It was a week of ups and downs for the US market as investors awaited Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's address to the Jackson Hole Symposium on 23 August.<img src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/O7wOm/full.png" alt="" data-mce-fragment="1" data-mce-src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/O7wOm/full.png"><span id="mce_marker" data-mce-type="bookmark" data

On 1 August the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee made a 5-4 decision to kickstart its rate-cutting cycle. A 25 basis point reduction in the base rate to 5% marking The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street's first cut since March 2020.This means cash savings rates are heading in one direction, down. And the lower-than-expected jump in UK inflation reported on 14 August only boosted market exp

Stocks in Europe were in the green at midday Wednesday, as investors await the release of the latest minutes from the US Federal Reserve's meeting.Investors will be looking to tonight's reading not only for clues on the number of rate cuts from the US this year, but also for hints as to the contents of Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech at Jackson Hole on Friday.The FTSE 100 index was up 13.23 point

FY24 operating profit forecast cutFY25 profit now seen below FY24Firm blames 'interest rate uncertainty'The UK's leading for-rent developer and operator Watkin Jones (WJG:AIM) dropped a massive clanger with its trading update for the full year to September which included a warning for 2025 earnings.The shares were crushed, losing 15p or 29% to 36p on volume of more than four million shares by 9am

Stock prices in London opened a tad higher on Wednesday morning, as investors keenly await upcoming Fed's minutes which may give a preview if Chair Jerome Powell will make any comments on monetary policy on Friday.The FTSE 100 index opened up just 0.98 of a point at 8,274.30. The FTSE 250 was up 42.13 points, 0.2%, at 21,028.28, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.05 points, 0.1%, at 775.09.The Cboe UK

London listed stocks waned going into Tuesday afternoon while the pound ticked up against the dollar.The FTSE 100 index was down 55.96 points, 0.7%, at 8,300.98. The FTSE 250 was down 44.06 points, 0.2%, at 21,113.41, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.37 points, 0.2%, at 775.22.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.8% at 829.05, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.3% at 18,496.27, and the Cboe Small Companies was down

Stock prices in London were mixed at Midday Monday, with fintech Plus500 in the FTSE 250 enjoyed a boost after reporting a profit rise and a share buyback programme.The FTSE 100 index was down just 3.61 points at 8,307.80. The FTSE 250 was up 22.16 points, 0.1%, at 21,071.07, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.43 points, 0.2%, at 775.70.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 829.91, the Cboe UK 250 was up

London opened mixed on Monday, as it kicks of a quiet week, where the main event will be the annual Jackson Hole meeting.The FTSE 100 index opened down 9.17 points, 0.1%, at 8,302.24. The FTSE 250 was up 17.52 points, 0.1%, at 21,066.43, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.22 of a point at 774.49.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 829.35, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.2% at 18,472.40, and the Cboe Small Compa

Stocks closed in the green in Europe on Thursday, as London's FTSE 100 extended its gains, while the UK economy had a 'remarkable rebound' in the second quarter.The FTSE 100 index closed up 66.30 points, 0.8%, at 8,347.35. The FTSE 250 ended up 141.87 points, 0.7%, at 21,094.16, and the AIM All-Share closed up 3.28 points, 0.4%, at 774.79.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.8% at 833.68, the Cboe UK 250 cl

Stock prices in London opened mixed on Thursday while European counterparts were in the green, amid news that the UK economy flatlined monthly in June amid investor caution before the general election in July.The FTSE 100 index opened up 8.31 points, or 0.1%, at 8,289.36. The FTSE 250 was down 41.98 points, or 0.2%, at 20,910.54, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.87 points, or 0.1%, at 770.64.The C

As is often the case in times of stock market volatility, parts of the financial eco-system which previously hadn't received a great deal of attention are suddenly catapulted into the mainstream.This time it's the carry trade, specifically in yen, which is drawing the attention of investors. Effectively a carry trade means borrowing money in one place where interest rates are low and using it to i

Cambridge-based Raspberry Pi (RPI), the designer and maker of low-cost computing equipment, announced the release this week of Pico 2, a new single-board computer built on RP2350, its new secure microcontroller platform.The new microcontroller offers faster processors, more memory, better interfacing and new security features, and like its predecessor professional customers will be able to integra

Out of nowhere, signs of life are appearing in the cannabis sector following a near total collapse in share prices over the last three years. Unlike prior booms and busts, of which there have been many over the last six years, this latest flourish appears to have legs.The Financial Times reported (15 July) several European start-ups are looking to go public to take advantage of potentially signifi

ESG investors often find selecting a fund which meets their environmental and ethical preferences involves wading through an alphabet soup of acronyms and buzz words which provide little illumination as to how their investments are going to reflect ESG criteria in their investment portfolio. In a bid to help improve consumer communications, the financial regulator (the FCA) is introducing a series

Stocks closed in the green in Europe on Wednesday, following encouraging inflation data, and with housbuilders and gaming stocks leading the winners.The FTSE 100 index closed up 45.82 points, 0.6%, at 8,281.05. The FTSE 250 ended up 208.21 points, 1.0%, at 20,952.29, and the AIM All-Share closed up 3.53 points, 0.5%, at 771.51.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.6% at 827.47, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.7%

First-half sales and profit top estimatesFull year seen 'substantially' above targetShares reach five-year highRetirement savings and solutions provider Just Group (JUST) delivered better-than-expected results for the first half and said it saw 2024 earnings 'substantially' above its previous target.The shares surged as much as 22p or 18% to 139p before settling up 13% at 133p, taking their year-t

Stock prices in London opened in the green on Tuesday, as the UK unemployment rate fell against expectations while wage growth decelerated to its lowest level in two years.The FTSE 100 index opened up 33.29 points, or 0.4%, at 8,243.73. The FTSE 250 was up 17.80 points, or 0.1%, at 20,694.99, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.23 points, or 0.2%, at 768.22.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.3% at 822.50, the Cboe

Stock prices in London closed higher on Monday, as the focus moves to certain key economic releases and sentiment remains positive.The FTSE 100 index closed up 42.15 points, 0.5%, at 8,210.25. The FTSE 250 closed up 52.01 points, 0.3%, at 20,677.19, and the AIM All-Share closed up 0.75 of a point, 0.1%, at 766.99.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.4% at 819.75, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.3% at 18,102.96,

Stocks in London were higher at midday Monday, as investors sighed relief from a weeks of ups and downs, ahead of unemployment data from the UK and key inflation data from the US.The FTSE 100 index was up 37.76 points, 0.5%, at 8,205.86. The FTSE 250 was up 55.52 points, 0.3%, at 20,680.70, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.82 points, 0.2%, at 768.06.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 819.96, the Cboe UK

New home completions up 5%Interim dividend held at 20pShares up 37% over past yearShares in Persimmon (PSN) perked up nearly 3% to £15.86 in morning trading after the leading housebuilder guided to full year completions of 10,500, the top end of management's prior guidance.The FTSE 100 firm also said underlying operating profit and margin were in line with expectations for the six months ended 30