Out of nowhere the market for weight loss drugs has become one of the most exciting investment themes in the last two years, rivalling investor enthusiasm for AI.There is good reason for the excitement. Rod Wong, managing partner at RTW Biotech Opportunities (RTW) fund describes the development of obesity drugs as the biggest ever financial opportunity in healthcare.That is because obesity is the

Stock prices in London surged on Wednesday, with a sharp jump for the FTSE 250 allowing the UK-focused index to eat into some of its hefty loss so far in 2025.A favourable UK inflation reading calmed some bond markets and swung the pendulum in favour of a Bank of England rate cut at the central bank's next meeting.In addition, earnings from US banks were well-received, adding to the positive mood

Like-for-like food sales up 8.9%Market share gains in clothingCautious outlook prompts profit-takingRetail bellwether Marks & Spencer (MKS) delivered 'another good Christmas' with sales records broken across the business as it gained market share in both food and clothing.However, shares in the high street stalwart fell 5% to 358p as third quarter clothing, home and beauty came in light of expecta

Few doubt that 2025 will be another huge year for AI, but when looking for interesting investment opportunities, investors can sometimes allow details to obscure the bigger picture. In our view, Alphabet (GOOG:NASDAQ) remains an outstanding growth business with strong AI levers to pull, currently trading a large discount to other 'Magnificent Seven' stocks.This valuation gap will, we believe, narr

Investment trusts have experienced challenges this year, with discounts remaining wide across various sectors and some consolidation occurring. However, certain trusts have performed well compared to both the wider market and their peer group. This article highlights the top performers across four of the Association of Investment Companies' most widely followed equity-facing sectors.GLOBALAn inves

It may not seem much to non-China watchers, but the Communist party's politburo has changed the wording of its stance on monetary policy for the first time since the 2007/8 financial crisis from 'prudent' to 'moderately loose'.Chinese and Hong Kong listed shares jumped, as did those of UK and European stocks which have large exposure to the region including miners Antofagasta (ANTO) and Rio Tinto

New five-year framework starts on 3 JanSupports growth ambitionsDrag on profit from new investmentsDomino's Pizza (DOM) has reached a new five-year framework agreement with franchisees, starting on 3 January, which underpins its confidence in reaching a target of more than 1,600 stores and delivering £2.5 billion of system sales by 2033.The shares fell 12p or 3.3% to 340p as investors reflected o

Q3 results top forecastsInternational sales surgeBuyback programme upped by $1 billionInvestors who've soured on Lululemon (LULU:NASDAQ) of late were left chasing the stock higher after third quarter results beat estimates and the athleisure specialist raised full-year guidance, sending the shares up 9.2% to $344.8 in after-hours trading on Wall Street.The Canadian company has seen sales growth sl

Spare a thought for Laszlo Hanyecz. You may not have heard of him, but in 2010 he spent 10,000 Bitcoins on two pizzas, in one of the first ever 'real world' crypto transactions. The market value of those Bitcoins is now $950 million. Hanyecz is pretty stoic about it, but deep down he must know that no amount of melted cheese can make up for the vast fortune he might have had. Hanyecz, a computer p

Stock prices in London were just about in the green at midday, outperforming Paris and Frankfurt, where shares succumbed to French budget concerns and worries that the European economy could be next to fall into the cross-hairs of Donald Trump tariffs.The FTSE 100 index added 4.24 points, 0.1%, at 8,262.85 heading into Wednesday afternoon. The FTSE 250 rose 15.49 points, 0.1%, at 20,584.14, and th

It's been a prosperous time to have invested in the markets. Each one of the major share indices around the world has delivered a positive total return over the past 12 months, factoring in share price performance and dividends.At the top end, the US has returned 32.5% as measured by the S&P 500 index; Japan's Nikkei 225 index has returned 15.3%; and even 'unloved' UK has lined investors' pockets

Bloomsbury (BMY) 700pMarket cap: £571 million Publishing group Bloomsbury (BMY) is a pandemic winner which has kept on winning since Covid.Lockdown saw people rediscover their love of reading, and the company has tapped into and exploited through successful marketing some popular trends in fiction which have helped drive a big increase in returns.That has meant Bloomsbury's return on capital empl

Surprisingly, one of the most talked-about US stocks of 2024 has nothing to do with AI (artificial intelligence), chips, gold or cryptocurrencies.It is a small tele-health company based in San Francisco called Hims & Hers Health (HIMS:NYSE), which provides prescription and over-the-counter medicines as well as personal care products through its online platform.When we say small, its market cap is

Stocks in London struggled for direction at the close on Wednesday, following a CPI print from the US, and amid general uncertainty in Europe.The FTSE 100 index rose 4.56 points, 0.1%, at 8,030.33. The FTSE 250 closed down 68.59 points, 0.3%, at 20,359.21. The AIM All-Share fell 1.57 points, 0.2%, at 729.29.The Cboe UK 100 climbed 0.2% at 807.56, the Cboe UK 250 retreated 0.4% at 17,791.49 and the

Stock prices in London were mixed at midday Wednesday, amid cautious optimism from the UK housebuilding sector, as eyes are set on upcoming US consumer price inflation data.'US inflation figures will be closely watched this afternoon, with expectations for the cost of living to have edged higher,' commented AJ Bell's Russ Mould. 'The consensus is for the annual rate of inflation to move from 2.4%

The FTSE 100 in London opened higher on Friday, eating into some of its post-UK budget weakness, while the pound gained some lost ground.Eyes turn state side later, with US jobs data to come, before the Federal Reserve decision next week, and a presidential election on Tuesday.Closer to home, Reckitt shares jumped on a favourable US legal ruling on infant formula. Airlines struggled as oil prices

A central bank interest rate cutting cycle is well underway, the Federal Reserve having slashed US rates by 50 basis points and further cuts expected from the Bank of England following August's 25 basis point reduction. Falling rates mean lower rates on cash and bonds, so this seems like a sensible time for investors searching for long-term income and capital growth to review their portfolios.Help

London's blue chip index was in the green while its European peers were in the red, following better-than-expected consumer price index inflation data, with on-year CPI falling below the 2% target in September.The FTSE 100 index was up 46.02 points, or 0.6%, at 8,295.30. The FTSE 250 was up 95.54 points, or 0.5%, at 20,889.98, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.34 points, or 0.2%, at 735.20.The Cboe U

Stocks in London closed in the red on Thursday, following a mixed bag of economic data from the US, with inflation surprising to the upside while jobless claims came in higher than expected.The FTSE 100 index closed down 6.01 points, 0.1%, at 8,237.73. The FTSE 250 ended 114.01 points lower, 0.6%, at 20,708.37, and the AIM All-Share fell 2.13 points, 0.3%, to 734.53.The Cboe UK 100 ebbed 0.1% to 8

Like-for-like sales up 4.7%Sales up 19.2% in first halfOn schedule to open 35 sites for the yearLoungers' (LGRS:AIM) unique all-day cafe/bar restaurants format continued to outperform the wider hospitality market with like-for-like sales growing 4.7% for the 24 weeks to 6 October compared with the same period in 2023.The news was warmly received as the shares gained 4p or 1.5% to 270p, taking the