Stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt opened mostly in the green on Wednesday, amid a slew of purchasing managers indices data, as investors await the US ADP report.'Today, investors will watch the US ADP report, and PMI, ISM numbers from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean,' said Swissquote's Ipek Ozkardeskaya. 'While the European investors could brush off bad news on expectation that the...

European, UK and US central banks started cutting interest rates in June, August and September 2024, respectively, yet beady-eyed investors will have noticed that 10-year bond yields are higher today than they were then.The move higher in yields reflects increasing investor nervousness over high government budget deficits, sticky inflation and uncertainty caused by US trade tariffs.Those...

Stocks in London were mixed after opening higher on Wednesday, as UK inflation data increased the chances of the Bank of England holding rates steady tomorrow.The FTSE 100 index closed up just 3.91 points at 8,199.11. The FTSE 250 ended 59.13 points higher, 0.3%, at 20,601.99, and the AIM All-Share gave back 2.62 points, 0.4%, at 719.42.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.1% at 822.61, the Cboe UK...

On 23 May, power network operator National Grid (NG.) announced a bumper £7 billion fundraise to help finance a five-year £60 billion investment plan.Known as a 'rights issue', the exercise involves shareholders making a decision whether or not to buy discounted shares in the group.As is the case for most major rights issues, National Grid's fundraise is fully underwritten by banks, in this...

£7 billion rights issueInvestment to double2023 earnings lowerMultinational electricity and gas provider National Grid (NG.) surprised the market with the launch of a £7 billion fund-raise to finance investments in its network to the end of the decade.The shares, which had enjoyed a strong run from the £10 level in April up to £11.40 last week, went into reverse falling 103p or 9% to...

Finance director sells company stake to cover tax billRevolution Beauty director snaps up 500,000 sharesNational Grid boss sells over £2 million sharesEoin Tonge, finance director of diversified conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF), has sold 45,355 shares at £20.07 for a total value of £910,139 on 5 JulyTonge was chief financial officer and chief strategy officer at Marks & Spencer...

Our investor this week is Andy, who is in his early thirties and has been investing since he left university around a decade ago.A history graduate, Andy puts his initial interest in finance and markets down to his father who is an accountant.'I can't remember exactly what the trigger was,' says Andy, 'but around the time I was leaving university the economy was still just coming out of the...

Despite recent record power prices, renewable energy-focused investment trusts are now largely trading at material discounts to net asset value. That's created some good buying opportunities in this space, particularly as many of the trusts have historically traded at a premium.Over the long term there is a clear catalyst for growth in renewable energy given global governments have set...

If the world is going to make the transition from fossil fuels to renewables, then batteries and battery technology are going to play an important part.Harmony Energy Income Trust (HEIT) is an attractive way to play this long-term theme while also offering a generous income in the here and now.At present just one of the firm's battery assets is operational, the 98 MW (megawatt) Pillswood...

For years, UK-listed technology and biotechnology companies moaned about how they could get a higher valuation if their shares traded on the US market. Some added a secondary listing, others ditched the UK completely and parked their shares across the Atlantic. It was a trend that bubbled away, but not a mainstream activity.That's now changing after several larger companies across non-tech...

- Full-year adjusted earnings expected slightly above expectations- Company says generated 20% of UK renewables at peak demand in 2022- Analyst notes 'high pricing is persisting for longer'Strong demand for renewable power has seen Drax (DRX) lift its full-year adjusted earnings guidance 'slightly' above analysts' expectations - demonstrating the key role the company is playing in addressing...

Freezing temperatures have sent UK power prices to record highs, with the surge in demand created by the wintry weather accompanied by very still conditions which led to a lack of wind power.This meant higher demand for gas for power generation at the same time as households and businesses were turning up the thermostats.At one stage on 12 December grid operator National Grid (NG.) asked Drax...

The newly announced energy price cap will have provided a big jolt to many households around the country.Contained in the current energy crisis is an important lesson about thinking and investing for the long term - a lesson which can be applied across multiple different spheres.Back in December 2015 we ran a piece in Shares about the UK energy sector.A then recent event in the UK grid...

There are genuine fears about keeping the lights on this winter as the threat of Russia shutting off gas exports to Europe looms large.FTSE 100 constituent National Grid (NG.) will have a central role in this story. At £11.70 its shares have handily outperformed the market year-to-date with double-digit gains and it is widely held by investors for its income appeal with a measure of inflation...

The utilities sector has historically attracted investors for its defensive and reliable revenue streams which in turn funded a decent level of dividend income.More recently, several connected factors have shaken up this industry. These include a transition away from fossil fuels into renewables in the face of a climate emergency, greater appetite for investments in ESG (environmental, social...

A significant number of FTSE 100 companies could face shareholder rebellion over the coming weeks as investors increasingly put pressure on boards over key issues.There is a long list of topics which could dominate this year's annual shareholder meeting season, which gets into full swing at the end of April.These include environmental policy and climate change action, boardroom and workforce...

Newly-listed investment fund Pantheon Infrastructure (PINT) has announced two significant deals with a combined value of more than £60 million.In line with its strategy to build a diversified portfolio, the firm has now invested in three different businesses in just a week.UTILITIES AND DATAThe company's biggest deal to date is a £40 million investment as part of a Macquarie Asset...

For now, the escalating conflict in Ukraine shows no signs of easing. After the initial shock, markets were hopeful the economic impact of the war might be contained as the West's opening salvo of sanctions in response to Russia's invasion (24 Feb) were weaker than some had anticipated.However, any relief soon dissipated as Ukraine put up stiff resistance against the Russian invaders and...

Stocks received a lift heading into the weekend with the release of official figures showing the UK economy performed much better than expected in November.On a monthly basis, GDP (gross domestic product) is estimated to have grown by 0.9% in November against forecasts of a 0.4% increase, taking it above its February 2020 pre-pandemic level for the first time.Growth was broad-based, with...

FTSE 100 falls accelerated through the afternoon session despite a firm start on Wall Street, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq trading higher. Reports that the US and China could release some of their strategic oil reserves appear to have taken their toll, and despite a recovery in the price of Brent crude, up 0.7% at $80.87 a barrel, both BP (BP.) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) posted near 2%...