Retailer posts record first-half resultsOrganic growth across key regionsNike woes and FX headwinds hit stockDespite dashing in with record first-half results which demonstrated demand for tracksuits and trainers remains robust, shares in JD Sports Fashion (JD.) cheapened 5.4% to 141.5p as investors fretted over poor news from its biggest brand partner Nike (NKE:NYSE) overnight.Currency headwinds

London's FTSE 100 was in the green on Wednesday morning while the FTSE 250 was down a notch, as the market was cautious of repercussions of further conflict in the Middle East.The FTSE 100 index opened up 28.91 points, or 0.3%, at 8,305.56. The FTSE 250 was down just 0.13 points at 20,914.57, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.60 points, or 0.1%, at 737.40.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 831.60, the Cb

The defensive lean to London's FTSE 100 index served it well on Tuesday, as tensions mounted in the Middle East amid reports that Iran is planning an imminent missile attack on Israel.The FTSE 100 index ended up 39.70 points, 0.5%, at 8,276.65. The FTSE 250 closed 112.46 lower, 0.5%, at 20,940.73, and the AIM All-Share shed 3.63 points, 0.5%, at 736.80.The Cboe UK 100 ended 0.5% higher at 828.74 o

Stock prices in London opened mixed on Tuesday morning, with the FTSE 100 higher but other indices down on a data-heavy day dominated by purchasing managers' indices.The FTSE 100 index opened up 15.28 points, or 0.2%, at 8,252.14. The FTSE 250 was down 20.05 points, or 0.1%, at 21,033.14, and the AIM All-Share was down slightly at 740.33.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 826.21, the Cboe UK 250 was d

European stocks were in the green at Friday midday after a slew of fiscal stimulus measures from China, and as investors await key US inflation data which is crucial in the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions.The core personal consumption index remains traders' main focus going into Friday afternoon, and is expected to remain unchanged at 0.2% on a monthly basis with a small annual uptick fr

Industry backdrop 'challenging'But expectations unchangedSpirits giant confident growth will returnIn a thin trading update, alcoholic drinks behemoth Diageo (DGE) warned that the global backdrop for the industry 'remains challenging' with consumers continuing to exercise caution.However, shares in the Johnnie Walker-to-Smirnoff vodka maker rallied 4% to £26 on relief that things aren't getting a

Stocks in Europe opened higher on a busy Thursday filled with economic readings from the US and Europe as well as comments from US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.The US data today will be followed on Friday by the Fed's preferred inflation gauge of core personal consumption expenditures.'The global economy is settling into a newfound stability and central banks can continue to cautiously cut

If you pick up a newspaper this month, you are almost guaranteed to read about the taxes the new chancellor is planning to hike, or the tax reliefs she is looking to axe. But one set of tax reliefs we know is here to stay are those supporting venture capital trusts.The Treasury has just confirmed the VCT scheme will now run until at least 2035 in order to support small British businesses. Many inv

Stock prices in London were higher at midday on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 outperforming its European peers after news that the UK has overtaken several G7 countries on economic growth forecasts.The Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development has placed the UK joint second in its economic growth forecasts for the rest of 2024.The prediction of 1.1% growth for the whole of this year puts

Adjusted pre-tax profit of £31 million in line with expectationsSummer 2024 year-on-year volume growth of 13%Shares up 28% over the past yearShares in online package holiday provider On The Beach (OTB) were down 3% to 139p in morning trading despite it reporting record TTV (total transaction value) of £1.2 billion (representing an 15% increase from 2023) for the financial year ending 30 Septembe

The FTSE 100 closed higher in London on Tuesday, as miners enjoyed a boost from stimulus efforts in China, while mid-caps retreated from earlier in the day following US data.The FTSE 100 index closed up 23.05 points, or 0.3%, at 8,282.76. The FTSE 250 ended down 75.00 points, or 0.4%, at 20,770.12, and the AIM All-Share closed down 1.52 points, 0.2%, at 742.80.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.3% at 828.

Stocks in London held firm at the close on Monday, while the euro ebbed amid a slew of weak purchasing managers' index prints.The FTSE 100 index closed up 29.72 points, or 0.4%, at 8,259.71. The FTSE 250 ended up 13.28 points, or 0.1%, at 20,8451.82, but the AIM All-Share closed down 1.30 points, 0.2%, at 744.32.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.2% at 825.65, the Cboe UK 250 down slightly at 18,356.82, a

London's FTSE 100 slipped slightly heading into Monday afternoon, as investors digest what was a busy week of interest rate action, while drab eurozone data put the European Central Bank in focus and hurt the euro.Elsewhere on mainland Europe, Frankfurt's DAX 40 traded resiliently in the face of weak German data, but French banks weighed on the CAC 40 on tax hike fears for larger companies.The FTS

Equities in London opened in the red on Monday morning, as AstraZeneca released disappointing trial results while REA upped the ante with a sweetened takeover bid for fellow property portal Rightmove.Monday's economic diary has several flash composite purchasing managers' index releases including from the US and UK.The FTSE 100 index traded down 6.78 points, 0.1%, at 8,223.21. The FTSE 250 was dow

London's FTSE 100 prospered in early trading on Thursday after the US central bank cut rates by a hefty 50 basis points.The FTSE 100 index added 56.60 points, 0.7%, at 8,310.28. The FTSE 250 added 168.08 points, 0.8%, at 21,003.39, and the AIM All-Share rose 2.30 points, 0.3%, at 744.86.The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.7% to 832.14, the Cboe UK 250 added 0.8% to 18,528.62, and the Cboe Small Companies rose

This column is no adherent to 'efficient market hypothesis', not least because there would not be equity booms and busts, or even marked day-to-day volatility, if investors really knew what was coming around the corner ? it simply would not be possible to make a profit if everything was perfectly priced.However, it does have a lot of sympathy with the argument that a security's price is a very fai

Affordable computer outfit Raspberry Pi (RPI) made an excellent debut on the UK stock market back in June but excitement around the stock has fizzled out.While the shares are still up materially on their 280p issue price, they are some way below their 500p high. The company and its shareholders will hope it can revive enthusiasm for the story when it unveils its results for the six months to 30 Ju

Once peerless, there's an argument that Alphabet (GOOGL:NASDAQ) is now facing its own 'Hobson's choice'. On the one hand, it is being threatened by enormous potential disruption as competitors like OpenAI and its SearchGPT chase share of its valuable search market, forcing it to throw billions of dollars at AI (artificial intelligence) infrastructure to stay ahead.On the other, there's a nightmari

Disappointing results from US discounters Dollar Tree (DLTR:NASDAQ) and Dollar General (DG:NYSE) have confirmed the US consumer is under pressure, but the quest for value is playing to the strengths of retail goliaths such as Walmart (WMT:NYSE) and high-flying Costco Wholesale (COST:NASDAQ), whose compelling value propositions are enabling them to gain market share.Shares in the latter, which post

HVIVO (HVO:AIM) 28.2pMarket cap: £191.9 millionFluCamp does not sound like much fun for volunteers, but for leading CRO (contract research organisation) HVIVO (HVO:AIM) it represents a flagship service which is attracting growing interest from big pharma and biotechnology companies.The company is at the forefront of HCTs (human challenge trials), a fast-growing niche within the large CRO industry