With shares in UK high-street bellwether Next (NXT) trading close to all-time highs above £90 despite the recent pull-back in markets, there is a fair bit riding on its upcoming first-quarter trading update (1 May).When it posted full-year results in late March, the firm said it had been ?a long time since we started a year in a more positive frame of mind? after a better-than-expected performanc

Stocks headed lower in London on Friday morning, following quiet post-Thanksgiving trade, as the key Black Friday retail period gets underway.The FTSE 100 index opened down 28.39 points, 0.4%, at 7,455.19. The FTSE 250 was down 27.60 points, 0.2%, at 18,453.23, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.45 points, 0.2%, at 716.63.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.4% at 744.41, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.1% at 15,9

Retailer Next (NXT) has managed to eke out an impressive 20% share price gain in 2023 despite all the pressures on household budgets as it has continued to deliver sector-leading performance.Investors will be hoping for more of the same when it posts first-half results on 21 September. These numbers will have wider resonance as Next is seen as a bellwether for the retail sector. Unlike some of its

Stocks in London closed higher on Wednesday, as some tepid UK economic data means that the Bank of England may 'pause for thought' when making its next interest rate decision.Equity markets were also confident looking ahead to the Jackson Hole central banking event.The FTSE 100 index closed up 49.77 points, or 0.7% at 7,320.53 on Wednesday. The FTSE 250 ended up 202.23 points, or 1.1%, at 18,226.4

London's FTSE 100 traded higher on Wednesday afternoon, benefitting from a weaker pound, as the blue-chip index recovers some lost ground on the eve of the Jackson Hole central banking event.The pound fell markedly after a poor purchasing managers' index reading in the UK. Foreign exchange traders also sold the euro after similarly tepid data from the single currency area.Utility stocks were among

Companies are increasingly bending over backwards to let us know how 'good' they are, often with the aim of luring investors and attracting higher valuations.The idea of bringing about meaningful change through the choices we make as investors and peering beyond simple concepts of maximising profits and minimising risks, is appealing to those that believe getting bang for your investment buck and

Barclays to kick off key reporting season with UK banks undera cloudThe recent crisis in the sector has raised questions about financial stabilityThe collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the resulting fallout in the banking sector is not the best backdrop for the UK banks as they get set to report first quarter numbers.Up first is Barclays (BARC) on 27 April. Its 2022 results published on 15 Februa

Shares were lower early Wednesday as the earnings season moved toward its peak, with lender Lloyds Banking and software firm Aveva at either end of the FTSE 100.Amid the mixed company results, the overall investment mood was hurt by an escalation of tensions between Russia and the EU, as well as by China virus lockdowns.The FTSE 100 index was down 39.81 points, or 0.5%, at 7,346.38 early Wednesday

For now, the escalating conflict in Ukraine shows no signs of easing. After the initial shock, markets were hopeful the economic impact of the war might be contained as the West's opening salvo of sanctions in response to Russia's invasion (24 Feb) were weaker than some had anticipated.However, any relief soon dissipated as Ukraine put up stiff resistance against the Russian invaders and sanctions

On 29 October Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) provided the market with a positive surprise, increasing its dividend by 4% as it booked a larger than forecast third-quarter profit.However, before we get too excited by the dividend hike, it is but a ripple in the ocean when you consider the pay-out had been cut by two thirds back in April.While profit of $955 million might sound impressive in isolation, it

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN THE OIL MARKET?It's very strange times for the oil market and there could be further trouble ahead. Unless demand picks up dramatically in the coming weeks then mid to late May could see a repeat of the recent scenario where people had to pay others to take oil off their hands.In this article we will explain what is going on with oil, what it reveals about the economy and what

The oil and gas industry contributes to 42% of global emissions according to global consulting firm McKinsey.It is little wonder that the sector has found itself in the crosshairs of environmental campaigners and a growing portion of the investment community is turning away from fossil fuel-based investments amid increasing focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.At the beginnin

UK small cap companies are dead cheap, claim managers of the popular Invesco Perpetual UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust (IPU).'Equity valuations within the smaller companies sector are well below their 20 year average and we believe there is potential to make money even in this highly uncertain environment', insisted Jonathan Brown and Robin West, joint fund managers of the Invesco small cap

For investors feeling a little jaded after a trying year for UK equities, Mark Barnett provides some welcome optimism for value hunters. The Invesco fund manager who runs both Perpetual Income & Growth Investment Trust (PLI) and Edinburgh Investment Trust (EDIN) sees plenty of opportunity in the UK stock market across both the large cap universe and their mid-cap peers.'It's got to the stage where

Small cap oil exploration and production company Empyrean Energy (EME:AIM) slips 1.8% to 2.21p as it discusses plans for 2017 alongside first half results.TRANSFORMATIONAL PERIODThis time 12 months ago Empyrean was a US focused producer with a 3% stake in the large Sugarloaf field in Texas. Early in 2016 the group agreed the sale of this asset to private equity group Riverstone for $71.5m.Once deb

London shares nudge modestly higher in early trade on Monday in a week shortened by the upcoming Easter break. Miners are the main drain on progress nut a mixed bag of pharma and supermarket stocks provide enough upward momentum to lift the FTSE 100 index around 13 point higher, or 0.2%, to 6,202.Gas meter installer and operator Smart Metering Systems (SMS:AIM) gains 2.3% to 400p as full-year resu

The explorers still active off the coast of the Falkland Islands are in demand as they announce the Isobel Deep well has yielded a discovery. The well, drilled in a venture between Rockhopper (RKH:AIM), Premier Oil (PMO) and Falkland Oil & Gas (FOGL:AIM), has encountered 27 metres of net oil pay in the North Falklands basin.The news is only giving Premier a modest boost - up 1.7% to 30.5p but the

The festive season is upon us, a time for goodwill to all men and women, party hats, turkey dinners and slobbing out in front of the telly. But some investors will be bored by Boxing Day and may be ready to return to the cut and thrust of the stock market when the London Stock Exchange (LSE) flings open the doors again for UK stock market trading.Without wanting to sound a note of cynicism worthy

The UK defence industry is in rude health, judging by the number of people who visited and exhibited at the DSEI arms fair in London during September. With 30,000-plus visitors; more than 1,500 exhibitors from 120 countries, including 40 international pavilions; the show was also attended by at least 100 international delegations.This bodes well for a sector that has come off peaks generated by US

The housebuilding sector is on something of a tear again largely as a result of the new-found certainty delivered by the Conservative Party's decisive victory in the general election (7 May).The majority of housebuilders have rebounded significantly over the past month as the markets show their approval for five more years of Tory rule. We remain upbeat on the sector's prospects going forward part