Anyone lucky enough to have enjoyed a long summer holiday and focused on the beach rather than their portfolio might not have noticed the recent jolt in global stock markets.While the second half of July was a miserable time markets amid fears of a US recession, the scale of the subsequent rebound has been remarkable.Glance at your portfolio now and you might only see a small dent. There is certai

On 1 August the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee made a 5-4 decision to kickstart its rate-cutting cycle. A 25 basis point reduction in the base rate to 5% marking The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street's first cut since March 2020.This means cash savings rates are heading in one direction, down. And the lower-than-expected jump in UK inflation reported on 14 August only boosted market exp

Stock prices in London closed up on Tuesday after a hopeful US producer price inflation print left investors reassured ahead of further key readings on Wednesday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 24.98 points, 0.3%, at 8,235.23. The FTSE 250 ended up 66.89 points, 0.3%, at 20,744.08, and the AIM All-Share closed up 0.99 of a point, 0.1%, at 767.98.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.3% at 822.29, the Cboe UK 25

Whatever the occasion, audience, or setting, I'm always asked the same question: how have I balanced being a mother of nine with a big City career?Looking back, especially over those years when my children were very young, it's hard to fathom it myself ? but certain things have helped, both practically and emotionally. I hope that some of those lessons learned might be of help to other mothers ? a

Stock prices in London opened higher on Tuesday as investors became focused on the upcoming US Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, after shares fell Monday following the EU election.The FTSE 100 index opened up 11.92 points, 0.1%, at 8,240.40. The FTSE 250 was up 65.24 points, 0.3%, at 20,511.28, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.08 of a point at 788.36.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 821.56, th

Stock prices in London were higher at midday on Wednesday, ahead of the next interest rate decision from the Bank of England on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index was up 41.39 points, 0.5%, at 8,355.06, having reached another record at 8364.04 at around 1100 BST. The FTSE 250 was up 33.45 points, 0.2%, at 20,446.53, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.99 points, 0.3%, at 778.41.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.5% at

In a world of thousands of stocks, certain people just want to focus on ones that are doing well. If these stocks are part of a group with a snappy acronym or label, they must surely matter, right? That is the widespread view among the investment community.Investors love a narrative and what better way to hook people in than with a label that says, ?look at me?. The Magnificent Seven is the latest

From the minute that squirming bundle of joy is placed in parents? arms life gets complicated and expensive.How will you split paternity leave, will you both go back to work full time and is that even a possibility with childcare in the UK so expensive?With the average cost of full-time nursery for a child under two coming in at an eyewatering £14,800 a year, according to a 2023 Coram Childcare r

This column is being written just before the next meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee on 20 March and the working premise is that chair Jay Powell and his colleagues at the US Federal Reserve will leave the headline interest rate unchanged at 5.50%. If that does not turn out to the case then readers can immediately turn over the page, not least to spare the writer?s blushes.That caveat as

Stock prices in Europe fell on Tuesday morning, with the mood in equities nervy ahead of a US consumer price inflation print in the afternoon and after a UK unemployment reading earlier in the morning.The UK data supported the pound, but hit equities, as it strengthened the case for the Bank of England to keep rates higher for longer.The FTSE 100 index traded 11.92 points lower, 0.2%, at 7,561.77.

Prices are turning positive againLower mortgage rates helpingActivity seen picking up this yearHousebuilders and housing-related stocks got a lift going into the Bank of England?s monetary policy meeting thanks to a positive read on the property market from the latest Nationwide house price survey.Shares in Barratt Developments (BDEV), Crest Nicholson (CRST), Persimmon (PSN), Redrow (RDW), Rightmo

Probe to prevent shoppers being misledGreen claims ?may be overstated?UK market worth £140 billion last yearConsumer products giant Unilever (ULVR) has found itself the unwelcome subject of a probe by the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) into its ?green? claims on some of its household items such as cleaning products and toiletries.However, with the shares already trading at 12-month lows

Making a start to any enterprise is often the hardest part - so if you have opened a SIPP (self-invested personal pension) you have already taken one of the most important first steps towards a more comfortable retirement.This article will talk you through the next steps so you can start putting your money to work in the global stock markets and grow your wealth.STEP ONE: ASSESS YOUR CURRENT RETIR

London's FTSE 100 lagged European peers heading into Tuesday afternoon, with a share price slide for Barclays sending other lenders down with it and weighing on the FTSE 100.The pound made a slight - albeit unconvincing - gain, despite weaker UK economic data.Eyes will be on New York later, with earnings from Google owner Alphabet and Microsoft scheduled.The FTSE 100 index was down 7.92 points, 0.

Private equity firm Apollo succeeding with its takeover of Restaurant Group (RTN) would represent a major turning point for the UK stock market. It would mean investors could no longer access a high street-focused casual dining chain operator on the London Stock Exchange of any scale.Restaurant Group's primary asset is Wagamama, a 165-strong nationwide chain offering Asian-style food. Investing in

Stocks in London opened higher on Tuesday, as investors digested the latest unemployment and wage growth data from the UK.The FTSE 100 index opened up 32.68 points, 0.4%, at 7,529.55. The FTSE 250 was up 26.02 points, 0.1%, at 18,548.46, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.46 of a point, 0.1%, at 742.81.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 750.16, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.1% at 16189.28, and the Cboe Small C

Global equities were largely on the up at the end of the week, negotiating a trio of major central bank decisions, with one more to come on Thursday, as the corporate earnings season continues.It was a bullish open in New York, while the FTSE 100 squeezed out the most minor of gains, comfortably outperformed by its European peers.It was a decent day for London listing banking shares. A Standard Ch

Stocks in London were mixed at midday on Friday, after a busy earnings week and data showing an annual decline in UK house sales for June.The FTSE 100 index was up 4.58 points, 0.1%, at 7,697.34. The FTSE 250 was down 130.44 points, 0.7%, at 19,142.93, and the AIM All-Share was down 2.67 points, 0.4%, at 766.62.The Cboe UK 100 was down marginally at 767.84, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.8% at 16,804.

Banking shares and miners weighed on the FTSE 100 on Wednesday, in a busy day for corporate updates, including a high-profile boardroom departure, ahead of a Federal Reserve decision later.A 25 basis point rate lift from the US central bank is seen as a foregone conclusion, but stock market investors are hoping it is the last hike of the cycle.A 25 basis point lift would take the federal funds rat

Stocks in London declined at midday on Wednesday after a busy morning of earnings, ahead of a key interest rate decision from the US in the evening.The FTSE 100 index was down 42.35 points, 0.6%, at 7,649.45. The FTSE 250 was down 52.76 points, 0.3%, at 19,097.12, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.23 of a points at 765.77.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.6% at 762.99, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.2% at 16,