If it seems as though each week brings news of yet another takeover offer for a UK firm, the actual figures from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) are quite mind-boggling.Aside from the number of listed companies being bought, either by 'inward' investors or domestic buyers, hundreds of privately-owned firms are being snapped up every quarter.If you are in a position where a company you own

Motor insurance remains toughOn track to make £100 million cost savingsAround 550 job cutsInsurer Direct Line (DLG) said it plans to cut around 550 jobs as part of a series of initiatives aimed at simplifying the business and delivering at least £100 million of cost savings by the end of 2025.While third quarter gross written premiums fell amid 'challenging' conditions in motor insurance, CEO Ad

Stocks in London pulled back on Wednesday, as weak US jobs data fuelled worries about an economic slowdown.The FTSE 100 index closed down 28.86 points, 0.4%, at 8,269.60. The FTSE 250 ended down 23.53 points, 0.1%, at 20,785.03, and the AIM All-Share closed down 2.73 points, 0.4%, at 759.66.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.5% at 826.75, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 0.2% at 18,286.84, and the Cboe Small

Group pre-tax profit increases to £62 millionYear-to-date shares gain 4%Declares 2p dividend per shareShares in Direct Line (DLG) were down marginally to 192p in morning trading as the insurance company reported weaker-than-expected group operating profit for the first half.The group's operating profit came in at £63.7 million which was below company-compiled consensus analyst forecasts of £85

Investors will be keen to discover if insurer Direct Line Insurance (DLG) has continued its positive start to the year when it reports first-half results on 4 September after a tumultuous 12 months.The business delivered a strong first quarter, with double-digit written premium growth in Motor, Home and Commercial businesses and overall growth of 15% for ongoing operations.Chief executive Adam Win

European stocks were higher going into Friday afternoon, as investors focused on potential clues about future monetary policy from both sides of the Atlantic.The Jackson Hole meeting will see both Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and and Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey speak on Friday.In other news, energy bills are set to increase by almost £150 after Ofgem raised its price cap, in bad

European stocks were in the green on Friday morning, as regulator Ofgem reported it will increase the energy price cap in Great Britain, pushing up average household bills by 9.5% from October.'Just when temperatures begin to plummet and nights draw in, households will be faced with the exact scenario they'd hoped was behind them,' warned AJ Bell's Danni Hewson.Meanwhile, eyes remained on the Jack

Strong first-half returnsInterim dividend up 20%Portfolio still undervaluedValue-focused investment trust Temple Bar (TMPL) continued its run of outperformance in the six months to 30 June with an NAV (net asset value) total return of 13.1% against a 7.4% return for the FTSE All-Share index.The share price total return was 11% following a widening of the discount to NAV to 7.5% from 5.6% at the en

With the UK economy seemingly headed for a 'soft landing' and interest rates set to fall at some point this year, more adventurous investors will be looking to add a little more risk to their portfolios.Given the UK market, and the mid-cap space in particular, is widely acknowledged to be cheap, the passive option would be to buy a mid-cap ETF (exchange-traded fund) such as the iShares FTSE 250 (M

First-quarter premiums upWeather-related claims upFocus on cost savingsShareholders in FTSE 250 motor and home insurer Direct Line (DLG) were unmoved by the latest trading update despite chief executive Adam Winslow talking up the firm?s positive start to the year.The shares, which touched 240p two months ago after Belgian insurer Ageas (AGS:EBR) made a preliminary offer, drifted 5p or 2.5% lower

Ageas made two approachesDirect Line board entrenchedGroup relying on new targetsShareholders in insurer Direct Line (DLG) were dealt a hammer-blow late on Friday evening with the news Benelux suitor Ageas (AGS:EBR) had upped sticks and walked away.This morning the shares slumped more than 28p or 13% to 180p, meaning they have given back more than half their gains since Direct Line first revealed

One of the most popular investment trusts with AJ Bell?s ISA millionaires, City of London (CTY) is a favourite with investors seeking long-term income and capital growth and a gateway to large international companies.However, while the long-run performance record is strong, Curtis? cautious approach means the fund can underperform in some market conditions. On a 10-year share price total return ba

Shares in hundreds of UK and US-listed companies have not fully recovered since the Covid-19 pandemic triggered a global stock market crash in February 2020, even though most major market indices are now trading above that level.According to SharePad data, 196 stocks in the FTSE 350 and 149 stocks in the S&P 500 are still trading below the day before markets crashed four years ago (21 February 202

Spin-offs, demergers and disposals are often good news for investors, although it's not often a firm sees its share price rise when it has to pay someone to take assets off its hands, especially when those assets were previously thought to be earnings positive.In the case of hospitality firm Restaurant Group (RTN), however, that is exactly what happened.The group, best known for its Wagamama chain

Stocks in London were a mixed bag around midday on Thursday, as the FTSE 100 ticked higher after Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey hinted at a peak in interest rates.The FTSE 100 index was up 25.33 points, or 0.3%, at 7,451.50. The FTSE 250 was virtually flat at 18,445.22, and the AIM All-Share was down 4.34 points, or 0.6%, at 732.64.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.4% at 741.94, the Cboe UK 250 w

Motor premiums hiked by 25%Brokered commercial business soldDividend passed to conserve cashAfter last week's unwelcome surprise of a £30 million provision for overcharging some motor and home insurance customers, Direct Line (DLG) delivered some more positive news this week with its half-year results and the sale of its large commercial insurance arm.The shares jumped 14% to 171p, the biggest on

Total interim payout down over 50%Chief executive sees market turning upShares accelerate to top of FTSE 100Shares in car and home insurance group Admiral (ADM) raced ahead in early trading with a gain of 7.8% to £23.70 despite the firm cutting its interim dividend due to 'continued challenging market conditions'.Sensing conditions in the car insurance market may be changing for the better, inves

Most investment trusts provide investors with a diversified portfolio invested across many different stocks and sectors which lowers the volatility or variability of returns.They typically own small stakes in anywhere between 30 to over 100 companies which can be sold without disturbing the market price.Castelnau (CGL) is different in that it takes big stakes in a few companies. It is a higher ris

While motorists have benefitted from falling petrol and diesel prices this year - helping to offset some of the increased cost of the weekly shop - many are finding their motor insurance quotes have gone through the roof, typically with no explanation.According to the ONS (Office for National Statistics), car insurance prices have jumped more than 40% in the last 12 months, while the ABI (Associat

Claims inflation running in high single digitsAverage Q1 motor renewals increase 19% year on yearUnchanged capital bufferBeleaguered insurer Direct Line (DLG) signaled continued headwinds on Tuesday as high single digit claims inflation is expected to impact 2023 earnings.The shares dropped 6% to 154.8p following a strong rally in April which took the shares 27% higher from the March lows. In earl