Omicron concerns subside, with the benchmark FTSE 100 0.73% at 7,174.48 at 9am. Oil majors BP (BP.) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) added more than 1% each as crude prices jumped more than 2% after Saudi Arabia raised its crude prices.Heavyweight AstraZeneca (AZN) climbed 0.6% to £82.39 after a report quoted the drugma

London's FTSE 100 ended Monday's session in positive territory, wiping out earlier losses to trade firmly above 7,100 by the close of play and shrugging off a weaker open on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 was down 0.16% to 4,429.43 by 4.30pm UK time.COMPANY NEWSIn company news, wealth manager Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) sank 11.2% to £14.57, even as it reported an 8% rise in annual underlying profi

Shares in shipping services group Clarkson (CKN) were the best performers in the FTSE 250, gaining 5.5% to £34.45 after the firm posted a 30% increase in first half earnings driven by strong trading across all areas of the business.For the six months to June, pre-tax profits were £27.5 million against £21.1 million last year on the back of just a 5% rise in revenues to £190.1 million.As well a

London's FTSE 100 finished Monday's session 1.3% to the good at 6,719.13 points thanks to improving investor sentiment in the US, where worries over the US stimulus programme, inflation and resulting volatility in the bond market appeared to be easing.PEARSON HOLDS DIVIDEND STEADY DESPITE EARNINGS DROPEducational publisher Pearson (PSON) rose 6.4% to 808.8p as it posted a rise in annual profit aft