If it seems as though each week brings news of yet another takeover offer for a UK firm, the actual figures from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) are quite mind-boggling.Aside from the number of listed companies being bought, either by 'inward' investors or domestic buyers, hundreds of privately-owned firms are being snapped up every quarter.If you are in a position where a company you own

Texas-headquartered Dell Technologies (DELL:NYSE) stock has been making strides since the end of the summer and investors will be anticipating a strong end to 2024 as its AI servers business ramps up activity. Next week's quarterly earnings are a potential test of this confidence.Dell is already a key manufacturer in tech infrastructure and that edge is being sharpened by strong demand for next ge

The potential appointment of well-known vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jnr to the Trump cabinet in the role of head of the Department of Health and Human Services sent shivers through pharmaceutical companies on 14 November, with shares falling around 7% on average on both sides of the Atlantic.Kennedy has previously cast doubts on the Covid-19 vaccine, describing it as 'the deadliest vaccine ev

International Biotechnology Trust (IBT) 716pMarket cap: £263.2 millionWarren Buffett tells investors to be greedy when others are fearful and take advantage of depressed prices. That in a nutshell is the investment proposition for International Biotechnology Trust (IBT), which sits on an 11% discount to NAV (net asset value).The discount is not quite as extreme as it was when we highlighted the t

At least week's inaugural Mansion House speech, new chancellor Rachel Reeves announced what she called 'the biggest set of reforms to the pensions market in decades' with the plan to merge local government pension schemes (LPGS) into a series of 'megafunds' along the lines of Australia's 'supers'.The plan is to pool the assets from 86 LGPS in England and Wales, reportedly managing £500 billion in

Palm oil price up 40%'Significant' boost to profitabilityFurther acquisitions on the agendaShares in MP Evans (MPE:AIM) cultivated a 7.5% rise to £10 in early dealings, marking a new two year high, after the Indonesia-based sustainable palm oil producer upgraded year-to-December 2024 profit guidance off the back of surging palm oil prices, which have risen some 40% year-to-date.A more favourable

Surprisingly, one of the most talked-about US stocks of 2024 has nothing to do with AI (artificial intelligence), chips, gold or cryptocurrencies.It is a small tele-health company based in San Francisco called Hims & Hers Health (HIMS:NYSE), which provides prescription and over-the-counter medicines as well as personal care products through its online platform.When we say small, its market cap is

The result of the US presidential election has created shockwaves in the financial markets and beyond and I'm sure raised questions about your own portfolios.That's understandable and arguably this was among the more consequential elections of recent times. However, the occupant of the White House has historically made little difference to the long-term returns available from the financial markets

Stock prices in blue chip indices in London, Paris and Frankfurt were in the red on Tuesday morning, as traders digest an increasing likelihood that incoming US president Donald Trump will enact punitive tariffs and a very hawkish stance on China.'The latest moves from Trump's camp, especially with China hawks joining his inner circle, are sending chills through the markets and casting a decidedly

Frasers stake is a 'conflict of interest'Board representation calls rejectedKamani has 'no intention' of making offerStruggling online fashion group Boohoo (BOO:AIM) has accused Mike Ashley's Frasers (FRAS) of using its stake in the Debenhams-to-Karen Millen owner and other retailers to promote its own 'commercial self-interest'.The defiant comments came as Boohoo hit back at Frasers' demands for

Stocks ended a mixed bag in London on Thursday, amid a number of central bank decisions, and following the US presidential election.In the UK, the Bank of England said it would not cut interest rates 'too quickly or too much' after lowering rates by 25 basis points. The US Federal Reserve is expected to follow suit later in the day.The FTSE 100 index closed down 25.94 points, or 0.3%, at 8,140.74.

The FTSE 100 was flat on Thursday afternoon, treading water after the Bank of England reduced rates, and suggested a more gradual cutting path than some expected.The pound moved higher immediately following the decision, which was accompanied by the BoE's latest economic projections. The central bank suggested last week's UK budget was inflationary.The budget is expected to boost the level of gros

There was a certain degree of investor bemusement last month when shares in US electricity generation company Constellation Energy (CEG:NASDAQ) soared on news technology giant Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) had signed a 20-year power purchase agreement.This was no ordinary deal, however, as it paves the way for the restart of Three Mile Island 1 ? not the reactor which famously melted down in 1979, but a

Consolidation is a growing theme across the investment trust sector against a backdrop of stubbornly-wide NAV (net asset value) discounts and increasing pressure on sub-scale funds.2024 is already a record year for M&A (mergers and acquisitions) in a sector which has just seen the eleventh such deal announced, the value-oriented Invesco Asia Trust (IAT) planning to combine with Asia Dragon Trust (

Recent changes to the UK's listing rules should lead to a host of new names joining the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices in the new year, generating more interest in the UK stock market and putting more companies on the radar of investors.This matters to investors whether they own UK stocks directly, have exposure via actively-managed funds or simply track certain parts of the market through an excha

Tesco (TSCO) 347.2pMarket cap: £23.75 billionWe believe leading food retailer Tesco (TSCO) is a great risk/return investment opportunity, comprising unappreciated defensive qualities at a time of increased economic uncertainty.As we explain later in the article, Tesco has the potential to deliver substantial returns to shareholders based on its capital allocation policy of returning cash via shar

London's FTSE 100 closed lower on Tuesday, underperforming European peers, as index heavyweight AstraZeneca held back the large-cap benchmark.Eyes now turn stateside, hours before the closing of polls across the US - where Donald Trump and Kamala Harris lock horns in the presidential election.The FTSE 100 index closed down 11.85 points, or 0.1%, at 8,172.39. The FTSE 250 ended down 91.25 points, 0

ProCook (PROC) 29pMarket cap: £32.7 millionRisk-tolerant investors seeking a compelling recovery play with tasty re-rating potential should consider ProCook (PROC). This direct-to-consumer specialist kitchenware brand is carving out market share gains under management's refreshed strategy to serve up profitable growth.After a tough few years post its 2021 IPO (initial public offering), when the c

Paul's very first taste of investing came when his employer, aerospace and defence company Rolls Royce (RR.), introduced an employee share scheme which gave him what seemed to be a low-risk way of getting exposure to its shares.It seemed low risk, explains Paul, because the scheme allowed employees to save a monthly or four weekly amount for five years and at the end of the period the savings and

Games Workshop (GAW) £119.40Market Cap: £3.9 billionWe flagged fantasy miniatures maker Games Workshop (GAW) in June 2022 at around £63 after the shares had halved in the prior nine months, arguing they rarely traded as cheaply.The shares have since retraced the lost ground but still sit just below all-time highs of around £120 and effectively have gone sideways over the last year. Meanwhile t