London stocks were mixed but broadly positive at midday Thursday, as Bank of England data showed an unexpectedly large increase in UK mortgage approvals.The FTSE 100 index was up 19.99 points, 0.3%, at 7,644.97. The FTSE 250 was up 82.15 points, 0.4%, at 19,095.73, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.44 of a point, 0.1%, at 737.60.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 766.43, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.6% at

If there is one thing investors can agree on, it is that the UK stock market is cheap.How cheap depends on who you ask, but the strategy team at Morgan Stanley believe the FTSE 100 is trading at a 35% discount to the MSCI World Index on a PE (price to earnings) basis.If inflation pressures continue to ease and the economy shows further signs of cooling, there is a fair chance the Bank of England m

Recent weeks have seen a couple of encouraging economic data points for investors betting on the resilience of the UK consumer.Second-quarter GDP (gross domestic product) grew at a faster rate than expected, even as interest rates have risen, pushing up mortgage costs on top of rising food and energy bills.Wage growth also surprised to the upside at 8.2% in the second quarter, a new record and wel

First-half results from Howden Joinery (HWDN) on 20 July will reveal the impact a slowdown in the housing market is having on its trading.The trade kitchen supplier last updated in the spring, with a trading statement covering the 16-week period to 15 April. Like-for-like revenue was flat on the same period a year earlier in the UK business once you accounted for the impact of an additional sales

- UK's leading trade kitchen supplier gains market share- Announces further £50 million buyback- But warns of strong comparatives during 2023Trade kitchen supplier Howden Joinery (HWDN) defied the slowdown in the new-build home industry by posting higher profits for the year to December 2022 amid further market share gains and pointed to an encouraging start to the new year.Howden Joinery also la

The common factor across the latest trading updates from the big housebuilders is they are all forecasting fewer completions and land purchases this year.That could spell trouble for the various trades which support the new-build home industry, from legal services to building materials and equipment hire to fitted kitchens and bathrooms.With mortgage costs soaring after repeated interest rate incr

- Full-year guidance increased after strong trading- Record performance in peak October trading period- Resilient business model and well-established strategyThe UK's largest trade kitchen supplier Howdens (HWDN) said continued 'strong' trading means it now expects full year pre-tax profit to be slightly ahead of market expectations, sending the shares up 3.3% to 536p.The average analyst forecast

Recent trading updates from various builders' merchants and building supplies companies suggest homeowners are no longer spending as freely on 'doing up the house' as they were during the pandemic.When everyone was cooped up at home in the first half of 2020 with cash to spare and DIY stores were classed as 'essential' and were therefore allowed to open, spending on home improvement sky-rocketed e

- Third quarter sales down 16% - Marshalls stock falls 28%- News will worry shareholders in other DIY chainsPatio and paving firm Marshalls (MSLH) reported a sharp decline in sales to the home renovation and DIY market in the three months to September as consumers slammed on the brakes ahead of the hike in household fuel bills this month.It is a warning that should make investors in several other

It is a well-worn line that 'time in the markets is better than timing the markets'. However true that is, it's hard not to wonder if there is more you can do to cushion your portfolio from the worst of what's coming down the line.Diversification is always smart but is there anything we can learn from past UK recessions to help you choose what to keep in your basket of investments, what to add and

- 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 F

Every chief executive talks about creating shareholder value, but which ones walk the walk?While the investment trust industry can count on 27 managers with at least 20 years under their belt at the same firm, there are very few FTSE 100 chief executives with that kind of track record.The most obvious is Simon Wolfson (pictured), who has headed Leicestershire-based high street retailer Next (NXT)

As anyone who is in the process of having work done on their house will know, lack of product availability and soaring prices for materials are proving a real headache for contractors.The bad news for homeowners - and the building industry - is that inflation is proving stickier than expected, as a raft of suppliers have indicated this week.PRICES STILL RISINGInsulation maker SIG (SHI) said today

The cost of living in the UK rose at its fastest pace since 2008 in November, surging 5.1% and adding to Bank of England pressure to raise interest rates.The Office for National Statistics reported on Wednesday (15 December) that consumer prices increased far faster than analyst predictions of 4.7%, and up from 4.2% in October.The monthly rate of inflation rose 0.7%, compared with a fall of 0.1% i

Monday's trading session ended on a positive note with both the benchmark FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 finishing in positive territory. The former closed 0.8% firmer at 7925.25, and the latter edged ahead by 0.6% to 23,242.98. This was despite the release of mixed data.On the one hand, diesel prices have reached a record high at the pumps. A litre of diesel is currently 30p more expensive than it was

The UK equity market managed to stay in positive territory with both the benchmark FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 trading higher at lunchtime.This was despite the release of mixed data. On the one hand, diesel prices have reached a record high at the pumps. A litre of diesel is currently 30p more expensive than it was at the beginning of the year. This is clearly a potential headwind for markets as rising

Shares in kitchen supplier Howden Joinery (HWDN) climbed 1.9% to 937p after the company raised its full year earnings guidance, triggering double-digit analyst upgrades.In a trading update covering the four and a half months from the middle of June to the end of October, the firm said the strong momentum it enjoyed in the second quarter had continued into the second half of the year, 'resulting in

A strong start to the week across Europe's markets helped push the UK's major stocks higher on Monday spurred on by Wall Street's record close on Friday.The benchmark FTSE 100 was nearly 0.6% higher at 9am, lifting the index to 7,277.85, while mid-caps were also firmer, the FTSE 250 up 0.4% to 23,204.05. With much of the economic action taking place towards the middle and back end of the week, wit

We're pleased to welcome back Malcolm from Edinburgh who is sharing his experience as someone in retirement taking charge of their investments for the first time. This is part five of the series click to read parts one, two, three and four. In managing my retirement portfolio of 30 shares, currently divided between 12 in the FTSE 100, 13 in FTSE 250 companies and five from the FTSE AIM 100 index,

There are lots of good reasons why investors should have allocations to the FTSE 250, London's high-flying index oriented to mid caps which provides a purer play on the domestic UK economy than the exporter-heavy FTSE 100.The FTSE 250 captures those growth stocks that have come up from the small cap ranks and therefore had a chance to establish themselves. And crucially, it can catch these 'second