Markets 'challenging and unpredictable'US disruption and Korea destockingWax Lyrical performance improvingShares in British ceramics maker and homewares retailer Portmeirion (PMP:AIM) plunged 17% to a 10-year low of 170p on a warning annual profits will fall significantly short of forecasts, primarily due to delays getting stock into the US in time for the Christmas and destocking in South...

- Portmeirion warns inflation impacting spend- Homewares company is successfully passing on cost increases- Says order books for Christmas are healthyShares in Portmeirion (PMP:AIM) cheapened 7.7% to 438.5p after the homewares manufacturer warned, unsurprisingly perhaps, that consumer sentiment and spending is being impacted by inflation.With a heavy second half sales weighting, the company...

UK stocks fell in early trading on Wednesday after higher inflation data, both at home and in the US, stoked concerns about rising interest rates.At 8.35 am, the benchmark FTSE 100 index and the more domestically focused FTSE 250 were both trading 0.5% lower, at 7,086.31 and 22,818.8 points respectively.The UK consumer price index rose 2.5% in June, ahead of expectations of a 2.2% increase....

On a largely uninspiring day for global equity markets, London's FTSE 100 ended modestly lower after trading broadly flat for much of the day.Sterling strength weighed on the overseas earnings dominated index, with the blue chip benchmark closing down 0.3% at 7,029.79, while the more domestically focused FTSE 250 finished 0.2% lower at 22,438.90.Reopening names were in demand, among them the...

It might not seem like it in the depths of a gloomy lockdown winter, but brighter days are ahead of us. By mid-February the UK hopes to have vaccinated most over-70s, with a large chunk of over-50s potentially covered by the end of March.This cohort should then be much better protected against Covid-19 and that could result in a new spending spree.Getting the vaccine should allow for the...

UK markets ended Wednesday trading firmly higher after a strong start on Wall Street provided extra support. Investors had begun the day in positive mood thanks to early promise from a Covid-19 vaccine candidate, where pharmaceutical company Moderna said a proposed vaccine for the virus had sparked immune responses in all volunteers participating in an early safety trial.Early trading across...

UK stocks opened higher on Wednesday after a vaccine candidate for Covid-19 showed promising results in early trials and after strong trading in the US driven by a good start to the Q2 results season and hopes for more support from the Federal Reserve.In early trading the FTSE 100 index was up 55.84 points, or 0.9%, at 6,235.59.Pharmaceutical company Moderna said a proposed vaccine for the...

London's high-flying FTSE 100 firms 4.6 points to 7,735.4 with a helping hand from banking and utility stocks, though it is retailers that are the main focus for investors on Monday.Online grocer Ocado (OCDO) ripens up 10.2% to 455.3p after inking another major international deal, just a few months after joining forces with Groupe Casino in France. Ocado's latest agreement to power an overseas...

Stock markets across the globe are marking new highs as investors continue to focus more on how fast earnings are growing rather than how these earnings are being valued.'Growth' and 'value' investing are typically seen as being in opposition to each other and growth is on a winning streak. The US Russell 1000 Value Index has returned 9.7% in 2017 against 24% for the US Russell 1000 Growth...

FTSE 100 opens down 16.75 points to 7,315.14 after weak trading in New York and Asia. Investors were disappointed with the weak job data coming out of the US and tensions are increasing with North Korea after it tested an intercontinental missile.Shares in oil services minnow Cape (CIU) soar 45% to 264.25p as the company recommends a £332.3m cash takeover offer. The deal comes from Altrad UK,...

Geographically diversified ceramics maker Portmeirion (PMP:AIM) is showing resilience in the face of South Korean and Indian struggles. Full year results (9 Mar) revealed a 7.5% dividend hike to 32.25p, continuing Portmeirion's record of never cutting or withholding the payout since its 1988 stock market debut. Cantor Fitzgerald has a £12 price target for Portmeirion, currently 960p and with...

London's FTSE 100 opens in negative territory on Thursday, investors continuing to digest the implications of Chancellor Philip Hammond's Budget and looking ahead to the European Central Bank's monetary policy meeting.On a busy day for corporate news, insurance giant Aviva (AV.) advances 29p or 5.7% to 540p on annual results showing the delivery of improved operating profit, cash and a 12%...

Dollar strength is a translational tailwind for Portmeirion (PMP:AIM). The homewares maker is regaining investor confidence following an Indian and South Korean sales slump.Record overall sales were still delivered in 2016 with healthy growth generated in Portmeirion's biggest market, the US.Cantor Fitzgerald Europe's £12 price target implies 21% upside at 995p.

A sell-off at homeware manufacturer Portmeirion (PMP:AIM) presents a buying opportunity for long-term investors. Subdued Asian demand patterns behind a recent profit warning (7 Jul) could prove short-lived, while a hike in the interim dividend demonstrates confidence in Portmeirion's financial strength and recovery potential.We are sticking with our bullish stance on Stoke-on-Trent-based...

The FTSE 100 shoots up in early reaction to a base rate cut by the Bank of England (BoE) on Thursday. The BoE has cut the base rate from 0.5% to 0.25% in response to a weakening UK economy.The market had largely anticipated a rate cut and the Bank potentially adding to its £375 billion stimulus programme after disappointing manufacturing and services data in the past week. But that has not...

Homeware manufacturer Portmeirion (PMP:AIM) has issued a profit warning amid declining demand from Asian markets, causing the share price to crash 22% to 855p.A disappointing performance by the company's India distributor and no recovery of sales in South Korea mean pre-tax profit will be 'materially' below the £8.6 million achieved in 2015, says Portmeirion.The company sells a range of...

Seeking to reassure investors immediately after the Brexit vote, Neil Woodford said it was not his central view that the UK economy falls into recession.Admitting the view may sound controversial, he added there could even be some companies that benefit.'Growth in consumer cash flow will be marginally lower, principally because fuel prices will be higher but of course exporters will enjoy...

We've done some soul-searching in light of events on 19 May, when two companies on which we've held consistent views issued surprise announcements.The stock we liked fell in the value; the firm we disliked jumped up on the day. Are the two bits of news a reason to reconsider our stance?Cracks in the storyA fortnight ago we revisited the attractions of ceramic tableware manufacturer Portmeirion...

Shares open 1.1% lower in London at 6,097 as investors start to take seriously the prospect of more interest rate hikes in the US.Markets are pulling forward expectations of interest rate rises after minutes of the Federal Reserve's April meeting, released at 2pm in New York yesterday, said action could be taken as early as June.Probabilities of higher interest rates by June increased from 4%...

Play the positive momentum behind high quality homeware manufacturer Portmeirion (PMP:AIM). One of AIM's dividend-paying stalwarts, growth prospects have been enhanced by the strategically-astute acquisition (5 May) of Lighthouse and its Wax Lyrical subsidiary.Stoke-on-Trent-based Portmeirion's strengths include well-invested manufacturing assets and four British brands - Portmeirion, Spode,...