Blue chip stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt were comfortably in the green at Wednesday midday, with Lloyds up after it received higher price targets from Deutsche Bank Research and Barclays.In UK news, the defence secretary has suggested the real-terms increase in defence spending year-on-year will be only around half the £13.4 billion figure cited by the prime minister.John Healey...

Since we emerged from the pandemic, people's spending have shifted from stuff to experiences with holidays particularly prized by those with the means to afford them.Airlines and travel operators enjoyed bumper demand as people were desperate to get away for a week in the sun, having been denied the opportunity during lockdown, and had money to spend. This enabled the industry to pass...

The FTSE 100 started the week on the front foot, seemingly unfazed by President Joe Biden's decision to bow out of the re-election race, although the travel sector stalled after a Ryanair warning.The FTSE 100 index traded up 30.98 points, or 0.4%, at 8,186.70. The FTSE 250 was up 55.40 points, 0.3%, at 21,123.08, while the AIM All-Share was up just 0.29 of a point at 784.42.The Cboe UK 100 was...

The Schroder Recovery Fund (B3VVG60) aims to generate capital gains superior to the FTSE All-Share Total Return Index, net of fees, over a three- to five-year horizon by investing in 'UK companies which have suffered a severe setback in either share price or profitability'.The fund was launched back in 1970 and has stood the test of time, beating its target return over one, three and 10 years...

Jefferies cuts stocks to 'hold' or 'sell'Analysts see 'recession' in officesMorgan Stanley takes a more positive viewShares in four of the UK's biggest property companies fell after analysts at investment bank Jefferies cut their recommendations on the basis office rents in the capital are headed for recession.British Land (BLND) shares eased 1.9% to 320p, Derwent London (DLN) shares were 1.6%...

- £100 million in profit expected for 2022- Leasing levels strong and rent collections improve in third quarter- Liberum says benefiting from 'return to normality'Shopping centre investor Hammerson (HMSO) has unveiled a surprisingly upbeat assessment of its prospects in its third quarter trading update.This positivity is at odds with an extremely gloomy retail backdrop, reflected in the...

If you'd been keeping an eye on news from the UK commercial property market, you might be forgiven for thinking the sector was a complete basket case.Bankrupt retailers have left gaping holes on the high street, while office occupancy has been decimated by the pandemic.Meanwhile many open-ended commercial property funds suspended trading for over a year, with some ultimately shutting their...

Real estate firm Hammerson (HMSO) has posted a sharp increase in adjusted earnings for last year as shoppers returned to its flagship sites.The shares edged up 1% to 35p, outperforming a weak FTSE 100 which was down 1.8% at mid-morning.Hammerson, which owns and manages large shopping centres like Birmingham's Bull Ring and London's Brent Cross, has made fundamental changes to its business...

European stock markets slumped in early dealings on Thursday as markets digested the US Federal Reserve's statement last night.Investors were unnerved after Fed chair Jay Powell signalled the US central bank could be open to more rate hikes this year than it has previously guided.US stocks fell further after the announcement and the sell-off extended to most of Asia and Europe, although the...

UK stocks edged lower on Wednesday after the latest UK inflation reading came in higher than expected, stoking concerns that interest rates might rise, with the FTSE 100 off 0.19% at 7,205.20 early on.The UK consumer price index rose by 5.1% in November, above expectations for a 4.8% increase and marking the highest annual increase in a decade, putting renewed pressure on the Bank of England...

Our latest review of the best and worst earnings revisions across the FTSE 350 throws up a few surprises in terms of sectors and individual stocks, particularly in the light of their relative performance.There are three distinct clusters of winners, split between investment, real estate and consumer discretionary companies.Among the investment companies, Molten Ventures (GROW) - previously...

The FTSE 100 dipped slightly on Thursday morning, although it remained above the 7,000 level at 7,118.3, following the UK's easing of travel restrictions for some destinations including France, which will see less people being forced to quarantine on their return to the UK.Strength in utilities and real estate was offset by weakness in miners and consumer non-cyclicals as investors waited for...

A weak start to trading in the US, amid suggestions from central banks about a tightening of monetary policy, helped put the FTSE 100 firmly on the back foot on Thursday afternoon.By the market close, the blue chip benchmark was down 1.1% at 7,012.02 points, with tech names in the US dragging down the Nasdaq index by 0.4% to 14,585.31 as of 4.30pm UK time.Heavyweight oil firms BP (BP.) and...

London's FTSE 100 traded 0.7% lower at 7,044.16 by lunchtime on Thursday with heavyweight oil firms BP (BP.) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) in the red amid a slump in crude prices as OPEC reached a compromise on increasing production.A steady rise in inflation coupled with higher local coronavirus infections also stoked concerns of slowing the pace of economic recovery.Mid-caps were also weaker...

Major UK stocks e FTSE 100 made a quiet start to trading on Thursday as inflation fears kept a lid on equity markets. The FTSE 100 was largely flat at 9am as heavyweight energy stocks tracked weak oil prices, while a steady rise in inflation coupled with higher local coronavirus infections stoked concerns of slowing the pace of economic recovery.The benchmark index was 0.02% higher at 7,092.77...

Shopping centre landlord Hammerson (HMSO) fell 5.2% to 36p despite encouraging recent footfall following England's reopening on 12 April as it collected less than half of the rent due for the first half of 2021.Overall, rental collection rates stood at 46%, encompassing 48% in the UK, 28% in France and 34% in Ireland.The figures show how Hammerson has been rocked by the pandemic - which...

UK stocks ended Monday's session in the red as the reopening of shops and pubs across the UK failed to generate much of a market reaction.Caution prevailed as many investors decided to hold off on any big decisions as first quarter earnings season picks up pace in the US.'UK markets have remained pretty subdued as they seemed to have priced in today's lockdown easing exuberance,' explained...

UK stocks were ever slightly lower by lunchtime on Monday, even as local restaurants, bars and other non-essential businesses began to reopen, with sentiment uncertain amid global jitters over rising bond yields and lofty stock valuations.By lunchtime, London's blue chip benchmark index was off 22 points or 0.31%, at 6,894.2, with high street names weakening on reopening day as investors...

Shares in FTSE 250 shopping centre landlord Hammerson (HMSO) fell 4.3% to 35.7p as it revealed it is in talks about selling its portfolio of retail parks to Canadian giant Brookfield as it looks to raise some much-needed cash.In a short update, Hammerson gave the usual disclaimer that there can be 'no certainty that a transaction would take place or the terms on which any transaction may...

The FTSE 100 fell 0.69% to 6,868 in early trade on Monday despite optimism as non-essential retailers and pubs open their doors for the first time in months.Momentum in UK shares had been building ahead of today, with the index getting back to pre-pandemic levels last week. The midcap FTSE 250 index, which last week hit a record high, also fell this morning with a 0.46% drop to 22,148.Most...