European markets ended in the red on Friday, after the fallout from a global IT outage sapped risk appetite.The FTSE 100 index ended down 49.17 points, 0.6%, at 8,155.72. The FTSE 250 ended down 166.48 points, or 0.8%, at 21,067.68, and the AIM All-Share fell 3.54 points, 0.5%, at 784.13.For the week, the FTSE 100 fell 1.2%, the FTSE 250 shed 0.6% and the AIM gave back 0.3%.The Cboe UK 100 ended d

Sales rise on volume growthEarnings to top estimatesCEO optimistic for coming yearHomewares retailer Dunelm (DNLM) demonstrated once again how resilient its business is against a challenging consumer backdrop by posting an increase in sales and earnings slightly above expectations for the year to the end of June.The shares, which had been trading down on the year, added 75p or 7% to £11.80 taking

GYM Group (GYM) 137.8pMarket Cap: £219.8 millionShares in low-cost, no-contract gym operator The Gym Group (GYM) are languishing 55% below pre-pandemic levels despite the firm seeing a recovery in site profitability and growing its estate by 40% since 2019.In recent months the business has got itself back in shape and appears to be building strong growth momentum with like-for-like sales up 9%

Stocks in Europe were mostly lower on Wednesday morning, ahead of a eurozone consumer price inflation reading and the King's Speech.The FTSE 100 index opened down 10.32 points, or 0.1%, at 8,155.17. The FTSE 250 was down 55.59 points, or 0.3%, at 21,159.81, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.71 points, or 0.1%, at 787.79.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 813.97, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.1% at 18,451.

Shares have been out of favourOfwat ruling seen as positiveThames Water in special measuresHaving lagged the market all this year, water utilities were the star turn following an announcement from the regulator Ofwat that the firms could raise their bills over the next five years.In the FTSE 100, Severn Trent (SVT) gained 66p or 2.5% to £26.85 and United Utilities (UU.) added 25p or 2.3% to £10.

London's blue chip index outperformed its European counterparts on Wednesday morning, as investors eagerly await another testimony from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.The FTSE 100 index opened up 16.62 points, 0.2%, at 8,156.43. The FTSE 250 was up 50.64 points, 0.3%, at 20,695.66, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.15 points, 0.2%, at 773.09.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 813.09, the Cboe UK 250

European stock prices were in the red on Tuesday afternoon, as the political deadlock in France continued following the election.Amongst individual stocks, BP took a hit on the FTSE 100 index after warning of a hit to refining margins.The FTSE 100 index was down 6.21 points, 0.1%, at 8,187.28. The FTSE 250 was down 15.55 points, 0.1%, at 20,782.77, and the AIM All-Share was down just 0.070 of a po

Second-quarter fees down 12%June exit rate even worse, reversing 18%Firm cuts full-year profit goalFTSE 250 firm PageGroup (PAGE) sent the European staffing sector lower across the board after warning soft trading in the second quarter meant full-year profits would be below expectations.PageGroup shares fell as much as 60p, or 15%, to a 12-month low of 360p before recovering to trade down around 6

Stocks in Europe failed to hold early gains on Monday, closing lower, as investors assessed the implications of an expected political gridlock in France.The FTSE 100 index ended down 10.44 points, 0.1%, at 8,193.49. The FTSE 250 rose 11.67 points, 0.1%, at 20,798.32, and the AIM All-Share edged up 0.77 of a point, 0.1%, to 775.16.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.1% at 816.60, the Cboe UK 250 closed down

Stock prices in London were mildly up after no block in France secured a majority, with the left-wing New Popular Front beating the far right.Amongst individual stocks, Britvic got a boost, after it backed a £3.3 billion takeover offer from Carlsberg.The FTSE 100 index opened up just 1.20 points at 8,205.13. The FTSE 250 was up 36.32 points, 0.2%, at 20,822.97, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.03 o

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US stocks continued to power to new highs in a shortened 4th July Independence Day holiday, led by a strong performance from Nasdaq-listed names. The Nasdaq Composite rallied almost 2% while the benchmark S&P 500 scaled new highs of 5,537, taking the index's year-to-date gain close to 17%, or around 800 points, where it began 2024.A speech by Fed chair Jerome Powell at a central bank monetary poli

Investment trusts beat stocksTech trusts lead the gainersSeraphim Space in first placeIn an interesting turn of events, after a couple of years 'in the wilderness', investments trusts seem to have come back into favour as an asset class this year according to data from the AIC (Association of Investment Companies).In the six months to the end of June, the average trust returned 8% compared with 5.

Now the ballots have been cast at the general election, the UK could become the 'reassuringly boring' market, both politically and fiscally, when compared to the more extreme politics on the other side of the English Channel and Atlantic Ocean.So suggests Jean Roche, manager of the Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund (SCP), who notes capital allocators know more or less what to expect, which could explain th

JPMorgan UK Small Cap Growth & Income (JUGI) 322pGain to date: 9.7% In March 2024 we made the case for investing in the newly merged JPMorgan UK Small Cap Growth & Income (JUGI).The trust is the result of a merger between JPMorgan Mid Cap and JPMorgan UK Smaller Companies, finalised in November 2023, and since then it hasn't disappointed investors.Managers Georgina Brittan and Katen Patel are bott

Q3 like-for-likes down 9.7%But signs of sales stabilisation'Significant' online gainsTopps Tiles' (TPT) shares slid 4.2% to a 52-week low of 39p after the UK's leading tile specialist reported a 9.7% plunge in third quarter like-for-like sales as 'challenging' market conditions persisted.The share price reaction might have been harsher had Topps not stressed that sales stabilised through the quart

Prices rise to 12-month highAffordability still an issue Labour promising 1.5 million new homesShares in residential developers started the week on the front foot after the latest survey by building society Nationwide showed average house prices continuing to rise.Investors were also looking to Thursday's general election and the prospect of a Labour win with the party promising in its manifesto t

Stocks in London headed lower going into Thursday afternoon, with investors adopting a 'cautious' approach ahead of Friday's US inflation data.The FTSE 100 index traded 23.26 points lower, 0.3%, at 8,202.07. The FTSE 250 fell just 7.08 points at 20,291.02, while the AIM All-Share fell 3.08 points, 0.4%, at 762.84.The Cboe UK 100 fell 0.3% to 815.91, the Cboe UK 250 lost 0.1% at 17,654.85, and the

Equities in London traded mixed at the start of the week, with some US tech sector nerves hurting sentiment, with eyes turning to elections in the UK and France as polling day edges ever closer.The FTSE 100 index traded 7.66 points higher, 0.1%, at 8,245.38. The FTSE 250 was down 50.12 points, 0.3%, at 20,392.23, though the AIM All-Share fell 0.41 of a point, 0.1%, at 772.16.The Cboe UK 100 rose 0

Ultimate Products (ULTP) 131.5pLoss to date: 15.7%We flagged Ultimate Products (ULTP) on 18 April 2024 as a compelling way to play the UK consumer recovery on the basis the market was undervaluing the group's brand strength, resilient business model and multiple growth opportunities.Our bull case for the homeware products brand manager behind the likes of Salter and Beldray also hinged on hopes of