Stock prices in London were mixed on Thursday morning, with the FTSE 100 edging higher, despite retailers Tesco and M&S falling after festive trading updates.The FTSE 100 index opened up 11.69 points, 0.1%, at 8,262.72. The FTSE 250 was down 118.85 points, 0.6%, at 19,833.39, and the AIM All-Share lost 0.63 of a point, 0.1%, at 719.48.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 827.88, the Cboe UK 250 lost 0.6

London's blue chip index edged upwards on Wednesday as BAE Systems rose amid pressure from Donald Trump on NATO to increase defence spending, but rising bond yields caused volatility elsewhere.The FTSE 100 index ended up 5.75 points, 0.1%, at 8,251.03. The FTSE 250 tumbled 398.13 points, 2.0%, at 19,952.24. The AIM All-Share fell 5.17 points, 0.7%, at 720.11.The Cboe UK 100 closed up slightly at 8

Shares in London were lower at midday on Wednesday as US tariff jitters resurfaced, adding to nervousness caused by surging bond yields.The FTSE 100 index was down 27.54 points, 0.3%, at 8,217.74. The FTSE 250 was down 264.16 points, 1.3%, at 20,086.21, and the AIM All-Share was down 4.22 points, 0.6%, at 721.06.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.4% at 822.92, the Cboe UK 250 was 1.5% lower at 17,494.59,

The FTSE 100 made a tepid-at-best start to trading on Wednesday, with Shell declining after it forecast a weaker fourth-quarter output performance for its Integrated Gas unit.The FTSE 100 index opened down just 0.69 of a point at 8,244.59. The FTSE 250 was down 24.85 points, 0.1%, at 20,325.52, and the AIM All-Share was up just 0.18 of a point at 725.46.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 825.45, the

Stocks in London were mixed after opening higher on Wednesday, as UK inflation data increased the chances of the Bank of England holding rates steady tomorrow.The FTSE 100 index closed up just 3.91 points at 8,199.11. The FTSE 250 ended 59.13 points higher, 0.3%, at 20,601.99, and the AIM All-Share gave back 2.62 points, 0.4%, at 719.42.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.1% at 822.61, the Cboe UK 250 ro

Stocks in London were in the green on Wednesday morning, as investors prepare for eurozone inflation data and the US interest rate decision this afternoon.UK consumer price inflation and producer price inflation data came out before the London open.According to the Office for National Statistics, the consumer prices index rose by 2.6% in the 12 months to November, picking up pace on-month from a 2

UK indices were mixed at Friday's close as FTSE 100 housebuilders and property firms alike edged upwards off the back of Halifax housing data.The FTSE 100 index closed down 40.77 points, 0.5%, at 8,308.61. The FTSE 250 ended up 57.94 points at 21,059.00, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.30 points, 0.2%, at 738.22.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.5% at 834.32, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.3% at 18,536.

The UK's main indices were mixed at midday on Friday as shares in FTSE 100 water suppliers fell amid analyst downgrades.The FTSE 100 index fell 6.69 points, 0.1%, at 8,342.69. The FTSE 250 rose 37.00 points, 0.2%, at 21,038.06, and the AIM All-Share climbed 1.31 points, 0.2%, at 738.23.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 837.74, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.3% at 18,540.25, and the Cboe Small Companies r

European equities are having a 'largely positive' session on Wednesday, but the FTSE 100 stuck out a like a sore thumb, with some of its more defensive stocks in the red.The FTSE 100 index fell 18.05 points, 0.2%, at 8,341.36. The FTSE 250 added 31.42 points, 0.2%, at 20,924.16, and the AIM All-Share rose 0.75 of a point, 0.1%, at 735.84.The Cboe UK 100 lost 0.4% at 837.01, the Cboe UK 250 was up

Decision made after detailed reviewMove will help to maintain UK grid stabilityShares down 8% year-to-dateShares in British Gas owner Centrica (CNA) were marginally higher in morning trading after the company announced the extension of its four AGR (operational Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor) nuclear power stations alongside partner, EDF.Chris O'Shea, CEO of Centrica said: 'Today's extensions to the

Fidelity Special Values (FSV) 311.5pMarket cap: £1.01 billionWider than the five and 10-year average of 4%, a near-9% share price discount to NAV (net asset value) at Fidelity Special Values (FSV) presents an attractive entry point into a fund with an impressive long-run record and a contrarian, value-focused investment philosophy that's proven to work.The trust, which recently celebrated its 30

European equities were mostly in the red on Thursday morning amid a threat of higher for longer interest rates, following a lofty UK inflation reading and a caution against turbocharged US easing from a Federal Reserve official.The FTSE 100 index added just 0.40 of a point at 8,085.47. The FTSE 250 lost just 7.21 points at 20,237.55, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.18 points, 0.4%, at 725.52.The Cboe

There was a certain degree of investor bemusement last month when shares in US electricity generation company Constellation Energy (CEG:NASDAQ) soared on news technology giant Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) had signed a 20-year power purchase agreement.This was no ordinary deal, however, as it paves the way for the restart of Three Mile Island 1 ? not the reactor which famously melted down in 1979, but a

Marks & Spencer's (MKS) stock is up the best part of 80% over one year and has rallied 40% year-to-date, driven by positive momentum in both food and clothing and a recent return to the dividend trail which has attracted income seekers.This suggests the British retail institution will need to deliver a positive outlook and/or another profit upgrade alongside its first-half results (6 November) if

A dividend is quite simply a portion of a company's earnings distributed to its investors.In the UK most companies pay two ordinary dividends per year, one at the half-way stage (the interim or first-half dividend) and one at the end of the year (the final dividend). Some UK firms pay quarterly dividends.Sometimes, companies will decide to pay a special dividend on a one-off basis if their earning

Stock prices in Europe were in the red on Friday morning, despite the upbeat mood in New York after the Federal Reserve's 50 basis point rate cut earlier this week.The FTSE 100 index fell 36.33 points, 0.4%, at 8,292.39. The index is up around 0.2% so far this week. The FTSE 250 shed 86.37 points, 0.4%, at 21,076.34, and the AIM All-Share slipped 1.29 points, 0.2%, at 746.79.The Cboe UK 100 fell 0

Anniversaries are often an opportunity to take stock so the Shares team has had a look at the best performing shares, funds and investment trusts since the magazine's first issue in September 1999.Read on to discover the identity of the top performers and find out names we think will continue to impress in the years to come and those where we think the good times might be over. But first, Ian Conw

Stocks in London ended the week in the green, as the possibility of a 50-basis point cut from the Federal Reserve was increasingly priced in by the markets.The FTSE 100 index rose 32.12 points, or 0.4%, at 8,273.09. The FTSE 250 ended up 199.60 points, 1.0%, at 20,895.37, and the AIM All-Share firmed 3.87 points, or 0.5%, at 745.23.For the week, the FTSE 100 rose 1.1%, the FTSE 250 climbed 2.0% an

Equities were higher during midday trade on Friday, as mining stocks continued to climb, tracking the strength of gold amid a pull-back of the dollar.The FTSE 100 index climbed 19.03 points, 0.2%, at 8,260.00. The FTSE 250 was up 138.55 points, 0.7%, at 20,834.33, and the AIM All-Share rose 2.61 points, 0.4%, at 743.97.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 826.32, the Cboe UK 250 rose 0.7% to 18,356.40,

Stocks in London drifted lower by the close on Thursday, as more weak US jobs data tested nerves ahead of Friday's nonfarm payrolls data.The FTSE 100 index closed down 27.89 points, 0.3%, at 8,241.71. The FTSE 250 ended down 46.11 points, 0.2%, at 20,762.50, and the AIM All-Share closed down 0.54 of a point, 0.1%, at 759.12.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.2% at 825.08, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.2%