Following on from the pandemic and war in Ukraine, UK stocks are being buffeted by headwinds from hot inflation, rising rates and the cost-of-living crisis. But it is UK small and mid-cap investors that have endured the toughest period over the past year, with the small cap, mid cap and AIM indices all suffering severe setbacks.The good news, however, is this sell-off has created opportunities acr

Just as investors were looking the other way, with Chinese shares tumbling on fears of a major default in the property sector and US shares wobbling ahead of a crucial Federal Reserve meeting this week, the global chip crisis has reared its head once again.A combination of weak demand and enforced factory shutdowns during the pandemic, followed by a faster-than-expected global recovery and soaring

FTSE traded in a narrow band of just 20 points on Wednesday suggesting indecision among investors as they face what could be a tricky autumn with infection levels and hospitalisations remaining stubbornly high while economic recovery wanes.By the close of business, the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was 4 points lower at 7,030.COMPANY NEWSHouse builder Redrow (RDW) posted a strong set of results

UK stocks remained directionless at 1pm as investors weighed increasing risks to the global recovery and rising inflation.Sterling gained as the latest UK inflation surprised to the upside. According to the Office for National Statistics, consumer prices jumped 3.2% in the year to August compared with a 2.1% rise the previous month.At 1pm the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was flat at 7,029.COMP

UK stocks made little headway on Wednesday despite a spate of earnings reports which on the whole painted a picture of improving corporate health. By 9.30am the FTSE 100 index of leading stocks was unchanged at 7,033 points.In Asia, Chinese stocks closed lower after August retail sales data disappointed, sending the CSI index down for a fifth day in succession. In Japan on the other hand, the Nikk

The FTSE 100 traded 0.3% lower at 7,128.39 points on Thursday as investors grappled with Covid concerns as well as fears of a tapering of support for the global economy ahead of the Jackson Hole summit of central bankers.The high-flying FTSE 250 was flat at 23,979.4 points, with the market's second-liners pausing for breath after their stunning recent run.CORPORATE NEWSIn corporate news, construct

Equity markets retreated across Europe and parts of Asia on Thursday as investors remained cautious ahead of the US Federal Reserve's annual get-together on Friday where all eyes will be on guidance for when economic stimulus will be tapered. The ongoing spread of Covid infections also continues to act as a dark cloud for investors.The FTSE 100 index fell 0.7% to 7,102, Germany's Dax dropped 0.8%

This is the first part in a regular series in which we will provide an investment clinic based on hypothetical scenarios. By doing so we aim to provide some insights which can help different types of investor from beginners all the way up to experienced market participants.The 43-year-old already has shares in the banking firm for whom he works through a SAYE (save as you earn) scheme and has addi

Investing successfully is hard. It takes discipline, courage and graft, and even with bags of these qualities, there will still be mistakes and misjudgments.Some of the most successful investors, such as Warren Buffett, Peter Lynch and Jim Slater, all made bad calls through their long careers but what separates these people from many ordinary investors is the willingness and open-mindedness to lea

UK companies are accelerating their exposure to the rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs), which showed a big jump in 2020 global sales. More than 3.2 million plug-in hybrid and battery-powered EVs were sold last year, according to data from EVvolumes.com, the Sweden-based consultancy and market researcher.That was a 43% jump on 2019's 2.26 million despite difficulties for buyers and dealers bet

Engineering consultancy Ricardo (RCDO) hopes to raise around £29.3 million of fresh funding as its struggles to cope with the slump in automotive and industrial sector demand during the Covid pandemic.The cash call will hand the company greater flexibility to invest in the business in the weeks and months ahead and manage its balance sheet debt.Struck at 333p per new share, the fundraising implie

WHAT'S IN THIS ARTICLE?We'll run through the reasons why stocks have fallen, compare this sell-off to previous market corrections and consider why certain companies have been affected more than others.We will also look at the stocks that have risen in value during the market turmoil and finally we choose three shares to consider buying as long as you understand that their prices could easily fall

On 24 February stock markets finally seemed to hit the panic button on the coronavirus with the FTSE 100 hitting its lowest level since early December and the Dow Jones index in the US enduring its worst day in two years.WHAT TRIGGERED THE MARKET SELL-OFF?The catalyst for the big sell-off in global equities was news of significant outbreaks in Italy and Iran which seemingly had no direct link to C

The measure of calm that descended on London markets in early trade on Tuesday failed to last with UK shares diving into the red again by late morning.At 11.40m, the benchmark FTSE 100 had slumped 0.8% to 7,100.49, while the FTSE 250 falgged by a similar margin at 20,951.This followed Monday's huge sell-off and heavy falls in Far East stock markets overnight. Shares in Japan fell sharply as invest

To be an expert engineering consultant to the automotive industry may sound like a poisoned chalice, and a poor investment proposition, but there is more to Ricardo's (RCDO) story than meets the eye.The West Sussex-based business has a 100-year track record in the industry but today it does so much more than just cars, buses and tanks.Ricardo provides engineering, technical, environmental and stra

Britain's automotive industry has stalled as low global demand and weak domestic consumer confidence weigh on sales, profits and sentiment.Disruption is impacting the global car industry and many of the businesses whose fortunes are tied to the automotive sector are in for a very bumpy ride. Yet those able to adapt to the shifting landscape could see exciting times down the road.In this article, S

UK shares started higher on Thursday as sentiment continued to rise following more constructive tariff talks between the US and China.At 9.30am the FTSE 100 was 25 points, or 0.34%, to the good at 7,362, while the FTSE 250 was 55 points higher at 20,037.Miners were firm across the board after the US agreed to delay tariffs on $250bn of Chinese imports. Banking shares gave back some their gains fro

Shares get off to a flying at the start of the third quarter, with Asia and Europe sharply higher today after US and China agree to resume trade talks. Donald Trump offers to put a break on new tariffs and eases restrictions on tech company Huawei.The UK is strong across the board, with house builders up 2.6% and industrials up 1.8%. Oil majors are strong gaining 2% as crude prices gain after top

Stock markets and commodities are on the back foot on the last trading day of May as the trade war spills over into threats of US tariffs on Mexico. The core European Stoxx 50 benchmark is down 1.2% for a loss of nearly 7% on the month while the FTSE 100 index is down 0.9% at 7,154 for a 4% loss on the month.With investors moving money out of stocks into bonds, pushing yields to historic lows - in

UK stocks start the week on a firm note despite weakness in Asia on fears of an escalation of trade tensions between the US and China. The FTSE 100 index of leading shares is up 0.1% to 7,213 thanks to strength in Beverages, Healthcare and Utilities.Top performer in the FTSE is energy supplier Centrica (CNA), up 2.5% to 95p after it maintains its full year targets despite weak first half trading d