Second quarter better than feared Sales down in North America, ChinaTurnaround more marathon than sprintFollowing an initial bounce in after-hours trading on Wall Street stoked by better-than-feared second-quarter results (19 December), Nike's (NKE:NYSE) shares stumbled to trade roughly flat on the realisation the sportswear firm's turnaround will take longer than expected.There was also disappoin

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

Specialty recruitment firm SThree (STEM), which focuses on filling roles in science, technology, engineering and mathematics settings, posted a downbeat trading statement for the 12 months to November and drastically cut its forecast for earnings for the current year.The shares, which were previously down just 11% for the year, slumped as much as 39% intraday before recovering and now stand 34% be

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

Firm cites 'very challenging' tradingUnviable stores set to closeDiscounter to pass final dividendStruggling footwear retailer Shoe Zone (SHOE:AIM) has halved its current-year profit guidance and plans to pass the final dividend for the year ended 28 September 2024 after experiencing 'very challenging trading conditions' since the Budget.Combined with increased costs also stemming from the Budget,

UK indices were down at the close on Tuesday, as Bunzl warned deflation will have a impact on profitability.The FTSE 100 index closed down 66.85 points, 0.8%, at 8,195.20. The FTSE 250 ended 270.17 points lower, 1.3%, at 20,542.86, and the AIM All-Share gave back 7.45 points, 1.0%, at 722.04.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.7% at 823.10, the Cboe UK 250 fell 1.4% at 18,067.65, and the Cboe Small Compa

Sales weakness persistsDeflation to impact profitsFurther £200 million buyback announcedRenowned for its resilience, outsourcing business Bunzl (BNZL) said it expects to deliver a 'strong' year-on-year adjusted operating profit increase for the year ending 31 December 2024 in the face of an uncertain economic backdrop.So why were shares in the distribution and services business the FTSE 100's big

Australian anti-money laundering investigationEntain could face 'material' penaltyNot an isolated eventGambling and sports betting group Entain (ENT) was rooted at the bottom of the FTSE on Monday (16 Dec) with the shares falling as much a 7% on news the Australian anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulator has commenced civil proceedings for alleged contraventions.Having rall

Shares down 55% over five yearsBoard lacks 'sense of urgency'Shareholder requests boardroom refreshMarked down 55% over the past five years, Johnson Matthey's (JMAT) unloved shares jumped 5% to £14.20 after Standard Investments called for a strategic review which could include the sale of 'part or all' of the challenged specialty chemicals company.The FTSE 250 firm's largest shareholder with an 1

Stock prices in Europe were mostly lower on Monday morning, as UK consumer confidence deteriorated while France's credit rating received a downgrade from Moody's.China's retail sales growth weakened last month, missing forecasts as demand remains muted in the world's number two economy.Retail sales expanded 3% year-on-year in November, the National Bureau of Statistics said, slowing from a 4.8% ri

European stocks were higher heading into Friday afternoon, shaking off disappointing UK data, while Paris shares were up after a new prime minister was named.The FTSE 100 index traded up 12.74 points, 0.2%, at 8,324.50. The FTSE 250 was up 23.30 points, 0.1%, at 20,972.34, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.59 points, 0.2%, at 735.97.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.2% higher at 835.95, the Cboe UK 250 was up

Markets 'challenging and unpredictable'US disruption and Korea destockingWax Lyrical performance improvingShares in British ceramics maker and homewares retailer Portmeirion (PMP:AIM) plunged 17% to a 10-year low of 170p on a warning annual profits will fall significantly short of forecasts, primarily due to delays getting stock into the US in time for the Christmas and destocking in South Korea.W

Stock prices in London opened mostly in the green on Friday, while the UK economy remained in the doldrums in October, hurtling to a surprise decline.The FTSE 100 index traded up 10.61 points, 0.1%, at 8,322.37. The FTSE 250 was up 55.00 points, 0.3%, at 21,004.04, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.74 of a point, 0.1%, at 736.82.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.1% higher at 835.63, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.2%

UK & Ireland like-for-likes up 5%Gains in UK and NordicsPost-Budget price rises 'inevitable'Shares in electrical retailer Currys (CURY) topped the FTSE 250 leader board on 12 December, surging 11.5% higher to 88p after the firm reported a rise in first-half profits and a return to sales growth for the core UK & Ireland business despite a tough consumer backdrop.Buoyed by rising demand for AI lapto

Contract fee income stallsNo signs of improvementFY25 pre-tax forecast slashedSpecialist recruitment firm SThree (STEM) posted a downbeat full-year trading update and warned challenging trading conditions would persist through the current financial year.The shares dropped as much as 140p or 39% to 221p before recovering to stand down 88p or 24% at 273p by mid-morning. SUBSTANTIAL CUT TO GUI

£57 million write downLurch into lossFull-year revenue guidance unchangedFirst-half results from online greeting cards-to-gifting platform Moonpig (MOON) were solid enough, with revenue up 3.8% to £158 million as growth in the namesake brand offset a decline at Netherlands-based arm Greetz.Robust cash generation and rapid deleveraging gave Moonpig the confidence to announce an inaugural interim

New five-year framework starts on 3 JanSupports growth ambitionsDrag on profit from new investmentsDomino's Pizza (DOM) has reached a new five-year framework agreement with franchisees, starting on 3 January, which underpins its confidence in reaching a target of more than 1,600 stores and delivering £2.5 billion of system sales by 2033.The shares fell 12p or 3.3% to 340p as investors reflected o

Ashley blasts Boohoo's 'egotistical' founderFrasers' criticisms labelled 'superficial'Boohoo highlights 'credible' turnaround planBoohoo's (BOO:AIM) shares were bid up 2% to 36p after the struggling online fashion group revealed that Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has recommended shareholders reject Mike Ashley's bid to become CEO at the company's forthcoming general meeting (20 December

Q3 results top forecastsInternational sales surgeBuyback programme upped by $1 billionInvestors who've soured on Lululemon (LULU:NASDAQ) of late were left chasing the stock higher after third quarter results beat estimates and the athleisure specialist raised full-year guidance, sending the shares up 9.2% to $344.8 in after-hours trading on Wall Street.The Canadian company has seen sales growth sl

Baillie Gifford UK Growth Trust (BGUK) 180pMarket cap: £251 millionWhile 2024 has been a reasonable year for growth investors generally, for those looking just at the UK it has still required patience and a need to stay focused on the fundamentals.As Baillie Gifford director James Budden put it at the firm's latest private investor forum, inflation, rising interest rates and geopolitics have had