Bakkavor (BAKK) 181.6p Gain to date: 20.7% We urged readers to buy chilled prepared-food maker Bakkavor (BAKK) at 150.5p on 13 March 2025 for its cash generation, defensive attributes and positive trading momentum. Shares spotted scope for a further re-rating of the stock given the private label pizza-to-hummus maker continues to rebuild its margins whilst paring debt levels. WHAT HAS HAPPENED...

The UK market's long-awaited IPO comeback is conspicuous by its absence. There were only four floats in the first quarter of 2025 versus 15 takeover situations, meaning the UK market continues to shrink in size. Last summer, there was market euphoria about a new government coming into power and how that would create more certainty for businesses. They might not like all policies, but they...

Investors across Europe held back on Wednesday as markets awaited clarity from Washington on tariffs, with mixed moves in London reflecting caution despite a late bounce in mid-caps.The FTSE 100 index ended down 26.32 points, 0.3%, at 8,608.48. It had traded as low as 8,548.32.The FTSE 250 climbed 58.77 points, 0.3%, at 19,649.63, and the AIM All-Share declined 2.61 points, 0.4%, at 685.77.The...

Alleged inappropriate behaviour probedPrimark boss departs with 'immediate effect'Investors disappointed by leadership changePrimark parent company Associated British Foods (ABF) was the FTSE 100's biggest faller on 31 March following the shock news Paul Marchant has resigned as the cut-price clothing chain's chief executive 'with immediate effect'.The unexpected departure of Primark's...

Bakkavor (BAKK) 170pGain to date: 13%Shares highlighted Bakkavor's (BAKK) attractions at 150.5p on 13 March, urging investors to buy the chilled prepared-food manufacturer for its cash generation, defensive qualities and positive trading momentum.We noted the private label pizza-to-hummus maker was rebuilding margins and reducing debt levels, a tasty combination which could drive a further...

Shares ended higher in London on Friday as the German government agreed a defence and infrastructure spending package, while the US Senate worked to avoid a government shutdown ahead of its midnight funding deadline.The FTSE 100 index closed up 89.77 points, 1.1%, at 8,632.33. The FTSE 250 ended up 307.02 points, 1.6%, at 19,995.59, and the AIM All-Share closed up 7.59 points, 1.1%, at...

The UK stock market has performed robustly over the past year, with several companies standing out significantly. In this article, we will examine the top-performing large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap stocks of 2024, dissected across four different market valuation categories.£5 BILLION+ MARKET CAPAfter a stellar 2023, aeronautical engineer Rolls-Royce (RR.) has once again rallied hard during...

Q4 like-for-likes up 3.7%Operating profit forecast raised againReturn to dividends promisedSandwich, salad and sushi maker Greencore (GNC) has upgraded full year profit guidance yet again following what CEO Dalton Philips dubbed an 'outstanding' performance, with profit conversion in the final quarter beating management's expectations.Shares in the FTSE 250 food maker, which supplies major UK...

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...

Hilton Food CEO offloads £129,110 worth of stockGreencore director buys 30,000 sharesVictrex CEO invests £37,873Robert Watson, chairman of retail meat packing outfit Hilton Food Group (HFG) sold 14,747 shares at 876p in a trade with a total value of £129,110 on 6 June.Watson joined the group as CEO back in 2002, over the past year Hilton's shares have gained 28%.There could be a spot of...

Investors have regained an appetite for sandwich, salad and sushi-maker Greencore (GNC) with the shares up 12.3% to 106.7p year-to-date, extending their one-year rally to 28%. Building on a profit upgrade delivered in October, the Dublin-headquartered soup-to-sauce supplier served up encouraging first-quarter results (25 January 2024) with outstanding customer service levels underpinning a...

hVIVO directors sell shares ?to meet demand?Greencore director buys £50,000 sharesCathal Friel, co-founder and chairman of infectious and respiratory diseases company hVIVO (HVO:AIM), sold 25,937,909 shares at 28p for a total value of £7,262,615 on 14 February.Brendan Buckley, non-executive of the company, sold 4,017,269 also at 28p for a total value of £1,124,835 on the same day.Therefore...

Shore Capital raises pre-tax profit forecast 11%Balance sheet getting even strongerFurther £15 million buyback launchedInvestors snapped up stock of Dublin-headquartered Greencore (GNC) in early trading on 10 October thanks to the company's ongoing sales optimism and news of a fresh share buyback. Shares in the convenience foods supplier jumped 17% to 80.5p, still leaving them far cheaper...

- Index changes to be announced tonight- Three new names to join the FTSE 100- Four new faces in the mid-cap FTSE 250Investors with FTSE tracker funds will be keenly waiting for details of the latest index reshuffle due to be published after the market close tonight.As well as changes to the FTSE 100 big-cap index there are expected to be several changes to the FTSE 250 mid-cap benchmark and...

The FTSE 100 finished Tuesday's trading session 0.71% lower at 7,059.45 points and the FTSE 250 index shed 1.04% to 22,519.72, as markets continued to worry about the potential impacts of the ominously-named new Covid variant, Omicron.Sentiment weakened after Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel cast doubts over the efficacy of existing vaccines against the coronavirus variant, although...

Sandwiches, salads and sushi maker Greencore (GNC) returned to sales and profit growth in the year ended 24 September 2021 as the lifting of pandemic restrictions and gradual return of workers to the office bolstered growth in its food to go categories.However, shares in the FTSE 250 convenience food supplier softened 0.5% to 122.5p on the absence of upgrades for the current year, with...

There was little cheer for investors heading into the fourth quarter as the squeeze on global energy prices continued to send markets lower. In the US, the S&P 500 index finished down 1.2% at 4,023 points, defying recent bullish talk by analysts, while in Asia the Nikkei index slumped 2.3%.In energy markets, Brent crude eased 1% to $77.80 per barrel but European front-month natural gas prices...

The most significant director deals over the last week have been in the sell column. Top of the list is a transaction involving the chairman of self-storage provider Big Yellow (BYG) Nicholas Veitch through his wife Catherine Veitch.In two separate transactions on 27 August and 2 September she sold £3.8 million and £1.7 million worth of shares respectively, leaving the chair's family with...

The UK's major stocks fell sharply on Tuesday following a sharp sell-off in Asia overnight as investors worry about the intensifying crackdown on technology companies by Chinese authorities.The benchmark FTSE 100 lost 1.15% at 6,944.5 with leisure, food and miners dragging on the market mood while poorly received updates from Reckitt Benckiser (RB.) and online greeting cards seller Moonpig...

A key theme in the UK market in 2021 has been a spate of takeovers, mergers and strategic deals involving British businesses as buyers, often from overseas, have been attracted by lowly valuations relative to other international equities.By the reckoning of stockbroker Peel Hunt, nearly £25 billion worth of bids for more than 20 companies have been pitched in the last six months and...