Stock prices in London were higher at Wednesday midday ahead of the UK general election on Thursday, with the opposition Labour party expect to win a comfortable majority.Also keeping stocks in the green was positive inflation news from US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, ahead of an Independence Day holiday, starting locally at 1400 EDT today.Speaking on Tuesday, Powell said the US central ba

EQT lowers offer on softer tradingNew offer deadline 3 July 2024Strong full year expectedA rational person changes their mind when the facts change and that appears to be the case in the ongoing negotiations for a takeover of Keywords Studios (KWS:AIM) by Swedish private equity firm EQT.Having completed due diligence which revealed some short-term headwinds for the business, EQT revised down its p

Blue chips were in demand at midday on Friday, ahead of a US inflation print later in the session, which is expected to show a softening of the core personal consumption expenditures inflation gauge.The FTSE 100 index traded 46.01 points higher, 0.6%, at 8,225.69. The FTSE 250 rose 50.55 points, 0.3%, at 20,382.352, while the AIM All-Share climbed 1.52 points, 0.2%, at 765.99.The Cboe UK 100 rose

London's FTSE 100 made a decent start to the final trading day of the quarter, and cooler-than-expected US data could offer it impetus for further gains.The blue-chip benchmark in Paris struggled, however, as pre-election nerves kicked in.The US data is released at 1330 BST. The core personal consumption expenditures inflation gauge is expected to have faded to 2.6% in May, from 2.8% in April, acc

Stock prices in London were mostly higher at midday on Tuesday but the FTSE 100 declined ahead of a slew of US data in the afternoon, after a public holiday in both the US and the UK.The FTSE 100 index was down 16.64 points, or 0.2%, at 8,301.04. The FTSE 250 was up 83.97 points, or 0.4%, at 20,855.45, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.17 points, or 0.1%, at 811.19.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3% at 82

Stock prices in London ended largely lower on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 underperforming peers in mainland Europe, while stocks in New York opened mixed.The FTSE 100 index closed down 31.10 points, or 0.4%, at 8,339.23. The FTSE 250 ended down 78.77 points, or 0.4%, at 20,631.30, and the AIM All-Share closed up 0.1%, or 1.15 points, at 805.02.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.3% at 832.63, the Cboe UK

Stocks in London did not move much at midday Thursday, as data showed UK manufacturing returned to growth and to a 22-month high.The FTSE 100 index was up 3.15 points at 8,373.48. The FTSE 250 was up 17.41 points, 0.1%, at 20,727.48, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.66 of a point, 0.1%, at 804.53.The Cboe UK 100 was flat at 835.48, the Cboe UK 250 was flat at 18,129.05, and the Cboe Small Companies

Neglected, unloved, UK-listed companies are increasingly attracting overseas takeover interest. Rather like the proverbial 29 bus, from a dearth of bid interest a few months ago there has been a flurry of activity in recent weeks. Data from Dealogic shows the value of UK takeover bids in 2024 is $78 billion and running at the highest pace since 2018.The latest deal (20 May) sees Keywords Studios (

Shares jump 70% on private equity takeover talksFour prior unsolicited proposals rejectedSweden's EQT has until 15 June to make formal offerPrivate equity groups continue to pick-off some of the UK's best assets with news over the weekend that Sweden's EQT is in advanced talks with Keywords Studios (KWS:AIM) to buy the video games services company for £25.50 in cash.The potential offer equates to

Stocks in London started the week strongly on Monday, as hopes of a US interest rate cut lifted equities, gold and kept the pound supported around the $1.27 mark.The FTSE 100 index opened up 21.60 points, 0.3%, at 8,441.86. The FTSE 250 was up 84.15 points, 0.4%, at 20,834.05. The AIM All-Share surged 13.56 points, 1.7%, at 807.58, getting a boost from possible M&A at Keywords Studios, one of the

London Equities were down on Friday morning, after Thursday's mid-day rally across the pond ground to a halt, with Land Securities leading the biggest fallers on the FTSE 100.The FTSE 100 index opened down 13.93 points, 0.2%, at 8,424.72. The FTSE 250 was down 36.70 points, 0.2%, at 20,786.14, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.43 of a point, 0.1%, at 792.07.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 841.06,

Private equity firm hoping for valuation up to ?16 billionGoing public would allow firm to expand and diversify modelAmsterdam market picked over New York and LondonPrivate capital investment firm CVC Capital Partners hopes to get an IPO (initial public offering) away at the third attempt later this month.The London-based buyout giant, which owns stakes in Liptons Tea, upmarket watch maker Breitli

Equity prices in Europe fell sharply on Wednesday, as the prospect of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in March became less of a certainty and more of a toss-up.While a cut by the Federal Reserve in March still the most likely outcome, the odds of one happening have shrunk in recent days. Futures traders have assigned a probability of 57% that the Fed cuts in March. That probability sat as high

European equities struggled to find their groove on Tuesday, as the FTSE 100 finds gains hard to come by in a tricky January so far, while stocks in New York are set for a tepid return to trading.The FTSE 100 index was down 36.20 points, 0.5%, at 7,558.71. It has fallen over 2% since the start of the year. Heading into Tuesday, it had 10 days of trading in the new year. It rose in just three of th

Stocks in London saw mixed fortunes at Wednesday?s market open, with the flagship FTSE 100 held back by a strong pound.The FTSE 100 index opened down 37.16 points, 0.5%, at 7,418.08. The FTSE 250 was up 71.67 points, 0.4%, at 18,458.67, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.6 points, 0.2%, at 714.19.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.5% at 740.29, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.4% at 15,998.72, and the Cboe Small Comp

Since being spun out of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer (PFE:NYSE) a decade ago shares in leading animal health company Zoetis (ZTS:NYSE) have gone up more than five-fold.UK peer Dechra Pharmaceuticals (DPH) has delivered shareholders a similar return over the same period but is leaving the UK stock market after accepting an all cash £4.5 billion takeover from Swedish private equity firm EQT in June

Quarterly review due in weeks Four likely winners and losersA further three stocks could drop outWe may only be half-way through the third quarter, but already it looks as though there will be quite a few changes to the benchmark FTSE 100 index when the topic comes up for review next month.Promotion to, and demotion from, the index can have a big effect on the share prices of the firms concerned a

European equities went into the afternoon solidly in positive territory on Wednesday, with stock market investors expecting figures to show US inflation eased last month.A hotter-than-expected reading, however, could spell difficulty for equity markets and lend some support to the dollar, which was on the back foot.Amid a generally positive mood in equity markets, it was London-listed banking stoc

Stocks in London closed higher on Friday as the latest US employment report proved red-hot, while commodity stocks saw a boost from possible support measures for China's property market.The FTSE 100 index closed up 117.01 points, or 1.6% at 7,607.28 on Friday, and closed the week 0.5% higher.The FTSE 250 ended up 321.55 points, or 1.7%, at 19,149.31 - ending the week up 1.6%. The AIM All-Share clo

Market attention on Friday turned to the US employment report and, further out, the next interest rate decision by the Federal Reserve, after legislators passed a bill that will prevent the US government from defaulting on its debts.Stocks were higher ahead of the May nonfarm payrolls report, due out at 1330 BST.The FTSE 100 index was up 74.26 points, 1.0%, at 7,564.53 at midday in London. The FTS