After a positive first-quarter trading update which helped power the shares to a 16% gain year-to-date all eyes are on Unilever's (ULVR) first-half update on 25 July.In the three months to March, the group reported 4.4% underlying sales growth with a positive performance in all five divisions led by Beauty and Wellbeing where growth topped 7% during the quarter.Moreover, the firm's 'Power Brands',

European stocks opened lower on Monday morning, after Donald Trump was hit in the ear in an attempted assassination attempt on Saturday in Pennsylvania.The FTSE 100 index opened down 40.49 points, 0.5%, at 8,212.42. The FTSE 250 was down 88.87 points, 0.4%, at 21,114.02, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.71 points, 0.2%, at 784.46.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.5% at 819.66, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.

Full year profit guidance cut by 15%130 jobs axed as schizophrenia drug droppedPeak Sublocade sales guidance reiteratedShares in Indivior (INDV) sank more than 40% to 694.5p after the opioid addiction treatment company issued a full year profit warning and announced 130 job cuts related to the discontinuation of its schizophrenia drug Perseris.The shares have been highly volatile in recent years.

Blue chips faded into the close on Friday but the FTSE 250 held its glow as UK financial markets reacted to the election of a Labour government.The FTSE 100 index closed down 37.33 points, or 0.5%, at 8,203.93. The FTSE 250 ended up 176.31 points, or 0.9%, at 20,786.65, while the AIM All-Share closed up 4.97 points, or 0.7%, at 774.39.For the week, the FTSE 100 added 0.5%, the FTSE 250 climbed 2.5

Stock prices in London were in the green at midday Friday, as Labour won their first general election since 2005, with party leader Keir Starmer set to become prime minister shortly.There are just two seats to go, with Labour so far scoring a landslide of 412 seats.The FTSE 100 index was up 6.08 points, 0.1%, at 8,247.34. The FTSE 250 was up 224.64 points, 1.1%, at 20,834.98, and the AIM All-Share

Stock prices in London where in the green on Friday morning as investors digested the landslide Labour victory in the general election ending 14 years of Tory rule.Labour's Keir Starmer is set to be the next Prime Minister after the party's election victory overnight.Later on Friday, markets in New York will reopen after being closed for Independence Day. Investors will be eyeing this month's nonf

For those approaching or entering retirement, the idea of being able to live off the income generated by their investments and not having to touch the underlying capital is hugely appealing.For the lucky few who have a 'pot' worth millions that dream may well be a reality, but for most of us it is something we are going to have to work on well before we get to the stage where we can finally stop l

Stocks in London ended in the red on Tuesday, as cautious sentiment prevailed following hot eurozone inflation figures.The FTSE 100 index ended down 45.56 points, 0.6%, at 8,121.20. The FTSE 250 fell 27.61 points, 0.1%, at 20,194.47, while the AIM All-Share slipped 0.81 of a point at 764.37.The Cboe UK 100 fell 0.7% to 808.01, the Cboe UK 250 declined 0.5% to 17575.03, and the Cboe Small Companies

It can seem daunting to know where to start when making a first investment which may deter some people from starting at all. This would be a mistake because the sooner a start is made, the longer an investment is allowed to mature and provide capital gains and dividends.Waiting just a few years can reduce the potential saving pot over the long term. For example, assuming an investment of £100 a m

Stocks in Europe took a hit on Tuesday around midday, as election nerves in the UK and France heat up.Amongst individual stocks, Rolls-Royce and Melrose took a hit following a forecast warning for Airbus.The FTSE 100 index traded 15.07 points lower, 0.2%, at 8,266.48. It has risen some 3.9% so far in the second-quarter of the year.The FTSE 250 was down 130.67 points, 0.6%, at 20,431.90, though the

Sales down 5% last yearNet debt halved, gross margins upOptimistic of profitable growthShares in Gear4music (G4M:AIM) rallied 10% to 147.5p after the online musical instrument seller said it was 'optimistic' about its prospects for further profitable growth during full year 2025 having implemented a refreshed growth strategy.While the electric guitar, drum kit and piano purveyor's results for the

Stocks in Europe were in the green at midday on Monday, although markets were feeling some nerves around elections in the UK, the US and France.The FTSE 100 index traded 33.76 points higher, 0.4%, at 8,271.48. The FTSE 250 was up 74.04 points, 0.4%, at 20,516.39, though the AIM All-Share fell just 0.34 of a point to 772.23.The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.4% to 822.88, the Cboe UK 250 climbed 0.6% to 17,872

While there was no surprise last week in terms of the Federal Reserve's position on interest rates, there was a positive development in the shape of US inflation which came in surprisingly softer than expected.May's CPI reading showed inflation slowed to 3.3%, below April's reading and below the consensus forecast of 3.4%, sending US shares up on the week.Grocery prices were flat month-on-month, w

Big milestones in our lives usually coincide with big personal finance decisions, or at least give us a nasty reminder that we should have been considering our financial futures when it would have made a difference to the here and now.Hindsight, as they say, is a wonderful thing. I had my first child two weeks after the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers. That recession was tough for man

Stocks in London made a cautious start to the week, with falls in mining stocks pegging back the FTSE 100 after mixed economic data from China.The FTSE 100 index traded down 7.60 points, 0.1%, at 8,139.26. The FTSE 250 edged up just 1.22 points to 20,121.58, and the AIM All-Share lost 0.54 of a point, 0.1%, at 775.50.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 810.01, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.1% at 17,517.86

European stocks recovered some poise Monday after a difficult week, though there could more volatility for equities in London and mainland Europe, with political campaigns picking up speed, and a Bank of England decision to come.Stocks in Asia traded lower, with mixed data from China hurting enthusiasm.The FTSE 100 index opened up 40.03 points, 0.5%, at 8,186.89. The FTSE 250 was up 118.58 points,

Stocks in Europe ended Thursday lower, struggling for headway after a hawkish hold by the Federal Reserve, but US tech shares were on the up.The FTSE 100 index closed down 51.81 points, 0.6%, at 8,163.67. The FTSE 250 fell 301.45 points, 1.5%, at 20,195.95, and the AIM All-Share fell 6.93 points, 0.9%, at 780.43.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.9% at 812.42, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 1.6% at 17,682.

Stock prices in London were mixed on Thursday morning, with strong earnings from FTSE 100's Halma after the US Federal Reserve announced guidance of just one interest rate cut by the end of the year.The FTSE 100 index opened down 4.18 points, 0.1%, at 8,211.30. The FTSE 250 was down 52.37 points, 0.3%, at 20,445.03, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.90 of a point, 0.1%, at 788.26.The Cboe UK 100 was

Affordable computer developer Raspberry Pi (RPI) made a stunning debut on the London Stock Exchange with its IPO (initial public offering) priced at 280p, the top end of the range, and the shares surging 30% higher to 360p in early dealings, valuing the company at nearly £700 million.UK tech stories are few and far between in London, so investors will be hoping Raspberry Pi's success can attract

The long-awaited announcement of Apple's (AAPL:NASDAQ) artificial intelligence (or should that be Apple Intelligence) proved something of a damp squib as far as the market was concerned.By effectively outsourcing the job to OpenAI and ChatGPT it almost feels like the company is admitting it has been left behind in the clamour for AI. But is AI creating a bubble in financial markets?Bank of America