Putting aside some of your disposable income on a regular basis to build up a deposit on a first home and take that initial step onto the property ladder is something everyone strives for, but did you know the government will give you thousands of pounds for free to do it?Launched in April 2017, the Lifetime ISA is one of the less well-publicised savings products, but it can get you to that deposi

- Earnings climb despite negative markets- Assets recover post year-end- Shares rally on better resultsIn a year which has seen sustainable and ESG (environmental, social and governance) driven investments come under pressure, specialist manager Impax Asset Management (IPX) has delivered a better-than-expected result.Impax shares, which have almost halved in value this year, jumped 6% to 767p in r

- Shares tumble 13%, reversing three weeks of gains- Sales, operating profits and inflows all positive- Weak markets creating headwindsEven though it posted strong gains in sales and operating earnings for the six months to March, shares in specialist sustainable investment firm Impax Asset Management (IPX) tumbled 13% to 704p in early trading.A drop in net assets in April and fears of weak market

By Daniel Coatsworth, Mark Gardner, Ian Conway and James CruxIt's your final chance to make the most of the £20,000 ISA allowance for the 2021/22 tax year and we've got three quality investment ideas for those seeking last minute inspiration.The beauty of ISAs is you don't pay any tax on capital gains or income from investments inside the account.Even if you aren't ready to put more money into th

We might have thought we'd seen it all after 2020 but it's been quite a year in 2021 too with an impressive rebound for the markets from the ravages of the pandemic.But which stocks have done best? Read on to discover the top performers up and down the market cap spectrum and find out why they've done so well. For the purposes of this article we've deliberately excluded investment trusts.£4 billi

Among the best kept investment secrets is the fact smaller companies typically outperform larger companies over the medium and long term thanks to characteristics ranging from innovation and faster organic growth to entrepreneurial management, agility in the face of change and the greater likelihood of a takeover bid.Within the UK's small cap funds and investment trusts sectors is an elite cohort

UK stocks regained some of their earlier losses on Thursday but closed in the red as the debate around the potential economic damage caused by Omicron intensified.US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen weighed in on the debate by saying the new variant could slow the global economy and cause significant problems.Meanwhile oil prices rallied around 1.5% after the OPEC+ oil producers' cartel said they w

UK stocks remained in deep negative territory at midday Thursday as investment sentiment continued to suffer from worries over the Omicron variant and US central bank plans to increase its pace of tapering. Investors were also watching energy prices ahead of a meeting of OPEC+ oil producers, which it is hoped will lead to an increase in supplies after the U.S. and others released crude from their

UK stocks dropped in early trading after a selloff in overseas markets following the first case of the Omicron variant in the U.S. and a warning from technology firm Apple that demand for its latest iPhone had weakened.Meanwhile, investors were also watching energy prices ahead of an meeting of OPEC+ oil producers, which it is hoped will lead to an increase in supplies after the U.S. and others re

UK investors have witnessed a steady if unspectacular pandemic recovery for UK shares in the main. But some parts of the market have bounced further and faster, and the BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust (BRSC) is a great way to tap into the strength of the UK smaller company universe at a larger than usual discount to net asset value.In 2021 the FTSE Small Cap index has risen 22% while the FTSE 25

BlackRock Throgmorton (THRG) 916.59pGain to date: 30.4%Original entry point: Buy at 702.79p, 26 November 2020Our call to buy investment trust BlackRock Throgmorton (THRG) for its focus on quality companies which had been sold off in the initial value rally has proved a canny trade.The portfolio is dominated by small and mid-cap names which have performed strongly in the interim. A portfolio update

Despite healthy double-digit gains in 2021, driven by successful vaccination rollouts and recovering economies, major stock markets around the world appear to have stalled since early May.London's FTSE 100, the Standard and Poors 500, Japan's Nikkei 225 the Nasdaq 100 indices have failed so far to push on from recent highs.The exception is emerging markets with Brazil's Bovespa index up 6%, while

The FTSE 100 closed lower on Thursday after the health secretary said reopening on 21 June remained 'in the balance' due to the increasing spread of the Indian variant while France said it would place restrictions on UK travellers from the end of the month.US weekly jobless claims came in better than expected at 406,000, a new pandemic low while the durable orders report showed businesses spending

FTSE drifted lower at midday on Thursday as gains in resource stocks was offset by falls in oils. At midday the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was 0.15% lower at 7,017 points, while the domestically oriented FTSE 250 index was 0.15% higher at 22,674 points, helped by gains in Trainline (TRN) and Meggitt (MGGT).There is a raft of US economic data due to be released this afternoon including weekly

UK stocks traded sideways on Thursday as gains in mining and aerospace stocks were offset by weakness in utilities and consumer names. By 9am the FTSE 100 was down 3 points at 7,024, while the FTSE 250 mid-cap index was up 4 points at 22,644.Overnight, markets in America and Asia were largely unchanged as investors sat on the sidelines ahead of crucial trade talks between the US and China later to

Picking individual shares can be a good investment strategy for an experienced investor who has a strong understanding of the stock market and has the time to do their own research.But none of us can get it right all the time and even investors like Alan from Fife, who has been investing since the 1970s, can sometimes make mistakes.He has been able to pick some winning shares with pharmaceutical g

If the 2010s represented the temperamental teenage years of sustainable and ethical investing, 2020 marked its 'rite of passage' to adulthood. During the first quarter of 2020, even as markets around the world nosedived and global fund outflows hit $385 billion, sustainable funds saw net inflows of $45.6 billion according to Morningstar.As the industry matures there are those who can imagine a tim

It feels as though 2020 was the year when ESG investing finally came of age. Expect more of the same in 2021, only more so.Throughout the pandemic, whatever happened to share or bond prices, sustainable investing continued to grow as institutions and individuals allocated more and more funds to the sector.A new cohort of younger, more eco-aware investors has emerged, demanding change, while compan

UK stock prices moved ahead on Thursday afternoon and sterling rallied almost 1% against the US dollar following positive comments from the Irish foreign minister about the prospects for an agreed Brexit deal.US weekly jobless claims rose less than expected to 712,000 providing a boost to US markets.At the close, the FTSE 100 was 0.4% higher at 6,490.27 points.COMPANY NEWSSupermarket group Sainsbu

UK stocks pushed unconvincingly into positive territory at lunch time on Thursday while European bourses remained in the red.With Brexit negotiations front and centre, France warned that it could use its veto vote to block a deal if it doesn't like the terms, heaping more pressure on the talks as they approach their climax.At 12:00 the FTSE 100 was a smidge higher at 6,471 points. NEWS ROUND-UPSup