Equities in London powered higher on Friday, ending the week on a strong note, but sterling fell flat on less-than-stellar UK data.The euro, meanwhile, hurtled closer to dollar parity as eurozone data was similarly tepid.The FTSE 100 index jumped 112.81 points, 1.4%, at 8,262.08. The FTSE 250 climbed 231.77 points, 1.1%, at 20,581.69, and the AIM All-Share gained 6.38 points, 0.8%, at 732.20.For t

London's stocks were mostly higher at Friday midday amid gloomy economic data which could boost expectations for interest rate cuts.The FTSE 100 index rose 52.48 points, 0.6%, at 8,201.52. The FTSE 250 climbed 170.72 points, 0.8%, at 20,520.41, and the AIM All-Share gained 4.33 points, 0.6%, at 730.07.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.6% at 824.79, the Cboe UK 250 was up 1.1% at 17,998.02, and the Cboe Sma

Trading ahead of expectationsBig jump in royalty incomeAmazon tie-up news imminentIn an unscheduled update, fantasy miniatures maker Games Workshop (GAW) said trading since 8 September is tracking ahead of expectations and provided new financial estimates for the half year to 1 December.The news was well received with the shares jumping as much as 15% to a new all-time high of £136.5, taking gain

Uptick in orders continuesTrading in line with expectationsNew CFO John Fallon namedOn the day the ONS (Office for National Statistics) announced disappointing retail sales for October as Budget uncertainty sapped spending, DFS Furniture (DFS) defied the doom and gloom with news of robust orders growth into the new financial year.The reassuring update will come as a relief to shareholders, who mig

After a post-election lull, US stock markets got back to winning ways this week with broad gains, led by the small cap Russell 2000 index and the technology heavy Nasdaq leading the charge.Weekly jobless claims fell 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 213,000, a new six-month low, suggesting a bounce in jobs growth in November from a hurricane and strike impacted October.US existing home sales also reb

European equities shrugged off a poor UK retail sales reading, tepid German data and underwhelming purchasing managers' index surveys from the continent to push higher on Friday.Rising global tensions remained a theme, keeping oil prices at lofty territory.The FTSE 100 index added 55.41 points, 0.7%, at 8,204.68. The FTSE 250 rose 120.58 points, 0.6%, at 20,470.50, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.92

Equities in Europe ended higher on Thursday, overcoming some earlier uncertain trade, as comments from a US official calmed some geopolitical worries which kept a lid on investor enthusiasm.Nonetheless, Brent remained above the $73 mark, supporting oil majors.Moscow's ambassador in London said Thursday Britain was 'now directly involved' in Russia's war with Ukraine, following reports Kyiv had fir

Blue-chips in London traded in the green around midday on Thursday, as the escalating conflict in Ukraine pushed oil and gold prices higher.The FTSE 100 index added 25.97 points, 0.3%, at 8,111.04. The FTSE 250 lost 45.77 points, 0.2%, at 20,198.99, and the AIM All-Share rose 2.00 points, 0.3%, at 724.34.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 815.30, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.2% at 17,701.10, and the Cbo

Trading environment 'volatile'Weak Q3 growthBillion pound club admission may have to waitTrainers-to-tracksuits seller JD Sports Fashion (JD.) now expects year-to-January 2025 pre-tax profits will be at the lower end of its original £955 million to £1.035 billion guidance range, disappointing news that sent the shares tumbling 16% to a two-year low of 95.2p.The global footwear seller had been on

European equities were mostly in the red on Thursday morning amid a threat of higher for longer interest rates, following a lofty UK inflation reading and a caution against turbocharged US easing from a Federal Reserve official.The FTSE 100 index added just 0.40 of a point at 8,085.47. The FTSE 250 lost just 7.21 points at 20,237.55, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.18 points, 0.4%, at 725.52.The Cboe

It's been a prosperous time to have invested in the markets. Each one of the major share indices around the world has delivered a positive total return over the past 12 months, factoring in share price performance and dividends.At the top end, the US has returned 32.5% as measured by the S&P 500 index; Japan's Nikkei 225 index has returned 15.3%; and even 'unloved' UK has lined investors' pockets

With the 'sugar rush' of the US elections fading, attention turned back to the state of the global economy last week with a couple of data points worth mentioning.UK third-quarter GDP came in short of expectations due to poorer manufacturing output, prompting a good deal of hand-wringing and laments that the nation was 'stagnating' due to restrictive interest rates.For our money, however, the IEA

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

Could you please explain how someone's drawdown pot is taken into account when working out how much you have to pay towards care costs.For example, for the purposes of working this out, is the pot of money converted into an annuity income based on the person's age and capital pot value.And if so, what type of annuity is used? Is it a single life one regardless of whether the person in the home is

AJ Bell's Money Matters campaign aims to help more women feel good investing. As part of the campaign, we've been pulling together a series of articles considering the particular issues you might be thinking about as you reach different milestones.This article looks at some of the specific issues that you might be thinking about in your sixth decade, and this is one that particularly resonates wit

To date, a small, exclusive club of UK retailers have exceeded £1 billion in annual profits, a high street elite that includes Tesco (TSCO), Marks & Spencer (MKS) and Kingfisher (KGF). Some may view this £1 billion figure as merely symbolic, but breaching this barrier is no mean feat and demonstrates a retailer has a lasting place in consumers' affections and the scale to win in a competitive ma

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

Stocks in London were mixed at Wednesday midday, as investors digested a hotter-than-expected consumer price growth reading in the UK, while focus across the Atlantic turns to Nvidia's earnings.The FTSE 100 index climbed just 3.66 points at 8,102.68. The FTSE 250 fell 59.75 points, 0.3%, at 20,367.87, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.04 points, 0.1%, at 725.27.The Cboe UK 100 was flat at 814.74, the

European equities traded higher on Wednesday morning, as stocks in London shrugged off a hotter-than-forecast UK inflation reading for now.Sage shone on the FTSE 100, while Severn Trent also impressed.The FTSE 100 index climbed 23.61 points, 0.3%, at 8,122.63. The FTSE 250 edged up 22.23 points, 0.1%, at 20,449.85, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.56 points, 0.4%, at 726.79.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.

An increasingly tense geopolitical backdrop knocked European stocks on Tuesday, while the pound continued to struggle ahead of Wednesday's UK inflation print.The FTSE 100 index ended down 10.30 points, 0.1%, at 8,099.02. The FTSE 250 rose 32.21 points, 0.2%, at 20,427.62, and the AIM All-Share faded 3.32 points, 0.5%, at 724.23.The Cboe UK 100 ended flat at 814.55, the Cboe UK 250 rose 0.1% to 17,