Romanian gambling firm acquiredCombined business will be fourth largest operatorEarnings enhancing from 2025Online betting and gaming company Evoke (EVOK), formerly known as 888 Holdings, has announced the acquisition of Romanian firm NGS (Net Gaming Solutions), the seventh biggest betting and gaming operator in the country.Evoke will inject its own Romanian business plus €10 million in cash

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

Stock prices in London closed lower on Tuesday, with the FTSE 100 dragged down by hits to index heavies, BP and Shell, on the back of declining oil prices, as well as BT.The FTSE 100 index closed down 83.62 points, 1.0%, at 8,273.32. The FTSE 250 ended down 171.32 points, 0.8%, at 20,986.15, and the AIM All-Share closed down 2.55 points, 0.3%, at 774.04.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 1.1% at 826.27, t

London indices closed higher on Monday with mining stocks benefitting from rising gold prices while aerospace & defence manufacturers waned.The FTSE 100 index closed up 45.53 points, 0.6%, at 8,356.94. The FTSE 250 ended up 108.56 points, 0.5%, at 21,157.47, and the AIM All-Share closed up 2.32 points, 0.3%, at 776.59.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.6% at 835.35, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.7% at 18,55

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

2024 guidance upgraded againCash pile tops $1 billionAdditional $185.5 million of returnsPlus500's (PLUS) shares powered up 5.3% to an all-time high of £25.60 in early dealings on Monday after the online trading platform raised its full year guidance yet again.The upgrade follows an 'excellent' first half to 30 June 2024 from the spread betting and CFDs (Contracts for Difference) provider, which

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

Hot on the heels of updates from Walmart (WMT:NYSE) and Home Depot (HD:NYSE), hard-pressed Target Corporation (TGT:NYSE) is the next major retailer to give a read on the health of a US consumer struggling with the rapid rise in inflation and interest rates of the past few years. The discounter's second-quarter earnings are slated for 21 August, when Target will need to assure investors it is on tr

Stock markets across the globe have just emerged from a short, sharp shock, with the sell-off on 5 August one of the worst days in years as investors mull the frightening thought that the US economy is slowing and could be sent spinning into recession.Combined with the impact of the unwinding in the yen 'carry trade' discussed in this explainer and some stretched valuations and you had the recipe

I have a SIPP and am currently 65 years old.If I die before the age of 75, I believe the holdings can be passed on to my wife (without any tax problems). If I die over 75, what happens when I pass holdings to my wife?Would my wife need a SIPP with the same provider so that the holdings could be placed in her name? Would she be taxed?Finally, when my wife passes, can the holdings be passed onto our

Stock prices in the UK, France and Germany were higher at midday Wednesday as investors await a US consumer price inflation print, after UK CPI inflation was reported higher.The FTSE 100 index was up 28.63 points, or 0.4%, at 8,263.86. The FTSE 250 was up 114.24 points, or 0.6%, at 20,858.32, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.10 points, or 0.1%, at 769.08.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.5% at 826.01, the Cb

Stock prices in London were in the green on Wednesday morning, after Office for National Statistics data showed that while the rise in consumer prices accelerated, it was softer than anticipated.The FTSE 100 index opened 50.47 points, or 0.6%, at 8,285.28. The FTSE 250 was up 129.38 points, 0.6%, at 20,874.28, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.62 points, or 0.2%, at 769.60.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.8%

The FTSE 100 ended a stormy week in calmer fashion after data allayed fears of an impending economic slowdown.After the turmoil following last week's US nonfarm payrolls print, this week closed on a more muted note than it had started. Lower-than-expected US jobless claims on Thursday, and robust US services PMIs earlier in the week, helped to quell anxiety that the US economy had weakened more ra

Budapest-based low-cost airline Wizz Air (WIZZ) posted (1 August) a slight increase in revenue to €1.26 billion for the quarter to the end of June, but higher operating and finance costs plus a foreign exchange loss sent it into deficit for the period.The shares slumped as much as 380p or 20%, the most since the early days of the pandemic, as investors headed for the exits.The airline cut its

Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman is not the shy, retiring type who shuns publicity, so when he announced plans to launch an IPO (initial public offering) of a new closed-end fund on the New York Stock Exchange touting a $25 billion valuation it seemed natural to believe he could execute his bold plan without any hiccups.After all, the proposed vehicle would mirror an existing closed-end

Although shares in leading infrastructure group Balfour Beatty (BBY) haven't been immune to the recent pull-back in markets, they were recently sitting at their best level in more than a decade so investors will be keen to hear how the business has been performing when it reports half-year earnings on 14 August.In its last trading update in May, the firm said trading was in line with its full-year

2024 profits to be at lower end of expectationsOrders returned to growth in Q2£20 million buyback launchedTakeaway firm Domino's Pizza (DOM) served up news of a tasty pick-up in second quarter orders and also launched a fresh £20 million share buyback programme in show of confidence in its future prospects.So why did shares in the firm, which holds the master franchise agreement to own, operate

Rhys Davies Fund ManagerInvesco Bond Income Plus LtdA higher credit quality portfolioOver the past two years, we have increased the credit quality profile of the Invesco Bond Income Plus (BIPS) portfolio. Exposure to investment grade bonds has risen steadily. Within high yield bonds, we have increased the number of bonds we hold with a credit rating of BB and reduced our holdings in the lower cred

US-listed software analytics and bitcoin hoarder MicroStrategy (MSTR:NASDAQ) is primed to pull the trigger on a 10-for-one stock split after the close of trading tonight (1 Aug).All shareholders will receive nine additional shares for each one they own, which are expected to be distributed after markets close on 7 August, with trading starting from 8 August.Investors have become familiar with shar

This feature was prompted by a reader question on why 'bond proxies' such as insurers Phoenix Group (PHNX) and Aviva (AV.) do not attract more investor attention.A bond proxy typically refers to a company which has a steadier-than-average income stream and offers a higher-than-average level of income.Long-term savings and insurance group Phoenix sits on a dividend yield of 10.4% based on an expect