Chemring executives sell sharesEasyJet finance head sells stockImperial chief executive lightens upThe week before Christmas was a busy one for the boards of several UK firms as they offloaded shares ahead of the holidays.At defence contractor Chemring (CHG), chief executive Michael Ord and two other directors sold a total of 274,000 shares at 315p each on 18 December raising just shy of £800,000

In the first part of a three-part series featuring opinions and ideas from some of the UK's leading fund managers, we asked which stocks have surprised them the most over the course of the 2024 and why.While it was hard to avoid the influence of AI (artificial intelligence) on portfolios, the breadth of responses was surprising and goes to show how skilled stock-pickers can turn up gems in parts o

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

Shares in multi-national tobacco company Imperial Brands (IMB) recently hit a new five-year high (25 November) of £25.64 despite a push by governments around the world to crack down on the number of people smoking and vaping.Year-to-date the shares have gained 41% outperforming three of the 'Magnificent Seven' group of tech giants said analysts at Panmure Liberum in a recent note.So, what is the

Uptick in orders continuesTrading in line with expectationsNew CFO John Fallon namedOn the day the ONS (Office for National Statistics) announced disappointing retail sales for October as Budget uncertainty sapped spending, DFS Furniture (DFS) defied the doom and gloom with news of robust orders growth into the new financial year.The reassuring update will come as a relief to shareholders, who mig

26% rise in NGP net revenue4.5% rise in full-year dividendTotal return 45% year-to-dateShares in Imperial Brands (IMB) climbed 2% to £24.48 in morning trading as the multi-national tobacco company reported a robust set of full-year results despite a big push by governments to curb the number of people smoking and vaping.The FTSE 100 company, which owns several tobacco brands including Davidoff, W

Paul's very first taste of investing came when his employer, aerospace and defence company Rolls Royce (RR.), introduced an employee share scheme which gave him what seemed to be a low-risk way of getting exposure to its shares.It seemed low risk, explains Paul, because the scheme allowed employees to save a monthly or four weekly amount for five years and at the end of the period the savings and

Stocks in London continued on their losing streak on Wednesday, as risk appetite was curbed by the upcoming UK budget, and the US presidential election.The FTSE 100 index closed down 47.90 points, or 0.6%, at 8,258.64. The FTSE 250 ended down 119.72 points, or 0.6%, at 20,829.93, and the AIM All-Share lost 5.03 points, 0.7%, at 729.13.The Cboe UK 100 closed down 0.6% at 826.94 on Wednesday, the Cb

London's FTSE 100 moved higher in early trade on Wednesday, boosted by some strong corporate updates, while the dollar marched on as a tempering of US interest rate cut zeal continued.The FTSE 100 index traded up 13.14 points, 0.2%, at 8,319.68. The FTSE 250 was up 26.44 points, or 0.1%, at 20,976.09, and the AIM All-Share added 0.61 of a point, 0.1%, at 734.77.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.1% at 832.8

As tobacco firm Imperial Brands (IMB) announced its latest share buyback, there was an extraordinary, albeit logical, observation from broker Panmure Liberum.Analyst Rae Maile noted that, if it continued at its current pace, the company stood a good chance of buying back all of its shares within a decade.'Since October 2022, the company has bought back 106 million shares at an average price of £

Both the tobacco and oil and gas industries face a similar quandary right now - they are generating lots of cash from activities which many perceive as being unethical and damaging, but their transitions into other areas are currently not offering anywhere near the same levels of return. This matters to anyone who has meaningful exposure to the UK market in their portfolio, say through a FTSE 100

Group adjusted operating profit in line with guidanceOver the past year shares have gained 31%Share buyback of £1.25 billion announcedShares in Imperial Brands (IMB) topped the FTSE leaderboard, gaining 4% to £22.33 after the tobacco maker reported strong growth in NGP (next generation products) and announced £2.8 billion in shareholder returns.NGP net revenue is expected to grow in the range o

European shares went into reverse early Tuesday, as the lack of new stimulus in China disappointed the market, while the story in London was Vistry, which slumped by a third after a profit warning.'Having persuaded a sceptical audience that it was managing the transition from mainstream to partnership housebuilder, and outperformed the sector by over 30% in the last twelve months, Vistry now has t

London's FTSE 100 prospered in early trading on Thursday after the US central bank cut rates by a hefty 50 basis points.The FTSE 100 index added 56.60 points, 0.7%, at 8,310.28. The FTSE 250 added 168.08 points, 0.8%, at 21,003.39, and the AIM All-Share rose 2.30 points, 0.3%, at 744.86.The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.7% to 832.14, the Cboe UK 250 added 0.8% to 18,528.62, and the Cboe Small Companies rose

Experian and Imperial Brands pushed the FTSE 100 to an all-time high on Wednesday morning, with London stocks up at midday ahead of this afternoon?s US consumer price reading.The FTSE 100 index was up 21.63 points, 0.3%, at 8,449.76. The FTSE 100 hit a new record of 8,474.41 earlier.The FTSE 250 was up 86.51 points, 0.4%, at 20,705.03, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.28 of a point at 790.01.The Cbo

Tobacco prices up 8.6%Next-generation revenue up 16.8%Operating profit down 2.4%Shares in Imperial Brands (IMB) were up more than 4% to £19.53 in morning trading despite the tobacco and next-generation product maker reporting a 2.3% fall in first half revenue to £15.06 billion.Investors may have been cheered by the firm's ability to raise tobacco prices and the increase in NGP (next-generation p

On track to meet guidanceShare buyback in progressNew product revenue growing Shares in Imperial Brands (IMB) were flat in morning trading at £17.33 as the tobacco and next-generation product maker said it was ?on track? to meet half year and full year guidance. GUIDANCE MAINTAINEDThe firm said strong tobacco pricing was ?supporting financial delivery?, with growth in first-half group adju

NI cut by 2% as predictedFuel and alcohol duty frozenTobacco tax increaseWith the UK having recently experienced a technical recession after two quarters of negative growth to December last year, and the spectre of a general election looming, today?s Budget decisions are ?more critical than ever? says the AccountancyAge website.?This budget is anticipated to navigate the tightrope of stimulating e

Equities in London made an underwhelming start to the week, in a sign of investor unease ahead of a key few days on the fiscal and monetary policy fronts.A pre-election budget will be the key event in the UK this week. Eyes will be on whether UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will size up some tax relief. In the eurozone, focus will be on the European Central Bank?s interest rate decision on Thursday. In

The end of the tax year is fast approaching and with it the opportunity to maximise your £20,000 ISA allowance for the year.In this article we have identified six names from a list of some of the most consistent funds and fund managers in the UK which could be a good fit for your tax wrapper. While we have aimed for a balance across different investment styles and asset classes this is not intend