UK water firms had their gains pulled back by Friday's close following yesterday's Ofwat induced bump, as Trump threatened the EU with tariff's if it failed to address its trading deficit.The FTSE 100 index closed down 12.67 points, 0.2%, at 8,092.65. The FTSE 250 ended up 31.24 points, 0.2%, at 20,430.62, and the AIM All-Share closed down 0.1, or 0.73 of a point, at 711.05.The Cboe UK 100 ended d

Q2 guidance very weak versus consensusMicron stock plunges 15% after-hoursAnalysts say HBM story 'remains intact'Missing forecasts seldom goes down well with investors and soggy guidance is usually equally unsavoury to markets, so it comes as little surprise that Micron Technology's (MU:NASDAQ) soft outlook sparked a hefty stock reaction.Shares in the memory chipmaker plunged 15% overnight after s

Strange as it may sound, the pandemic turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the auction industry as it forced firms to join the 21st century and offer an online service.Whereas previously many small auction houses were limited to the number of buyers they could accommodate due to lack of physical space, today they can not only tap into their local market but a whole army of online punters at

Premium mixer drinks company Fevertree Drinks (FEVR:AIM) has had a torrid time of late with the shares down 38% from the highs in the spring of 2024 and down two-thirds from the all-time high in December 2021.On a longer-term basis, the shares are still up 440% since listing on the AIM market in 2014, equivalent to a compound annual growth rate of 15% a year.Recent poor performance is down to a dr

Investment trusts have experienced challenges this year, with discounts remaining wide across various sectors and some consolidation occurring. However, certain trusts have performed well compared to both the wider market and their peer group. This article highlights the top performers across four of the Association of Investment Companies' most widely followed equity-facing sectors.GLOBALAn inves

Pubs group JD Wetherspoon's (JDW) value credentials continue to shine through. According to fund manager Anna Farmbrough at Ninety One the company has doubled its average price advantage over competitors to 40% since the pandemic.Farmbrough notes that a few years ago there were three pubs in her local area while today there is just a single Wetherspoons, demonstrating its ability to benefit as con

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 Europe were mostly higher at midday Wednesday, with UK inflation reaching an eight-month high but not forcing 'shares in interest rate-sensitive sectors' to retreat.In UK and European news, the UK consumer prices index rose by 2.6% in the year to November, picking up pace from a 2.3% rise in year to October and in line with FXStreet-cited market consensus. The closely watched CPI service

European stocks were higher heading into Friday afternoon, shaking off disappointing UK data, while Paris shares were up after a new prime minister was named.The FTSE 100 index traded up 12.74 points, 0.2%, at 8,324.50. The FTSE 250 was up 23.30 points, 0.1%, at 20,972.34, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.59 points, 0.2%, at 735.97.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.2% higher at 835.95, the Cboe UK 250 was up

Markets 'challenging and unpredictable'US disruption and Korea destockingWax Lyrical performance improvingShares in British ceramics maker and homewares retailer Portmeirion (PMP:AIM) plunged 17% to a 10-year low of 170p on a warning annual profits will fall significantly short of forecasts, primarily due to delays getting stock into the US in time for the Christmas and destocking in South Korea.W

Key UK indices were broadly flat at Thursday's close as the ECB decided to 'play it safe' with interest rate cuts.Also, the UK prime minister has said providing homes for people must be the 'top priority' over nature and the environment as government reforms are set to allow more building on the green belt.A shake-up of planning rules means councils have been given mandatory targets to deliver a t

Military equipment supplier Chemring (CHG) would seem to be well placed considering the recent escalation of geopolitical tensions and conflicts which have lifted sector peers. However, the shares have fallen sharply during the last quarter of 2024. Investors are seemingly nervous about a back-loaded fiscal 2024 (to 31 October) after a particularly harsh winter in early 2024 put the freeze on some

Lots of parents and grandparents default to cash when saving for their children or grandchildren, but most have a very long time until they will give the money to the children, meaning investing can be a great option. If we look at someone saving £1,000 a year from birth of the child until the age of 18, they'd hand them almost £8,000 more if they invested the money and earned 5% return a year a

Predicting what will happen to the global economy and markets over the next 12 months is hard enough at the best of times, but with Trump's election victory on 5 November that job has become even more difficult.As Deutsche Bank's head of global economics and thematics Jim Reid put it, the outlook is no longer 'business as usual' which opens up a much wider range of potential outcomes for the globa

As part of AJ Bell's Money Matters campaign which is focused on helping all women feel empowered to live their best financial lives, we're putting together a series of articles breaking down some of the particular considerations depending on your age.This article is all about your 40s, a decade when people are often considered as entering their peak earning period but also a decade which for many

Pets at Home CEO buys nearly £100,000 sharesPod Point CFO snaps up £50,400 sharesForesight Solar Fund directors buyLyssa McGowan, CEO of pet food-to-veterinary services group Pets at Home (PETS) has bought 42,294 shares at 236p for a total value of £99,999 on 29 November.Pets at Home's shares recently plunged to a two-year low after it downgraded profit guidance for the year to March 2025.McGow

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

Price raised 10% to 275p/shareObvious synergies between companiesCould lead to 'more rational pricing'Shareholders in insurer Direct Line (DLG) enjoyed a small lift in the value of their holdings heading into the weekend after the firm received a raised takeover offer from larger rival Aviva (AV.).Direct Line shares climbed 16p or 7% to 252p, some 25p or 10% shy of the 275p price implied by the ca

The FTSE 100 index closed up on Thursday, with AstraZeneca shares rising on US FDA approval of its Imfinzi treatment.Also on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised a 'relentless focus on delivering for working people' ahead of a major speech setting out targets to measure progress on his government's plans.AJ Bell's Danni Hewson noted: 'The prime minister today said that households will