Stock prices in Europe were in the red Monday, with investors nervously awaiting the next possible bunch of tariffs to be announced by US President Donald Trump, after he slapped curbs on Canada, Mexico and China.The FTSE 100 index fell 109.23 points, 1.3%, at 8,564.73. The FTSE 250 shed 404.91 points, 1.9%, at 20,545.57. The AIM All-Share fell 7.52 point, 1.1%, at 710.61.The Cboe UK 100 was down

Challenging UK conditions persistFull-year guidance downgradedStronger second half expectedUltimate Products' (ULTP) shares plunged 16% to 85p after the homeware brands owner downgraded full-year profit guidance following a tough first half impacted by 'challenging' conditions in its domestic market.The Oldham-headquartered company pinned the warning on weak UK consumer demand for general merchand

The US and China are at loggerheads, philosophically, politically and economically ? though thankfully not in military terms ? and the contrast between how the two are perceived by financial markets could hardly be greater. Stock markets offer part of the story, as America's headline indices sit at or near to all-time highs, while the Shanghai Composite equity benchmark languishes where it did bac

Stock prices in London were mostly higher at midday Tuesday as US voters are choosing their next president, as data showed UK service sector growth softened but outperformed its flash reading in October.The S&P Global UK services purchasing managers' index declined to 52.0 points in October from 52.4 in September, but beat the flash score of 51.8 points. The PMI composite output index fell to 51.8

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

There is a huge body of academic work highlighting behavioural biases which consistently trip-up investors' supposedly rational thinking. In this article we look at seven big sins of investing, with some examples and insights on how to avoid them.A lot of the credit for these principles goes to Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky who collaborated in the 1960s to research apparent anomalies and contra

Successful AIM float priced at 39pGives investors access to fast growing marketGenAI analytics could reach $10 billion by 2032IPOs (initial public offerings) have been thin on the ground in 2024, so it is encouraging to see GenAI (GNIP:AIM) successfully list its shares today at 39p, giving the generative artificial intelligence analytic services company a market capitalisation of £6.83 million.In

Stocks in London were higher at midday Tuesday, as the UK manufacturing sector continued to outperform its peers in France and Germany.The FTSE 100 index was up 26.97 points, or 0.3%, at 8,264.19. The FTSE 250 was up 18.02 points, or 0.1%, at 21,071.21, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.48 points, or 0.1%, at 739.95.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 827.69, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.2% at 18,539.63, an

On track to open between 140 and 160 net new shopsFull year outcome unchanged from previous guidanceCompany-managed shop like-for-like sales up 5%Shares in Greggs (GRG) were down more than 3% to £30.07 as investors expressed mild dissatisfaction with the UK bakery chain's third-quarter trading update.Reporting a 10.6% rise in total sales for the 13 weeks to 28 September, and 12.7% year-to-date, t

On the 5 August, the Japanese benchmark index Nikkei 225 plummeted 12.4% in its worst one-day performance since 1987, while other Asian markets such as Taiwan fell heavily.There were several factors at play which caused the massive sell-off, not only in Asian markets but globally. How have managers of Japanese funds reacted to the turmoil?Unsurprisingly, given they are effectively talking up their

On 17 July, Sir Keir Starmer's new Labour government announced its plans for the first year of the new parliament, with growth and wealth creation the priority.King Charles' speech at the State Opening of Parliament included a total of 39 bills under a new legislative agenda which includes speeding up the delivery of 'high-quality infrastructure and housing' and nationalising railway operators.Sta

Blue chips were in demand at midday on Friday, ahead of a US inflation print later in the session, which is expected to show a softening of the core personal consumption expenditures inflation gauge.The FTSE 100 index traded 46.01 points higher, 0.6%, at 8,225.69. The FTSE 250 rose 50.55 points, 0.3%, at 20,382.352, while the AIM All-Share climbed 1.52 points, 0.2%, at 765.99.The Cboe UK 100 rose

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

Companies tend to list on the stock market when conditions look ripe for a healthy reception from investors so as to get a deal away at the best price.After a fallow period for IPOs (initial public offerings) in 2022/23, activity appears to be gathering pace buoyed by the FTSE 100 and FTSE All-Share notching up new all-time highs in recent weeks.In an unusual turn of events, London could benefit f

Stocks in London started strong on Friday following the Bank of England?s dovish hold on interest rates on Thursday, as new data showed UK gross domestic product reached a stronger-than-expected level in March.The FTSE 100 index opened up 43.05 points, 0.5%, at 8,424.40. The FTSE 250 was up 68.41 points, 0.3%, at 20,599.71, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.06 points, 0.3%, at 785.76.The Cboe UK 100

The last couple of years have seen outsized returns for stocks, especially those in the US, but that doesn?t mean now is a bad time to invest. The truth is there is never a bad time to invest as long as you are looking to stay invested for the long term.From its inception in 1984 to 2022, the FTSE 100 index has gained around 5.5% per year in price terms and 7.5% per year in terms of total return,

Ultimate Products (ULTP) 156pMarket cap: £142.9 millionStrong brands, a resilient business model and multiple growth opportunities ahead are among the investment attractions the market is missing at Ultimate Products (ULTP). This company is the owner of homeware brands including Salter and Beldray. The Oldham-headquartered firm is well placed to profit with UK and international retailers starting

We begin this article with the cautionary tale of former high-flying cloud telephony and conferencing firm LoopUp (LOOP:AIM).At the beginning of March, the firm dropped a bombshell on investors by announcing the board had unanimously decided that canceling its listing on AIM and raising money from a handful of private backers was ?in the best interests of the group and our shareholders?.The stock

The Japanese benchmark index breached its 1989 all-time high of 38,915.87 on 22 February 2024.So, what is fueling Japan?s Nikkei 225 which rallied 28% last year and is this rally a sign for investors to ?pile in? or maintain a ?safe distance??A combination of factors has driven the surge in Japanese equities and the benchmark, including reforms by former prime minister Shinzo Abe during his second

Highest-ever first-quarter revenueShares gain 8% at the openPossible de-listing from LondonShares in TUI (TUI) were up over 8% to 627p as the market opened after the travel operator delivered its best-ever first-quarter revenue of ?4.3 billion and ?6 million of underlying EBIT (earnings before interest taxation).The travel operator said the reason for the record performance was ?higher demand at i