The FTSE 100 lagged European peers on Thursday, after a perceived 'hawkish' rate cut by the European Central Bank drove the euro higher.Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell said there wasn't any bad news to cause a minor sell-off.'It's just one of those days where investors reassessed their portfolios given the uncertain economic and geopolitical backdrop,' he noted.The FTSE 100 index end

European stocks were mixed on Wednesday, as the FTSE 100 eased slightly despite a boost for miners from higher metal prices and hints some sectors may be left out of US tariffs.The FTSE 100 index ended down 3.16 points at 8,755.84. The FTSE 250 climbed 177.23 points, 0.9%, at 20,127.73, and the AIM All-Share gained 3.61 points, 0.5%, at 690.48.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.3% at 877.63, the Cboe UK 2

Stock prices in Europe were mostly higher on Wednesday midday, with higher-risk and economically sensitive sectors benefiting from a risk-on sentiment among investors.'European and Asian markets were on the front foot on Wednesday amid hopes that Donald Trump might partially wind back tariffs if deals could be struck with Canada and Mexico,' commented AJ Bell's Russ Mould. 'Investors are looking f

Stock prices in Europe were in the red at Tuesday midday, with airline stocks hit badly in particular, as European countries intend to boost their militaries amid a US freeze on aid for Ukraine.'Investors were desperately hoping that Trump would delay tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China at the eleventh hour, yet the US president has stuck to his guns and brought them into power,' commented AJ Bell

London stocks opened slightly higher on Monday as investors assessed Prime Minister Keir Starmer's return from high-stakes diplomatic meetings and awaited the UK manufacturing PMI, following similar releases from other regions.The FTSE 100 index opened up 34.18 points, 0.4%, at 8,843.92. The FTSE 250 was up 56.11 points, 0.3%, at 20,382.49, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.54 points, 0.2%, at 705.37

Shares fall as much as 17%Fourth-quarter sales disappointCompany warns of 'headwinds'Shares in WPP (WPP) fell over 17% to 637p at one point in early morning trading as the advertising giant shared a gloomy outlook and reported lower full year 2024 revenue of £14.74 billion compared to £14.84 billion last year.The advertising giant founded by industry legend Sir Martin Sorrell saw a fall in like-

Stocks in London were mostly in the red at Thursday midday, as investors await US jobless data, while insurer Aviva rose as it increased its dividend.The FTSE 100 index was up 30.65 points, 0.4%, at 8,762.11. The FTSE 250 was down 160.11 points, 0.8%, at 20,435.79, and the AIM All-Share was down 2.54 points, 0.4%, at 708.96.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 877.53, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.9% at 17

FTSE 100 commodity trader and mining outfit Glencore (GLEN) is languishing close to multi-year lows in the wake of its latest disappointing results (19 February).Management's frustration at the company's current valuation ? which stands at 11.7 times 2025 consensus forecast EPS (earnings per share) ? led it to speculate in the wake of the numbers that it might seek to shift its primary listing awa

The outcome of last weekend's German elections wasn't just a matter for Germans ? as the largest economy in Europe, and the third-largest in the world, the result will 'set the tone for the whole continent from security and defence to technology policy to relations with China,' as Bloomberg's Alan Crawford put it.In the event, the centrist CDU/CSU gathered enough votes to form a slim parliamentary

Blue chip stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt were comfortably in the green at Wednesday midday, with Lloyds up after it received higher price targets from Deutsche Bank Research and Barclays.In UK news, the defence secretary has suggested the real-terms increase in defence spending year-on-year will be only around half the £13.4 billion figure cited by the prime minister.John Healey said

The DAX 40 shone amid broadly mixed stocks in Europe on Monday, in the aftermath of Germany's election result, while London's FTSE 100 remained subdued.The FTSE 100 index closed down just 0.39 of a point at 8,658.98. The FTSE 250 ended down 129.50 points, 0.6%, at 20,484.39, while the AIM All-Share closed down 7.14 points, 1.0%, at 710.88.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.1% at 866.11, the Cboe UK 250

All the meetings requisitioned by Saba at UK investment trusts are now done and dusted and the scorecard makes sobering reading for the US activist hedge fund ? trusts seven, Saba nil.That doesn't mean there is room for complacency on the part of the investment trust industry, as Saba has shone a spotlight on issues around performance and persistent discounts to NAV (net asset value) which aren't

Voters are set to turn out on 23 February for a general election in Germany which so far seems to have largely slipped under the market's radar.Despite being Europe's most populous nation and its largest economy, US investment bank Morgan Stanley notes that, of investors who participated in a recent webcast on the election, just 52% had positioned themselves in any way for its outcome.Meanwhile, t

London's FTSE 100 opened lower on Wednesday, as earnings from a handful of large-caps failed to impress, while the pound remained above $1.26 after a hotter-than-forecast UK inflation reading.The FTSE 100 index fell 29.57 points, 0.3%, at 8,737.16. The FTSE 250 fell 32.06 points, 0.2%, at 20,849.50, and the AIM All-Share lost 2.59 points, 0.4%, at 721.93.The Cboe UK 100 fell 0.4% to 876.80, the Cb

London's FTSE 100 reached a record-high close at above 8,800 on Wednesday, despite a stronger-than-expected inflation report leaving the US market downcast.The FTSE 100 index closed up 30.05 points, 0.3%, at 8,807.44. It had earlier hit a new all-time high of 8,810.62.The FTSE 250 ended down 39.22 points, 0.2%, at 20,880.50, and the AIM All-Share closed down 1.15 points, 0.2%, at 723.39.The Cboe U

The FTSE 100 index fell on Friday, while short sellers are reportedly eyeing consumer-facing UK companies facing reduced customer spending and higher employment costs.'The UK outlook is getting worse by the day,' commented AJ Bell's Dan Coatsworth. 'Business and consumer sentiment is already weakening amid concerns that the new government doesn't have an effective plan to accelerate economic growt

Market is worried that growth is in long-run slowdown$180 billion wiped off market cap$75 billion AI infrastructure capex spooks investorsAfter a 7% stock drop overnight for Google parent Alphabet (GOOG:NASDAQ), headlines across the internet are screaming revenue miss, but that doesn't really capture the detail of the tech giant's fourth quarter.Alphabet reported $96.47 billion Q4 revenue, below t

Stock prices in Europe opened lower on Tuesday, amid low risk sentiment, as investors track developments in a US and China trade spat.The FTSE 100 index fell 57.72 points, 0.7%, at 8,525.84. The FTSE 250 shed 142.70 points, 0.7%, at 20,569.06. The AIM All-Share fell 1.40 points, 0.2%, at 710.73.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.6% at 853.75, the Cboe UK 250 fell 0.7% at 17,968.56, and the Cboe Small Comp

Quarter sets new sales and earnings recordsiPhone revenues light of estimatesServices revenue hits all-time highCalifornia-based colossus Apple (AAPL:NASDAQ) set new records for revenue and earnings in its first quarter to 28 December 2024 and has now beat earnings expectations for eight quarters in a row, positives that propelled the shares up 3.1% to $245 in pre-market trading across the pond.Ho

Burberry (BRBY) £12.01Loss to date: 7.2%When we suggested buying shares in UK fashion house Burberry (BRBY) at £12.94 in February 2024, little did we know the bottom was about to fall out of the luxury goods market.WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE WE SAID TO BUY?At their nadir in September, after exiting the FTSE 100, the shares closed at 575p handing us a paper loss of more than 55%, but Lazarus-like th