UK engineering business Spirax (SPX) is expected to deliver mid-single digit organic revenue growth for 2024 when it announces results on 11 March.As a reminder, the company (once known as Spirax-Sarco Engineering) is a FTSE 100 constituent focused on steam, thermal electric and niche pumping solutions, across a wide range of end-markets. After a period in the doldrums which has seen the shares dr

Just over five years ago the stock market began to react in earnest to news of the Covid pandemic.The sell-off was short and sharp, with a modest recovery from the lows in the spring followed by sharper gains in November 2020 after AstraZeneca (AZN) made a vaccine breakthrough.However, a large number of UK stocks are still trading below the levels they were at by the close of trading on 21 Februar

There are plenty of options these days when it comes to investing your hard-earned cash. Now in her mid-60s, Sarah first started putting her money to work in the markets in 2003 through a wealth management firm and stockbroker, however it was not until the pandemic that 'she got the investing bug' and began trading through a stocks and shares ISA.During the pandemic she became increasingly frustra

All the meetings requisitioned by Saba at UK investment trusts are now done and dusted and the scorecard makes sobering reading for the US activist hedge fund ? trusts seven, Saba nil.That doesn't mean there is room for complacency on the part of the investment trust industry, as Saba has shone a spotlight on issues around performance and persistent discounts to NAV (net asset value) which aren't

London's FTSE 100 powered higher on Thursday afternoon, setting a new record high, after the Bank of England announced an interest rate cut.The BoE announced a 25 basis point reduction to bank rate to 4.50% from 4.75%. The move was expected.The FTSE 100 index added 129.37 points, 1.5%, at 8,752.66. The index set a record high shortly after the decision. The FTSE 250 surged 354.87 points, 1.2%, at

Long-term supply agreement reached with AmazonConfident in meeting full year expectationsBloomsbury shares up 43% over the past yearShares in Bloomsbury (BMY) were up over 2% to 670p in early morning trading as the publishing group said it had reached a new long-term supply agreement with Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ).The company also reaffirmed confidence in meeting consensus market expectations for the y

Stock prices in London were mostly lower at midday on Thursday, ahead of US jobless figures, while the European Central Bank's next rate call due next Thursday is getting closer.'The FTSE 100's strong start to 2025 is starting to lose some momentum,' commented AJ Bell's Russ Mould, adding: 'In London, retailers were on the back foot with some recent measures of UK consumer confidence suggesting th

I have worked in the public sector for most of my life and since I retired, I am receiving a pension. I also have a small SIPP which I have not yet touched.My husband has a good pension of his own plus his state pension. When I die he will receive my share of our joint assets and will have enough money to live on.Instead of leaving my small SIPP to him when I die, I would like to pass it onto char

Key UK retailers ended Thursday firmly in the red but calmer bond markets and rising commodity prices helped keep blue-chip stocks in the green.The FTSE 100 index ended up 68.66 points, 0.8%, at 8,319.69. The FTSE 250 climbed 52.90 points, 0.3%, at 20,005.14, bouncing from an intra-day low of 19,733.12. The AIM All-Share ended down 0.15 of a point, 0.1%, at 719.96.The Cboe UK 100 closed up 0.8% at

The FTSE 100 opened in the red on Tuesday morning, as the shortened final day of trading for the year kicked off with some trepidation.Stocks in New York struggled on Monday, trade in Asian equities was unconvincing, and the nerves fed through to Europe on New Year's Eve.The FTSE 100 index opened down 8.35 points, 0.1%, at 8,112.66. It is up 5.0% for the year.The FTSE 250 was up just 9.64 points a

Bloomsbury (BMY) 700pMarket cap: £571 million Publishing group Bloomsbury (BMY) is a pandemic winner which has kept on winning since Covid.Lockdown saw people rediscover their love of reading, and the company has tapped into and exploited through successful marketing some popular trends in fiction which have helped drive a big increase in returns.That has meant Bloomsbury's return on capital empl

Investors in fantasy and fiction publisher Bloomsbury (BMY) are living in a dream world at the moment as the group continues to book double-digit annual growth in both sales and earnings and raise its outlook, sending its shares to a record high of 758p.For the first half to the end of August, revenue grew 32% to a record £180 million and profit leapt 50% to £26.6 million, partly due to the incl

Stocks in London recovered to close Monday in the green, as all eyes look to the UK budget to come on Wednesday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 36.78 points, or 0.5%, at 8,285.62. The FTSE 250 ended up 15.19 points, or 0.1%, at 20,835.10, and the AIM All-Share closed down 0.2%, or 1.57 points, at 721.10.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.5% at 830.25, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.3% at 18,385.28, and the Cboe

Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust (MNP) 375pMarket cap: £241.2 millionFalling inflation and a rate cutting cycle mean better times are ahead for Martin Currie Global Portfolio Trust (MNP), a collection of high-quality growth companies with strong cash flows and robust balance sheets managed by Zehrid Osmani.Higher rates have whipped up headwinds for the long-duration growth stocks favoured by

Shares in Cheltenham-based thermal energy management and fluid technology firm Spirax Group (SPX) hit a five-year low this week, trading even below the level they reached at the peak of the pandemic sell-off, after its latest capital markets event failed to spark enthusiasm.The FTSE 100 group, whose shares are down 33% this year, making them one of the worst performers in the index, is guiding for

Next CEO sells £29 million sharesDunelm founder's son sells 10 million sharesHollywood Bowl director sells 275,000 sharesSimon Wolfson, CEO of clothing retailer Next (NXT) has sold three tranches of shares during the period 20 to 24 September.Wolfson sold 204,349 shares at £100.65 for a total value of £20,568,376; 57,962 shares at £101.57 at a total value of £5,887.051 and 27,689 at £100.04

Stocks in London closed higher on Thursday, as China's ongoing stimulus measures continued to buoy risk sentiment.Miners continued to rise, while luxury retail also moved higher again, boosting the CAC 40 in Paris. Travel stocks joined in on the rally, after a bullish update from a US peer.Share price falls for oil majors kept a lid on the FTSE 100's progress, however.The FTSE 100 index closed up

6.2 million passengers for Wizz Air, up 1%8% rise in passengers for RyanairRyanair reports load factor of 96% in AugustEuropean budget carrier Wizz Air (WIZZ) reported a record 6.2 million passenger numbers for August despite operated seat capacity being down 0.4% year-on-year due to the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine-related groundings.Wizz Air has seen a large number of aircraft grounded thanks to t

West Country engineering firm Spirax Group (SPX) is being shunned by investors after its first-half results.The numbers themselves were pretty disappointing but more damaging was the downgraded guidance for 2024 and the implications this has for 2025. The company moved from mid-to-high-single-digit growth to mid-single-digit growth in revenue and from modest margin growth to flat margins. The comp

Stock prices in London opened in the green on Tuesday, as the UK unemployment rate fell against expectations while wage growth decelerated to its lowest level in two years.The FTSE 100 index opened up 33.29 points, or 0.4%, at 8,243.73. The FTSE 250 was up 17.80 points, or 0.1%, at 20,694.99, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.23 points, or 0.2%, at 768.22.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.3% at 822.50, the Cboe