Saba's investment totals £1.5 billionSix of the seven trusts underperformedCompany proposes sacking directorsThe normally-sleepy world of investment trusts received a wake-up call this morning with the publication of a shareholder letter by activist investor Saba Capital Management calling for change at no fewer than seven well-known funds.The firm, which has a history of successfully instigating

VT Argonaut Absolute Return Fund(B79NKW0) 356.4pFunds under management: £212 millionWith stock markets trading close to highs, rising geopolitical risks and uncertainties over a Trump administration, investors are understandably concerned about increasing stock market volatility.A great way of playing both the upside and downside potential is to invest in the VT Argonaut Absolute Return Fund (B79

Shares expects upcoming third-quarter results (19 November) from Walmart (WMT:NYSE) to confirm the world's biggest retailer continued to gorge on US market share and grow internationally in the three months to the end of October.Given its sheer scale, Walmart has been able to push back against inflation, keep costs low and pass on the savings to price-sensitive shoppers and bargain-hunting upper i

Low-cost gym operator Gym Group (GYM) looks to be in good shape ahead of its first-half results, due to be released 11 September.In a pre-close statement on 10 July the company raised its full-year profit expectations to the top end of market forecasts after continued positive trading.Company-compiled analysts forecasts for EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) les

On the face of it #doomspending might seem fairly harmless, a new incarnation of what used to be called 'retail therapy'.Splashing out on nice stuff to give us a mood a lift when life is getting us down. But if you watch the videos, it's actually pretty bleak, all about a dawning financial hopelessness, a feeling that things previous generations took for granted like home ownership and retirement,

European markets ended in the red on Friday, after the fallout from a global IT outage sapped risk appetite.The FTSE 100 index ended down 49.17 points, 0.6%, at 8,155.72. The FTSE 250 ended down 166.48 points, or 0.8%, at 21,067.68, and the AIM All-Share fell 3.54 points, 0.5%, at 784.13.For the week, the FTSE 100 fell 1.2%, the FTSE 250 shed 0.6% and the AIM gave back 0.3%.The Cboe UK 100 ended d

Stocks fell at midday in London on Friday after new data showed that growth in service sector activity was decelerating.The FTSE 100 index traded 63.83 points lower, 0.8%, at 8,209.15. The FTSE 250 was down 104.78 points, 0.5%, at 20,393.94, although the AIM All-Share was up 0.40 of a point, 0.1%, at 772.78.The Cboe UK 100 fell 0.7% to 817.26, the Cboe UK 250 declined 0.5% at 17,755.99, and the Cb

Stocks in London headed into the long weekend on the front foot, outperforming their European peers.Markets in London will now shut for two public holidays, Good Friday and Easter Monday. They will reopen on Tuesday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 20.64 points, 0.3%, at 7,952.62. The FTSE 250 ended up 74.07 points, 0.4%, at 19,884.73, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.15 points, or 0.2%, at 743.26.Ov

London?s FTSE 100 traded higher after the opening bell on Thursday, despite some share price pressure on water utilities as woes at Thames Water deepened, while JD Sports led the way among the large-caps.The FTSE 100 index opened up 24.70 points, 0.3%, at 7,956.68. London listed mid-caps, however, lost ground. The FTSE 250 was down 25.52 points, 0.1%, at 19,785.14.The AIM All-Share was down just 0

EV maker tops analyst deliveries expectations in fourth quarterBuffett-backed Chinese rival BYD rapidly closing gap on TeslaTesla stock rallied 130% in 2023, can it hit accelerator again?Tesla beat analyst consensus on electric vehicle deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2023, handing the keys to customers for 484,507 EV units. This was above the analyst consensus pitched at 480,500 units.It left

After a 237% share price gain this year, you might think Nvidia (NVDA:NASDAQ) has gone off the boil based on recent market performance. The stock has only moved 6% higher over the past month, limp by its previous monthly standards, but you can expect anticipation to start building ahead of third quarter figures which are published on 21 November.The AI (artificial intelligence) chip champion has b

Stock prices in London were down on Monday at midday after underwhelming manufacturing data compounded the misery for equity markets, amid a backdrop of broader concern that US interest rates will be higher for longer.Stocks had initially got out the fourth-quarter starting block strongly on Monday morning, but fell at the first hurdle after less-than-stellar purchasing managers' index readings.Th

Stocks in London were lower around midday on Monday, amid fears about China's economy and high interest rates in the US that could linger for longer.The FTSE 100 index was down 48.43 points, or 0.6%, at 7,635.48. The FTSE 250 was down 170.26 points, or 0.9%, at 18,436.61, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.44 points, or 0.2%, at 737.99.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 761.70, the Cboe UK 250 was dow

Keystone events drive first-half incomeOperating earnings turn positiveNews expected on strategic reviewShares in information, analytics and events firm Ascential (ASCL) jumped as much as 12% to 213p in early trading following the release of better-than-expected first-half results which saw operating profit swing back into the black.Management also promised an update on 'strategic actions to maxim

Automotive engineer Dowlais (DWL) is poised to announce its maiden results as a public company after its spin-off from industrial turnaround specialist Melrose (MRO) in April 2023.Shareholders will be hoping the first-half numbers on 12 September help provide a boost after a bumpy start to life on the market as an individual entity, the shares falling around 25% from their 143.5ppeak.Five years on

Investors will be looking for confirmation of continued like-for-like sales growth, progress in reducing inventories and raised guidance when discount apparel-to-home fashions seller TJX Companies (TJX:NYSE) delivers second quarter results (16 August). The consumer spending squeeze from high inflation should supporting market share gains.Trading as T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods in the US and

i3 Energy cuts dividend in halfCanadian oil and gas producer responding to weaker energy pricesSeveral UK oil stocks are trading on lofty dividend yieldsThe market was ringing the alarm bell on i3 Energy's (I3E:AIM) dividend before today's news of a cut with the shares trading on a yield of nearly 13%.Following news the company cutting its dividend in half the share price has fallen 17.6% to 13.4p

Lookers agrees £465.4 million takeoverBidder is privately-owned Canadian auto dealerOffer price represents 35% premiumShares in automotive retailer Lookers (LOOK) revved up 34% to 118.5p after the company agreed a £465 million, all-cash takeover by Toronto-based car dealership group Alpha Auto.Pitched at 120p per share, the offer price is a 35% premium to Lookers' closing share price on Monday a

London's FTSE 100 ended the week in positive territory on Friday, though share price falls for its mining sector prevented stronger gains.Elsewhere, there were M&A developments for investors to mull over. Network International received an improved offer, Sureserve backed a takeover bid, and Kape Technologies warned its suitors may soon have enough support to propose a delisting.It was a largely de

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