UK bank stocks have done well this year, thanks to expectations of lower interest rates and a mortgage market which is heating up. Shares in Barclays (BARC) are up 22%, while NatWest [NWG) shares are up 32% and Lloyds (LLOY) are up 40%. One of the best-performing stocks of 2025 is sub-prime lender Vanquis Banking Group (VANQ) ? previously known as Provident Financial ? which at the time of...

Investment trust Polar Capital Global Financials Trust (PCFT) is offering shareholders an easy exit at a premium to the current share price, cutting fees and boosting its commitment to future dividends in sweeping changes. The investment trust has launched a tender offer of its issued share capital (excluding treasury shares), providing investors with an opportunity to fully exit at a price...

After a strong performance across the board in 2024, this year has been slightly less uniform for the UK's Big Four high-street banks. First to report was global bank HSBC (HSBA), which put in a good showing with underlying revenue and earnings increasing thanks mainly to its Asia-based wealth management operations, although its trading desks also made hay during the market turmoil. The group...

Stocks were in the green on Thursday morning in London, with software provider Eleco on AIM shining after it said it is 'well positioned' for strong results. Meanwhile in Asia, Chinese media has reported that Washington is approaching Beijing regarding tariff negotiations. Yuyuan Tantian, a Chinese outlet linked to state broadcaster CCTV, said citing sources that Washington was 'proactively'...

European banking and mining stocks bore the brunt of the selloff in morning trading on Friday (4 April) as China announced 34% retaliatory tariffs on US imports, sparking fears of a global trade war.UK banks Barclays (BARC), NatWest (NWG), Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) were some of the biggest fallers ? down 9.12%, 8.99% and 7.32% respectively on the day and global mining companies Glencore...

So far this year shares in banking group Lloyds (LLOY) have closed the gap which opened up between it and peers like Barclays (BARC) and NatWest (NWG) in 2024.That the stock has advanced year-to-date is even more impressive when you consider the company has significant exposure to the ongoing motor finance mis-selling scandal.While this remains a source of uncertainty, elsewhere the business...

Bunzl CEO buys £303,110 sharesCMC deputy CEO buys £420,284 sharesC&C CEO buys 100,000 sharesFrank van Zanten, chief executive of outsourcing business Bunzl (BNZL), bought 10,000 shares for a total value of £303,110 on 6 March.Over the past month, Bunzl shares have fallen 14% despite the FTSE 100 company reporting a 2.2% rise in adjusted full year 2024 pre-tax profit (3 March), its 32nd year...

London stocks closed in the green on Wednesday, boosted by gains in the banking sector, despite investors' disappointment as BP announced a reduced buyback programme.The FTSE 100 index closed up 62.79 points, 0.7%, at 8,731.46. The FTSE 250 ended up 147.62 points, 0.7%, at 20,595.90, while the AIM All-Share closed up 3.44 points, 0.5%, at 711.50.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.9% at 874.86, the...

Revenue down 3% on prior yearPre-tax profit down 20%, below forecastsBuyback and new targets spur buyingIt seems the market saved the best till last when it comes to reacting to results from the Big Four banks, with shares in Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) gaining 2.5p or 4% to 65.3p even though earnings fell 20%, missing estimates. A BRAKE ON PROFITSFor the year to December 2024, Lloyds...

Next week sees the start of the UK fourth-quarter reporting season proper, with the big banks kicking off proceedings as usual.First up is Barclays (BARC), which has been in the news for all the wrong reasons recently with its online payments system seeming to have failed miserably around the end of the tax year just as its chief executive is reckoned to be in line for a whopping salary...

In just the first 20 days of 2025 the FTSE 100 index of blue-chip stocks has equaled its gains for the entirety of 2024, in the process closing at an all-time high of 8,505 points on 17 January.A better-than-expected inflation report for December together with weaker-than-expected retail sales for the same month appeared to open the door to faster Bank of England rate cuts, pushing the index...

Stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt were higher on Tuesday morning, while the newest ONS data showed that UK earnings growth outpaced inflation.Meanwhile, UK unemployment rate rose above analysts' forecast to 4.4% for November, according to the Office for National Statistics.Average earnings rose by 5.6% including and excluding bonuses, outpacing inflation. Wage growth excluding...

Stock prices in Europe were in the green on Thursday morning, in anticipation of an interest rate cut by the European Central Bank.Meanwhile, the Swiss National Bank enacted a chunkier than expected rate cut on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index traded up 15.34 points, 0.2%, at 8,316.96. The FTSE 250 was down just 5.35 points at 20,968.10, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.16 points, 0.3%, at 739.70.The...

Just days after celebrating better-than-expected third-quarter net income and earnings, investors in Lloyds (LLOY) received a cold shower as the shares lost 10% of their value in response to a court ruling in a motor finance case.On 25 October, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of three claimants against FirstRand Bank and Close Brothers (CBG) over the duty of motor dealers acting as credit...

Paul's very first taste of investing came when his employer, aerospace and defence company Rolls Royce (RR.), introduced an employee share scheme which gave him what seemed to be a low-risk way of getting exposure to its shares.It seemed low risk, explains Paul, because the scheme allowed employees to save a monthly or four weekly amount for five years and at the end of the period the savings...

Stocks in London recovered to close Monday in the green, as all eyes look to the UK budget to come on Wednesday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 36.78 points, or 0.5%, at 8,285.62. The FTSE 250 ended up 15.19 points, or 0.1%, at 20,835.10, and the AIM All-Share closed down 0.2%, or 1.57 points, at 721.10.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.5% at 830.25, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.3% at 18,385.28, and the...

Stocks in London trended lower on Monday, as oil majors retreated due to easing fears about Middle Eastern conflict, and car finance providers slumped further.The FTSE 100 index traded down 20.47 points, 0.3%, at 8,228.18. The FTSE 250 was 42.07 points lower, or 0.2%, at 20,778.66, and the AIM All-Share shed 3.15 points, 0.4%, at 719.52.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3% at 823.83, the Cboe UK 250...

Stocks in London closed lower on Friday, as a car finance probe weighed on the shares of Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays and Close Brothers.The FTSE 100 index closed down 19.13 points, 0.3%, at 8,248.84. The FTSE 250 ended up 29.36 points, or 0.1%, at 20,819.91, and the AIM All-Share lost 3.02 points, 0.4%, at 722.67.The Cboe UK 100 closed down 0.3% at 826.07 on Friday, the Cboe UK 250 ended...

Pre-tax profit tops estimatesNo change to full-year targetsRemediation costs still unknownThere was little initial follow-through after today's third-quarter trading update from Lloyds Banking (LLOY), as while earnings beat estimates the group maintained its full-year outlook and questions remain over its liability for discretionary commission payments.The shares added 1p or 1.7% to 63p taking...

Despite the strong market reaction to results from the US banks last week, we can't see investors getting quite so excited when the UK's biggest financial institutions unveil their latest earnings over the coming weeks.As usual, the country's largest mortgage lender Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) gets proceedings under way with its third-quarter trading update on Wednesday 23 October.Although it...