Exploring options for High Street divisionTalks ongoing with prospective buyersFocus on faster-growing Travel armShares in WH Smith (SMWH) were marked up 5.5% to £12.11 on 27 January after the global travel retailer confirmed it is 'exploring potential strategic options' for its storied-yet-struggling High Street business, which opened its first shop in London back in 1792.These include a possibl

Blue-chips in Europe opened lower on Monday morning, in nervy trade before eyes turn to central bank meetings and earnings from Meta, Microsoft, Apple and Tesla this week.The FTSE 100 index opened down 35.39 points, 0.4%, at 8,467.81. The FTSE 250 was down 115.54 points, 0.6%, at 20,402.51, and the AIM All-Share was down 3.52 points, 0.5%, at 711.53.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.4% lower at 848.73, the Cb

London's FTSE 100 ended lower on Friday, as the pound surged to a more than two-week high and approached the $1.25 mark on the back of decent UK data and as hopes of a 'softer approach' to tariffs from the US administration hurt the dollar.The FTSE 100 index ended 62.85 points, 0.7%, at 8,502.35. The FTSE 250 lost just 2.34 points at 20,518.05, and the AIM All-Share fell 5.81 points, 0.8%, at 715.

Promising UK data pushed the pound back above the $1.24 mark on Friday, putting pressure on the FTSE 100 and ensuring London's blue-chip index failed to replicate the more confident trade seen in mainland Europe.The FTSE 100 index was down 29.04 points, 0.3%, at 8,536.16. The FTSE 250 was up 56.83 points, 0.3%, at 20,577.22, and the AIM All-Share was down 2.45 points, 0.3%, at 718.41.The Cboe UK 1

Long-term supply agreement reached with AmazonConfident in meeting full year expectationsBloomsbury shares up 43% over the past yearShares in Bloomsbury (BMY) were up over 2% to 670p in early morning trading as the publishing group said it had reached a new long-term supply agreement with Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ).The company also reaffirmed confidence in meeting consensus market expectations for the y

Q3 sales better-than-fearedTurnaround strategy showing promiseFull-year 2025 guidance upgradedBritish luxury fashion house Burberry (BRBY) topped the FTSE 250 on 24 January, its shares rallying 16% to £12.41 after the footwear-to-leather accessories designer delivered a far better-than-feared drop in third quarter sales.This performance stoked optimism that new chief executive Joshua Schulman's '

Blue-chip stocks in London advanced on Thursday, as housebuilders buoyed the FTSE 100 index despite jitters from retailers after poor updates.The FTSE 100 index rose 20.07 points, 0.2%, at 8,565.20. It earlier set a new intra-day high of 8,572.51.The FTSE 250 lost 59.91 points, 0.3%, at 20,520.39, and the AIM All-Share ended down just 0.14 of a point at 720.86.The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.3% at 859.10,

Shares gain 7% to 316p in early tradingAdjusted pre-tax profit of £15.6 million expected for the yearRobust performance in core foams businessShares in Zotefoams (ZTF) gained 7% to 316p in morning trading as the speciality chemicals maker said it expects to report a 16% rise in full year revenue to £147.8 million for the year ending 31 December, helped by a strong fourth-quarter performance.The

Company warns on revenue shortfallFootball franchise weaknessDragon Age 50% below expectationsElectronic Arts (EA:NASDAQ) plummeted 15% in after-hours trading after the video game publisher slashed full year bookings guidance due to a surprise slowdown its EA Sports FC franchise in the fiscal third quarter.If the drop holds, the shares are expected to open at around $120, wiping nearly $4 billion

Stock prices in London were mostly lower at midday on Thursday, ahead of US jobless figures, while the European Central Bank's next rate call due next Thursday is getting closer.'The FTSE 100's strong start to 2025 is starting to lose some momentum,' commented AJ Bell's Russ Mould, adding: 'In London, retailers were on the back foot with some recent measures of UK consumer confidence suggesting th

UK like-for-likes down in Christmas quarter'Cautious' shopper, mild weather blamedGrocery brands growing overseasFoods-to-fashion giant Associated British Foods (ABF) delivered a disappointing first quarter trading update with weak UK sales at Primark driving a sales growth guidance reduction for the retail jewel in the conglomerate's crown.Analysts downgraded their group profit forecasts on news

Investors will be hoping for another serving of positive news when resilient beverages business AG Barr (BAG) delivers its trading update for the year ended 25 January 2025 on 28 January. However, cooling UK consumer confidence since the Budget combined with recent cold weather suggests guidance upgrades are unlikely.The FTSE 250 firm, whose brands include Irn-Bru, Rubicon and Boost, is rebuilding

I have worked in the public sector for most of my life and since I retired, I am receiving a pension. I also have a small SIPP which I have not yet touched.My husband has a good pension of his own plus his state pension. When I die he will receive my share of our joint assets and will have enough money to live on.Instead of leaving my small SIPP to him when I die, I would like to pass it onto char

In just the first 20 days of 2025 the FTSE 100 index of blue-chip stocks has equaled its gains for the entirety of 2024, in the process closing at an all-time high of 8,505 points on 17 January.A better-than-expected inflation report for December together with weaker-than-expected retail sales for the same month appeared to open the door to faster Bank of England rate cuts, pushing the index to it

Vistry Group (VTY) 588pMarket cap: £1.95 billionWe have held off from recommending any of the housebuilders over the last year as despite plenty of attractive valuations it was clear the whole sector was in a downgrade cycle.That cycle now seems to be over, for Vistry (VTY) at least. The company was forced to warn on profits three times in quick succession last quarter, including one announcement

Quantum computing has been setting the investment world on fire in recent months, and late last year, a handful of specialist stocks hit escape velocity.Between mid-November and the start of January, companies like Rigetti Computing (RGTI:NASDAQ) and D-Wave Quantum (QBTS:NYSE), two of the most traded stocks among AJ Bell platform users, saw their share prices surge 1,400% and 600% respectively.Hea

AJ Bell's Money Matters campaign is designed to help every woman feel good investing, whatever their age.We've put together a series of articles which breaks down some of the financial pressures you are likely to face as you step into the different decades of your life and provide you with some tools to help you navigate that journey.This article focuses in on your 30s, and thinking back, for me,

The market is alive with chatter about a mega-merger in the mining space after the revelation of a failed coupling between Rio Tinto (RIO) and Glencore (GLEN). That's understandable for several reasons, but recent history shows flirtations between corporate giants often go unconsummated.Having covered the oil and gas sector for nearly 20 years, I have seen the topic of a combination between

The US and China are at loggerheads, philosophically, politically and economically ? though thankfully not in military terms ? and the contrast between how the two are perceived by financial markets could hardly be greater. Stock markets offer part of the story, as America's headline indices sit at or near to all-time highs, while the Shanghai Composite equity benchmark languishes where it did bac

Eight years ago, at his first inauguration, Donald Trump delivered one of the darkest addresses in presidential history.This time round, he tried to make the mood more uplifting, describing himself as 'optimistic' and promising 'a thrilling new era of national success', although it soon became obvious this success could come at a high price for America's trading partners.Describing Trump as 'usher