Stock prices in London softened from earlier highs but market sentiment was still positive heading into Monday afternoon after Donald Trump picked hedge fund manager Scott Bessent as his US Treasury pick.The FTSE 100 index added 15.72 points, 0.2%, at 8,277.80. The FTSE 250 rose 15.80 points, 0.1%, at 20,597.49, and the AIM All-Share rose just 0.31 of a point to 732.51.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2%

Q3 like-for-likes down 1.1%Top end of profit guidance loweredRising costs to crimp 2026 profitsHome improvement giant Kingfisher's (KGF) sales missed guidance for the third quarter, with the retailer suffering a 6.4% revenue plunge in its second largest market, France, prompting the B&Q-to-Screwfix owner to lower the top end of its full year 2025 profit guidance.The DIY group also warned rising na

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

The FTSE 100 on Tuesday morning outperformed its French and German peers, as investors await consumer price inflation data from the eurozone.The UK government is having a busy week. Downing Street has confirmed that the UK is set to relaunch trade talks with India, while ministers continue to face calls from farmers and opposition parties to scrap its changes to agricultural inheritance tax. The N

Stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt were mostly lower on Friday morning, as UK GDP growth came in slower than expected, ahead of US retail sales and industrial output data.UK gross domestic product is estimated to have increased in the latest quarter but edged down for September, data from the Office for National Statistics showed. The trade deficit widened on-month to £3.46 billion.Indus

Retail and hospitality companies have slammed the UK government's Budget as a raid on corporate coffers that will heap extra costs on already hard-pressed sectors, with Labour's 6.7% increase in the National Living Wage and uplift in employers' national insurance contributions (NICs) forecast to lead to job cuts and price hikes.Chancellor Rachel Reeves' lowering of the employers' NIC threshold to

Stocks closed higher in London on Monday, with the FTSE 100 snapping out of a four-day losing streak following a boost from UK high street banks.The FTSE 100 index rose 52.80 points, 0.7%, at 8,125.19. The FTSE 250 closed up 203.57 points, 1.0%, at 20,721.49. The AIM All-Share gained 3.57 points, 0.5%, at 737.93.The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.7% at 815.50, the Cboe UK 250 advanced 1.1% at 18,160.09 but th

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

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced an astonishing £40 billion of tax rises in her maiden budget, and yet, despite that, there will be relief in some quarters that things didn't turn out worse.Capital gains tax is one of the areas where the Reeves' raid was not as bad as feared, as there had been speculation she would bring capital gains tax rates into line with income tax, with the top rate risin

Stocks in London climbed higher at the close on Friday, while the pound rebounded, amid renewed hopes of faster rate cuts in the US following a jobs report.The FTSE 100 index closed up 67.05 points, or 0.8%, at 8,177.15. The FTSE 250 ended up 90.78 points, or 0.5%, at 20,479.74, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.90 points, 0.3%, at 739.00.For the week, the FTSE 100 was down 0.9%, the FTSE 250 was

London's FTSE 100 rallied on Friday, as budget nerves calmed, with investors hoping US nonfarm payrolls will not throw a spanner in the works at the end of an eventful week.The FTSE 100 index traded up 66.55 points, 0.8%, at 8,176.65. The FTSE 250 was up 49.99 points, 0.3%, at 20,438.95, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.38 points, 0.2%, at 738.48.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.8% at 820.05, the Cboe UK 25

The FTSE 100 in London opened higher on Friday, eating into some of its post-UK budget weakness, while the pound gained some lost ground.Eyes turn state side later, with US jobs data to come, before the Federal Reserve decision next week, and a presidential election on Tuesday.Closer to home, Reckitt shares jumped on a favourable US legal ruling on infant formula. Airlines struggled as oil prices

Markets closed lower in London on Thursday as analysts warned the UK budget set out by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday may have 'materially changed the inflationary path,' making a Bank of England rate cut unlikely.The FTSE 100 index closed down 49.53 points, or 0.6%, at 8,110.10. The FTSE 250 ended down 305.16 points, or 1.5%, at 20,388.96, and the AIM All-Share closed down 1.0%, or 7.42 po

European stocks were down heading into Thursday afternoon, as post-budget trade in the UK was characterised by stretching bond yields and largely weaker equities.The prospect of higher for longer UK interest rates as a result supported lenders, but hit retail and housebuilding shares.US stocks are called to open lower, in the aftermath of earnings from Meta and Microsoft, and ahead of US data in t

Equities in London were lower on Thursday morning, UK bond yields spiked and the pound was around the $1.30 mark as investor digest Wednesday's budget announcement.Early UK corporate updates were mixed. Shell and Coca-Cola HBC impressed, but Smith & Nephew and Kainos were among those to disappoint.Those reports followed earnings from New York-listed Meta and Microsoft overnight, which similarly fa

The market gave a largely positive response to Labour's first Budget with the domestic-facing FTSE 250 index and AIM market both enjoying strong gains following the unveiling of chancellor Rachel Reeves' plans.While the inheritance tax exemption on AIM shares was halved it wasn't abolished as had been feared. Rachel Winter, partner at Killik & Co: 'AIM shares have suffered from a perfect storm in

For once, Investors' focus over the next couple of weeks has nothing to do with interest rates or macro events but politics.In the UK, by the time Shares goes to press we will have been treated to the first Labour Budget in 14 years.Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said in order to fill the 'black hole' left by the previous government the Treasury needs to raise around £22 billion, but to get the eco

Shares ended mixed in London on Wednesday as the UK government delivered its long-awaited tax plan, which though a 'difficult choice,' was largely in line with investor expectations.The FTSE 100 index closed down 59.98 points, or 0.7%, at 8,159.63. The FTSE 250 ended up 71.33 points, or 0.4%, at 20,694.12, and the AIM All-Share closed up 4.0%, or 28.82 points, at 744.61.The Cboe UK 100 ended down

Stock prices in London were mixed just before the UK budget announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, with the FTSE 100 lower and the FTSE 250 and AIM All-Share registering a minor gain.The FTSE 100 index traded down 42.68 points, 0.5%, at 8,176.93. The FTSE 250 was up just 3.96 points at 20,626.75, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.98 of a point, 0.1%, at 716.77.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.6% at 818.

Stocks in Europe were mostly lower on Wednesday morning, ahead of the UK budget announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, while Standard Chartered rose after it said it delivered a strong performance.Ahead of the budget, the pound was quoted at $1.3020 early Wednesday, rising from $1.2991 at the London equities close on Tuesday.Brown Brothers Harriman analysts believe the pound faces 'downside ris