Pets at Home CEO buys nearly £100,000 sharesPod Point CFO snaps up £50,400 sharesForesight Solar Fund directors buyLyssa McGowan, CEO of pet food-to-veterinary services group Pets at Home (PETS) has bought 42,294 shares at 236p for a total value of £99,999 on 29 November.Pets at Home's shares recently plunged to a two-year low after it downgraded profit guidance for the year to March 2025.McGow

Stock prices in London were just about in the green at midday, outperforming Paris and Frankfurt, where shares succumbed to French budget concerns and worries that the European economy could be next to fall into the cross-hairs of Donald Trump tariffs.The FTSE 100 index added 4.24 points, 0.1%, at 8,262.85 heading into Wednesday afternoon. The FTSE 250 rose 15.49 points, 0.1%, at 20,584.14, and th

FY25 profit guidance loweredWeak pet retail marketVet business coming on leaps and boundsPets at Home's (PETS) shares plunged 11.5% to a two-year low of 245.5p after the UK pet care leader downgraded profit guidance for the year to March 2025, pinning the blame on 'subdued' conditions in the traditionally resilient pet retail market.The FTSE 250 pet specialist also warned the government's planned

Stock prices in London beat their counterparts in Paris and Frankfurt on Wednesday morning, edging slightly higher, despite a weaker oil price hitting Shell and BP.Shell lost 0.4% and BP 0.2% on Middle East ceasefire hope.The FTSE 100 index added 11.44 points, 0.1%, at 8,270.05. The FTSE 250 rose 36.35 points, 0.2%, at 20,605.00, and the AIM All-Share added 2.55 points, 0.4%, at 733.14.The Cboe UK

Weaker demand for discretionary toys and treats and an ongoing vet industry investigation by the CMA (Competition & Markets Authority), driven by concerns market consolidation has led to pet owners being overcharged for medicines and prescriptions, have kept Pets at Home's (PETS) shares on a tight leash this past year.Having previously expressed 'disappointment' over the CMA probe, the UK pet care

Retail and hospitality companies have slammed the UK government's Budget as a raid on corporate coffers that will heap extra costs on already hard-pressed sectors, with Labour's 6.7% increase in the National Living Wage and uplift in employers' national insurance contributions (NICs) forecast to lead to job cuts and price hikes.Chancellor Rachel Reeves' lowering of the employers' NIC threshold to

With just over a month to go until the US presidential elections, Shares takes stock of where the two candidates stand in the polls and what the implications of a Democrat or Republican victory would mean for investors.There is no question the televised debate earlier this month was negative for Donald Trump, to the extent he refused to schedule a re-match.Yet, despite his poor performance, voting

Now the ballots have been cast at the general election, the UK could become the 'reassuringly boring' market, both politically and fiscally, when compared to the more extreme politics on the other side of the English Channel and Atlantic Ocean.So suggests Jean Roche, manager of the Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund (SCP), who notes capital allocators know more or less what to expect, which could explain th

Staying on top of fundamental developments for companies in your portfolio can seem like a daunting task. Share prices can be volatile around earnings reports and trading updates, so getting to grips with what has happened and why is an important part of successfully managing investments.This feature reveals three simple steps to demystifying a typical earnings report and getting a good steer on w

Stock prices in Europe were lower at midday on Wednesday, with major firms Ocado and St James's Place set to lose their spots in the FTSE 100.The FTSE 100 index was down 19.58 points, 0.2%, at 8,234.60. The FTSE 250 was down 112.26 points, 0.5%, at 20,593.01, and the AIM All-Share was down 3.43 points, 0.4%, at 804.93.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3% at 821.69, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.7% at 18041.

Pre-tax profit down 3.2%CEO heralds 'pivotal' yearRelief rally as guidance maintainedPets at Home's (PETS) shares have been buffeted by weakening demand and a CMA (Competition & Markets Authority) probe into the vet industry.However, the stock rallied 4.2% to 295.2p on Wednesday, despite news of a full-year profits decline.Investors were relieved as the dog food-to-cat litter seller stuck with gui

Equities in London ended lower on Tuesday after the long weekend, with investors nervy ahead of a US inflation reading on Friday, with comments from a Federal Reserve central banker doing little to lift spirits.The UK election campaign rumbled on as all three of the main party leaders spent Tuesday visiting seats that could be crucial in deciding the outcome of the general election.Prime Minister

Pets at Home shares drop 5%CVS Group shares gain 3%Vet services market £5 billionShares in pet care supplier Pets at Home (PETS) were down 5% to 265p in morning trading as the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) confirmed it would launch a full investigation into the veterinary services sector.In contrast, shares in veterinary practice operator CVS (CVSG:AIM) were up nearly 3% in morning trad

Interest rates are expected to stay higher for longer to combat the sticky inflation which remains a threat to investors? hard-earned wealth and purchasing power. During periods of high inflation, it is crucial to invest in companies that possess pricing power, because these firms can pass on increased costs to customers, enabling them to maintain profit margins and generate the robust cash flows

The FTSE 100 was outperforming its European peers at midday Tuesday, after market sentiment got a boost from UK employment data, which has raised the chances of a Bank of England interest rate cut.A red-hot US consumer price rise could undo all of that progress, however. According to FXStreet cited consensus, the US annual consumer price inflation rate is expected to have remained at 3.1% in Febru

Stock prices in London opened largely higher on Tuesday morning, with TP ICAP topping the FTSE 250 as it mulls a minority float of its Parameta Solutions arm, while pet care firms struggled amid UK watchdog scrutiny.The FTSE 100 index rose 59.85 points, 0.8%, to 7,729.08. The FTSE 250 climbed 34.28 points, 0.2%, at 19,564.37, though the AIM All-Share fell 2.09 points, 0.3%, at 736.19.The Cboe UK 1

Shares in Pets at Home (PETS) have plunged 30% over one year due to an overhang from the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) review of the UK veterinary sector and signs there are limits to the sums pet owners will spend on their animal companions during a cost-of-living crisis.While competitive threats from the supermarkets and online-only player Zooplus are already priced in, the market may

ICG Enterprise Trust (ICG) Price: £11.66Market cap: £783 millionA 40.5% discount to NAV (net asset value) on ICG Enterprise Trust (ICGT) looks a compelling value opportunity for investors seeking exposure to a private equity portfolio with a history of delivering resilient sales and earnings growth.While the nature of the unquoted investments made by the trust means some discount is almost inevi

London?s FTSE 100 was higher in the aftermath of the Bank of England keeping UK interest rates unmoved, in an unsurprising move, though there was a dramatic vote split.Sterling was quoted at $1.2657 shortly after midday on Thursday, lower than $1.2715 at the London equities close on Wednesday. Before the decision, the pound was trading at $1.2635.The FTSE 100 index was up 30.05 points, 0.4%, at 7,

Full year guidance downgradedDemand slows in retail businessReturning accessories to growth a ?key priority?Britons are famously devoted to their pets but a profit warning from Pets at Home (PETS) demonstrates there are limits to the sums they will spend on their furry friends.Shares in the UK pet care leader softened 2% to 287.5p after it said third quarter sales ?didn?t quite hit? anticipated le