First quarter revenue up 14%On track to meet full year targetsIndian IPO expected in the SpringSSP Group (SSPG) was one of the best mid-cap performers, gaining over 4% after the operator of restaurants and bars in travel locations said positive trading momentum has continued into the remainder of its first quarter to 31 December.The shares have struggled over the last year, underperforming the FTS

European stocks were higher on Tuesday afternoon, with New York stocks set for a quieter start after a tumultuous Monday trade which saw tech stocks dive.The FTSE 100 index added 51.82 points, 0.6%, at 8,555.53. The FTSE 250 was up 190.59 points, 0.9%, at 20,560.09, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.37 points, 0.5%, at 714.76.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.6% higher at 857.38, the Cboe UK 250 rose 1.0% at 17,99

Nvidia set for 5%-plus recovery when Wall Street reopensBroadcom, AMD, TSMC also set to regain some lost groundValuable reminder to investors that stocks do not always go upThe tech bloodbath on Wall Street overnight looks like a short, sharp shock often needed when markets get over exuberant. Pre-market data shows the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures both making modest gains as investors reset expe

Wickes raises full year 2024 guidanceHalfords upgrades full year 2025 profit expectationWickes shares up 11%, Halfords shares up 19%Shares in Wickes (WIX) gained over 11% to 170p in morning trading as the DIY retailer reported a strong trading update for the six months ending 28 December.The company delivered continued sales and volume growth in retail with revenue up 3% year-on-year.Wickes also r

Retail like-for-likes down 2.8%Jollyes taking market shareVeterinary business growth is strongPets at Home's (PETS) shares pawed their way 4.5% higher to 220.6p after the UK pet care leader maintained full-year profit guidance despite suffering a retail sales slowdown in a tough third quarter, which management blamed on the 'more challenging' UK consumer backdrop.Despite disappointing retail sales

London's blue-chip index outperformed peers in Paris and Frankfurt on Tuesday morning, the day after US tech stocks took a dive on fears of competition in China.The likes of Nvidia, which slumped 17% overnight, were hurt by the emergence of DeepSeek in the artificial intelligence space. The Nasdaq Composite shed 3.1% on Monday. Nasdaq futures are currently 0.3% higher, the index looking set to rec

London's key index closed Monday in the green amid a broad US tech sell-off which saw Nvidia holders unsettled by the progress of Chinese technology firm Deepseek.The FTSE 100 index ended up just 1.36 points at 8,503.71. The FTSE 250 lost 148.55 points, 0.7%, at 20,369.50, and the AIM All-Share fell 3.66 points, 0.50%, at 711.39.The Cboe UK 100 ended up slightly at 852.40 on Monday, the Cboe UK 25

Blue chip indices in Europe were lower on Monday midday, while investor eyes are also stateside, as tech stocks tumble in response to China's DeepSeek AI chatbot gaining popularity.The FTSE 100 index traded down 27.06 points, 0.3%, at 8,475.29. The FTSE 250 was down 127.27 points, 0.6%, at 20,390.78, and the AIM All-Share was down 4.30 points, 0.6%, at 710.75.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.3% lower at 849.

Full-year guidance confirmedAmericas back in growthInvestors remain scepticalIconic footwear brand Dr Martens (DOCS) confirmed its 2025 outlook and said third quarter trading was in line with expectations, with US DTC (direct to consumer) revenue returning back to growth.Early signs of a turnaround at the US business were not enough to impress investors as the shares fell around 3% to 70.3p, after

Exploring options for High Street divisionTalks ongoing with prospective buyersFocus on faster-growing Travel armShares in WH Smith (SMWH) were marked up 5.5% to £12.11 on 27 January after the global travel retailer confirmed it is 'exploring potential strategic options' for its storied-yet-struggling High Street business, which opened its first shop in London back in 1792.These include a possibl

Blue-chips in Europe opened lower on Monday morning, in nervy trade before eyes turn to central bank meetings and earnings from Meta, Microsoft, Apple and Tesla this week.The FTSE 100 index opened down 35.39 points, 0.4%, at 8,467.81. The FTSE 250 was down 115.54 points, 0.6%, at 20,402.51, and the AIM All-Share was down 3.52 points, 0.5%, at 711.53.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.4% lower at 848.73, the Cb

London's FTSE 100 ended lower on Friday, as the pound surged to a more than two-week high and approached the $1.25 mark on the back of decent UK data and as hopes of a 'softer approach' to tariffs from the US administration hurt the dollar.The FTSE 100 index ended 62.85 points, 0.7%, at 8,502.35. The FTSE 250 lost just 2.34 points at 20,518.05, and the AIM All-Share fell 5.81 points, 0.8%, at 715.

Long-term supply agreement reached with AmazonConfident in meeting full year expectationsBloomsbury shares up 43% over the past yearShares in Bloomsbury (BMY) were up over 2% to 670p in early morning trading as the publishing group said it had reached a new long-term supply agreement with Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ).The company also reaffirmed confidence in meeting consensus market expectations for the y

Q3 sales better-than-fearedTurnaround strategy showing promiseFull-year 2025 guidance upgradedBritish luxury fashion house Burberry (BRBY) topped the FTSE 250 on 24 January, its shares rallying 16% to £12.41 after the footwear-to-leather accessories designer delivered a far better-than-feared drop in third quarter sales.This performance stoked optimism that new chief executive Joshua Schulman's '

The week may have started quietly with markets closed for Martin Luther King Day on Monday (20 Jan) and the inauguration of President Trump, but the calm didn't last.Stocks took off with gains across the board, with all the main indices up around 3% and the S&P 500 notching up a new all-time high.Markets were buoyed by Trump's measured approach to trade tariffs and became positively ecstatic when

Company warns on revenue shortfallFootball franchise weaknessDragon Age 50% below expectationsElectronic Arts (EA:NASDAQ) plummeted 15% in after-hours trading after the video game publisher slashed full year bookings guidance due to a surprise slowdown its EA Sports FC franchise in the fiscal third quarter.If the drop holds, the shares are expected to open at around $120, wiping nearly $4 billion

Stock prices in London were mostly lower at midday on Thursday, ahead of US jobless figures, while the European Central Bank's next rate call due next Thursday is getting closer.'The FTSE 100's strong start to 2025 is starting to lose some momentum,' commented AJ Bell's Russ Mould, adding: 'In London, retailers were on the back foot with some recent measures of UK consumer confidence suggesting th

As we predicted a fortnight ago, US banks enjoyed strong revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 2024 helped by elevated levels of trading in stocks and bonds as well as higher investment banking fees as companies took advantage of low borrowing costs and buoyant stock markets to raise fresh capital.Given the sharp rise in the KBW Nasdaq Bank index over the last year, and gains of around 50% for b

The market is alive with chatter about a mega-merger in the mining space after the revelation of a failed coupling between Rio Tinto (RIO) and Glencore (GLEN). That's understandable for several reasons, but recent history shows flirtations between corporate giants often go unconsummated.Having covered the oil and gas sector for nearly 20 years, I have seen the topic of a combination between

Investors will be hoping for another serving of positive news when resilient beverages business AG Barr (BAG) delivers its trading update for the year ended 25 January 2025 on 28 January. However, cooling UK consumer confidence since the Budget combined with recent cold weather suggests guidance upgrades are unlikely.The FTSE 250 firm, whose brands include Irn-Bru, Rubicon and Boost, is rebuilding