London's FTSE 100 underperformed European peers on Wednesday, seeing little boost from a US-China framework on trade, while stocks in New York are set to fall on the opening bell there. In focus this afternoon is a US inflation reading as well as the UK spending review to be outlined by the chancellor. The FTSE 100 index edged up 6.64 points, 0.1%, at 8,859.72. The FTSE 250 was up 33.62...

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...

The latest trading updates from two listed building materials producers - Ibstock (IBST) and Brickability (BRCK:AIM) - shows investors that the market for new homes remains in rude health despite concerns over affordability.Demand for materials is so strong that suppliers can recoup all of their increased costs by pushing through price increases to developers.PRICE-MAKERSBrick and concrete...

The FTSE 100 closed Thursday's session fractionally lower, off 0.06% at 7,585.01 points, though the FTSE 250 ended 0.27% higher at 22,714.98 as select travel and leisure names rallied, including EasyJet (EZJ), Trainline (TRN), TUI (TUI) and JD Wetherspoon (JDW).The blue chip benchmark began on the front foot, boosted by miners reacting to news from China, but a drop in the oil price and a...

London's FTSE 100 was flat by midday at 7,585.03 points as investors weighed the risks posed by interest rates and inflation and foods-to-fashion conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF) dipped lower, while the FTSE 250 crept 0.23% higher to 22,707.35.US stocks were expected to break higher after lurching back into the red in late dealings on Wednesday as investors continued to pore over...

In contrast to the housebuilders, who have had a torrid time this month, construction materials firms are enjoying a positive run of form as demand for their products continues to grow unabated.Results today from brick maker Ibstock (IBST) and door and window manufacturer Epwin (EPWN:AIM) both met a favourable response from investors with gains of as much as 4% and 6% respectively.That follows...

London's FTSE 100 finished Wednesday's trading session 0.36% lower at 7,248.89 points as investors fretted over interest rates and oil majors Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and BP (BP.) weighed on the blue chip benchmark, the shares off 1.75% to £16.29 and 2.9% to 334.85p respectively.The US Federal Reserve was set to announce its rates decision later on Wednesday, with the Bank of England...

London's FTSE 100 traded lower by midday on Wednesday, the blue chip benchmark marked down 0.4% to 7,246.42, as nervousness built ahead of two key central bank decisions.The US Federal Reserve was set to announce its rates decision later on Wednesday, with the Bank of England following on Thursday.Overnight, US equity markets were firmer with the Nasdaq Composite edging 0.34% higher at...

Investors appeared to be keeping their powder dry on Wednesday ahead of key interest rate decisions, from the US Federal Reserve later today, and Bank of England tomorrow.At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 was trading 0.25% lower at 7256.74, although mid-caps managed modest gains, the FTSE 250 nudging 0.07% higher to 23,156.07.Overnight, US equity markets were firmer with the Nasdaq Composite...

London's FTSE 100 ended Thursday's trading session 0.37% lower at 6,715.42 as early gains evaporated by the close. Hints that lockdown could persist until the summer in the UK sapped sentiment, while the S&P index across the pond traded broadly flat.CORPORATE NEWSIn company news, Sage Group (SGE) jumped 5% to 601.2p as it reported a near 5% rise in recurring revenue for the final three months...

London's FTSE 100 edged 0.2% higher to trade at 6,754.1 points by midday as markets looked to build on yesterday's Inauguration Day rally, although the pound's strength versus the US dollar interrupted the progress of the blue chip benchmark.US futures suggested shares would hit new record highs on Wall Street as 46th president Joe Biden gets his feet under the table in the Oval...

A strong year-end trading update form brick manufacturer Ibstock (IBST) helped it top the FTSE 350 leaderboard on Thursday, rising 8.2% to 213p.The company lifted its guidance on earnings following cost cuts and 'strong' performance in the fourth quarter of the year.For the 12 months to 31 December 2020, the company said it now expects to report adjusted earnings before interest, taxes,...

London's FTSE 100 got off a relatively decent start by 9am on Thursday, up 0.13% to 6,749 after rising 0.41% at the market open, building on the modest gains of Wednesday as the US awaited the inaugural address of its incoming president.On Wall Street the S&P 500 closed at 3,851.3, up 1.39% as President Joe Biden addressed the nation, reportedly the biggest rise on inauguration day since 1985...

UK stocks hit their lowest level since late April as investors reacted to another surge in coronavirus cases in Europe and there was increasing concern over the outcome of next week's US presidential election.At midday the FTSE 100 index was down 94 points or 1.7% to 5,635 points with mining, metal and house-building shares at the bottom of the pile and just half a dozen stocks making...

UK stocks hit six-month lows on Wednesday as growing fears of further lockdowns and investors started to factor in the likely economic impact. The FTSE 100 dropped 2.3% to 5,597 points with cyclical shares seeing the brunt of the fall.According to Bloomberg reports, Germany will announce today that it is moving to a one month closure of bars and restaurants while urging people to keep contact...

There were mixed share price fortunes for two of the UK's listed brick makers as both announced job cuts but also pointed to hopes of returning demand as the building and construction sector gets back to work.Northampton's Forterra (FORT) was up 5.4% to 219.8p on its announcement while Leicestershire's Ibstock (IBST) slipped 1.3% to 198p on its own news.Both firms have reported a plunge in...

They say that history doesn't repeat, but it certainly rhymes because this year's large market sell-off has seen most sectors perform bang in line with their performance in previous sharp sell-offs.As we previously explained, the past decade has seen three sharp in declines in stocks - in mid-2011, mid-2015 and the final quarter of 2018 - which all happened for different reasons but which all...

A disappointing trading update from building materials firm SIG (SHI) on 5 July was the latest bit of bad news from the UK construction sector. It follows a series of negative data points and gloomy commentary from construction companies.In this article we look at some of the larger businesses in the construction and building materials space and consider how diversified they are geographically...

Ibstock (IBST) is the UK's leading clay brick manufacturer and we think it could be a useful building block in any balanced investment portfolio.With close to 80% of new buildings using brick in their construction, you might reasonably be concerned about suppliers, like Ibstock, on signs of a slowing housebuilding market. However, we believe those concerns are misplaced.There are fundamental...

UK stocks are in sharp reverse in early trade on Thursday as growing tensions between the US and China, and doubts over Theresa May's government leadership because of Brexit continue to gnaw away at investor confidence.The benchmark FTSE 100 slumps more than 80 points, or roughly 1.2%, to 7,247.66, although a swathe of companies going ex-dividend today (when new shareholders lose the right to...