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

It was an eight-line statement from a UK small-cap budget footwear maker but Shoe Zone's (SHOE:AIM) latest profit warning tells a much bigger story about the way global trade and supply chains could be changing.The company has been hit by rising container prices as shipping routes have been disrupted, largely thanks to attacks perpetrated by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. Vessels are rerouting away

Full year forecast cut againPoor weather affected tradingShipping costs have surgedIt is perhaps not surprising that footwear retailer Shoe Zone (SHOE:AIM) lowered its full-year profit forecast amid increasing shipping disruption in the Suez Canal, which has led to 'significantly' higher container prices over the last six months.Investors were already braced for such news after the company referen

Stock prices in London closed higher on Tuesday as investors wait for the latest core personal consumer price index, a key US inflation reading.The FTSE 100 index closed up 13.39 points, 0.2%, at 7,930.96. The FTSE 250 ended up 164.11 points, 0.8%, at 19,777.64, and the AIM All-Share closed up 2.26 points, 0.3%, at 739.52.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.2% at 793.33, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.8% at 1

Compared to other retail verticals, Christmas is relatively less important to the pet care market. Nevertheless, UK market leader Pets at Home (PETS) will need to reassure investors that retail like-for-like sales momentum has been sustained when it bounds in with a third-quarter trading update on 30 January.Liberum Capital doesn't expect any reporting surprises, although the broker does remain ?c

Investors finished Wednesday cautious in London, with the FTSE 100 mildly down in a mixed day of trading, as US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech gave away little on the future of US interest rates.The FTSE 100 index closed down 8.32 points, or 0.1%, at 7,401.72. The FTSE 250 ended up 84.55 points, 0.5%, at 17,846.26, and the AIM All-Share closed up 3.05 points, or 0.4%, at 701.68.The C

European equities struggled to find their groove on Wednesday, with investors fretting over the US interest rate outlook after hawkish words from policymakers.Eyes turn to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and what he has to say about the US interest rate outlook.Closer to home, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey ruled out any cuts to the benchmark bank rate any time soon.The star of the sho

Hawkish words from US central bankers meant European equities struggled to press on in early dealings on Wednesday, and focus now turns to a speech from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell which is on the docket in the afternoon.The FTSE 100 index opened up 10.02 points, 0.1%, at 7,420.06. The FTSE 250 was down 25.10 points, 0.1%, at 17,736.61 and the AIM All-Share was down 0.26 of a point at 698.

Construction equipment rental specialist Ashtead (AHT) has setitself quite a high bar when it comes to its first-quarter earnings report on 5 September.The firm has beaten revenue forecasts in nine out of the last 10 quarters. Moreover, the comparison with the same quarter last year is a tough one as rental revenue was up 26% to just over $2 billion and adjusted pre-tax profit was up 29% to $555 m

The FTSE 100 was higher at midday on Tuesday, boosted by banking stocks, as market fears of a banking crisis receded, pushing stock prices in London into the green.'The clouds are parting and glimpses of blue sky are giving hope to investors after a chaotic few weeks. With no new troubles in the banking sector for the past 24 hours, markets are hoping that's a sign the crisis could have peaked,' s

FevertreeCan the posh mixers maker regain some fizz when it posts 2022 results?After enjoying years of fizzing earnings upgrades and share price gains off the back of its 2014 stock market listing, posh mixers maker Fevertree (FEVR:AIM) has gone flat in recent times.In January the company downgraded 2023 guidance thanks to rising costs - this negative news coming off the back of three profit warni

- Pandemic created havoc for company's demand cycle- Shares rally hard as investors see stability returning to business- CEO John Hornby excited by EV opportunitiesUK electricals and lighting business Luceco (LUCE) is attempting to draw a line under the Covid pandemic, which has played havoc with its demand cycle.The Telford-based company reported a 29% rise in half year to 30 June 2022 revenues o

London's FTSE 100 was flat by midday at 7,585.03 points as investors weighed the risks posed by interest rates and inflation and foods-to-fashion conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF) dipped lower, while the FTSE 250 crept 0.23% higher to 22,707.35.US stocks were expected to break higher after lurching back into the red in late dealings on Wednesday as investors continued to pore over corpor

Regular readers may recall Luceco (LUCE). It was Shares' biggest gainer among our best picks for 2020 after surging 117% during that year. The stock has continued to make money for investors since, up another 45% in 2021, but recent weakness in the share price has created a new opportunity to buy this impressive company.The Telford-based business supplies a large collection of electrical and wirin

Shares warned of supply chain challenges in the food industry as far back as May last year, yet it took announcements from fast-food chains KFC and Nando's and supermarket giant Tesco (TSCO) for the penny to finally drop. Broader supply chain issues pose a threat to company earnings and therefore to share prices.Not only are there shortages of goods on the shelves, the combined effects of Brexit a

UK stocks extended losses on Tuesday afternoon as the economic realities of paying for the pandemic loomed large after the government hiked taxes to pay for increased costs in the NHS.A new social care tax of 1.25% will be levied on individuals and businesses while investors earnings more than the £2,000 a year tax free limit from dividends will pay an extra 1.25%.At the close the FTSE 100 index

UK stocks remained in the red Tuesday lunchtime giving back some of yesterday's gains as investors awaited the reopening of US markets following Monday's Labor Day holiday. At 12pm the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was down 0.3% at 7,166 points.COMPANY NEWSPackaging firm DS Smith (SMDS) released a trading update ahead of today's annual general meeting showing strong growth in volumes against la

After a strong start to the week, UK stocks gave back some ground in early trading on Tuesday with the FTSE 100 index shedding 16 points or 0.25% to 7,171 points.The move came as the MSCI World Index racked up its eighth consecutive day of gains to post another record high at 3,172.5 points, as investors continue to bet on central banks supporting markets with easy money policies.Sterling traded s

Investors who want to tap into the rich seam of UK small cap opportunities will struggle to find a more passionate advocate than Georgina Brittain. The seasoned fund manager has been running the JPMorgan UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust (JMI) since 1998, and alongside co-manager Katen Patel since 2017.The smaller companies space has always struggled for analyst coverage yet the manager's of t

What a year. At the start of 2020 it was all about the political certainty in the UK delivered by the 2019 General Election but within a couple of months attention had turned to a nasty new virus emerging from China.In the circumstances the 4.8% total return from our picks was a solid effort, given they were selected for a reality which was entirely overturned by the pandemic. Certainly, we did be