Mega cap tech earnings will kick-off next week and cloud computing growth, AI applications, profit margins and regulations will be key pointers. Big tech has been crucial in driving US markets higher in recent years and so setting a positive tone for the year ahead will be crucial.The so-called 'Magnificent Seven' stocks ? Alphabet (GOOG:NASDAQ), Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ), Apple (AAPL:NASDAQ), Meta Pla

Streaming giant Netflix (NFLX:NASDAQ) made waves last year as it piled into live sports for the first time, inking blockbuster deals with WWE and the NFL, and viewers followed, adding 22.4 million net new subscribers as of the third quarter, its best year since 2020.It helped seed an 85% share-price surge last year and shareholders are excited about 2025 prospects, as the company readies to report

Some years ago, a UK technology supplier listed in London was quietly acquired by defence contractor BAE Systems (BA.). The £538 million buyout price was small, yet Detica, as it was called, had developed a reputation for providing its services to international militaries and intelligence communities, including GCHQ, the UK's national intelligence centre.The nature of its hush-hush work often put

Automotive parts supplier hit by slowing EV volumesBuybacks no substitute for business growthStock drifts to around 60p, half its Melrose spin-out levelThere are a many reasons why global electric vehicles markets are in a slump ? still pricey compared to petrol engine versions, reduced, or axed government subsidies for buyers, renewed interest for hybrids, are some of them.The problem is, the mot

With the UK economy seemingly headed for a 'soft landing' and interest rates set to fall at some point this year, more adventurous investors will be looking to add a little more risk to their portfolios.Given the UK market, and the mid-cap space in particular, is widely acknowledged to be cheap, the passive option would be to buy a mid-cap ETF (exchange-traded fund) such as the iShares FTSE 250 (M

Wall Street beat in Q2Higher capex incoming as Meta seeds AI soil$590 target price slapped on stockAll gardeners know you plant seeds today to reap a harvest tomorrow and it's what Facebook-owner Meta Platforms (META:NASDAQ) is doing with AI (artificial intelligence). Yes, it means higher capex now, but the rewards down the line could be considerable.Investors seems to understand this, which is wh

Announcing a new share buyback programme has been one way to trigger a share price boost. The ease at which companies have made such capital allocation decisions has naturally caught the attention of politicians, thus buybacks are increasingly a target for tax collectors.Joe Biden has already pushed through a 1% tax on buybacks in the US and wants to raise that level to 4% if he gets a second term

New AI-powered contracts see stock leap overnightNew deals struck with Microsoft/OpenAI and AlphabetNews lifts mood despite mild miss on Q4 earnings/revenuesIf you can put up a convincing story that AI-powered opportunities will seed exciting future growth investors seem willing to forgive even when near-term earnings turn sour. That seems to be the case for Oracle (ORCL:NASDAQ), which jumped 9% o

Chemicals companies produce the compounds used in a huge variety of different industrial and consumer products across sectors which include agriculture, healthcare, technology, aerospace, sports, leisure and beauty.The breadth of the industry?s focus means its fortunes are closely tied to the economy and movements in GDP as well as volatility in raw material prices and energy costs.In 2023 the sec

They say you can lead a horse to water but you can?t make it drink, however that?s exactly what we are trying to do with this week?s cover story on the compelling value being offered in UK stocks right now.We may be sowing our seed on stony ground ? indeed according to figures from one newspaper there has been a £2.5 billion outflow of money from UK funds and trusts in the last four months compar

There is no hotter area to invest in today than artificial intelligence, or AI as it is commonly known, and there is no hotter stock to buy than Super Micro Computer (SMCI:NASDAQ). But should you? In 2024 to date the shares are up 219.1%, notwithstanding a recent wobble, leaving the market cap topping $50 billion. That?s after clocking up 246% returns in 2023. Put another way, on 30 December 2022,

Mega-cap tech stocks drove the bulk of US stock market gains in 2023, but can the so-called ?Magnificent Seven? repeat the trick in 2024?While the odds seem stacked against a re-run of last year?s blistering capital returns over the next 12 months, Shares believes that the ?Magnificent Seven? will continue to beat S&P 500 rivals and top index averages. If you want high-quality growth in your portf

Can investors expect slumping stocks to bounce back? The obvious answer to this question is, it depends which stocks, and why they slumped. Share prices fall for many reasons. Some remain unloved, cast aside by equity markets like sodden paper bags. Others recover, fixing perceived problems and re-emerging from the equities' emergency room.Digging around the debris of past disasters is what so-cal

Database and software giant a major player in new AI worldPowerful innovation at heart of investment story$15-plus billion revenue boost over next few yearsIt's been a quite a ride for Oracle (ORCL:NYSE) this year, shares in the database monster rallying 22% so far even after September's sharp rebasing. That's twice the return of the S&P 500 although not quite as strong as the Nasdaq Composite's 2

I am 76 years' old and retired. My retirement income is the state pension, a small SIPP, dividends and interest.Can I pay £2,880 per annum into my pension and get £720 back from HMRC?BillTom Selby, AJ Bell Head of Retirement Policy, says:Although theoretically there is no limit on the amount you can contribute to a pension each year, in practice tax relief is controlled by government in several

Obesity is one of the fastest growing public health issues facing the world. The World Health Organisation estimates there are two billion overweight adults, of which around 650 million are technically obese.Having a body mass index over 30 means someone is obese, while anyone with a score over 25 is classified under this system as being overweight. Experts predict almost half of US adults will be

EMIS (EMIS:AIM) £19.08Gain to date: 39%Readers who backed our recent arbitrage call on EMIS (EMIS:AIM) should be feeling pretty chuffed having banked a rough 39% in five weeks, and we called it spot on.We said at the time (6 Jul) that this investment pitch was 'a little different to the sort of investment ideas Shares typically presents to readers,' but having paid-off much like we said it might,

How worried should you be about Chinese property developer Country Garden suspending trading in some bonds and potentially defaulting on payments?To many investors the fortunes of a single real estate firm on the other side of the world might not seem that material. However, Country Garden's woes are reflective of wider issues and we have been here before with China's property market.Eight years a

Fund managers see India emerging as a consumer powerhouseObvious manufacturing and supply chain China alternativeValuations are challenging after strong stock market performanceFor a decade or more China has been the world's growth powerhouse, but India is on the rise, and analysts and fund managers aplenty believe it will become the next emerging market superstar.'Broadly, we think India is an at

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Jason Baggaley, Investment Manager, abrdn Property Income Trust Limited abrdn Property Income Trust has embarked on a reforestation projectThe project includes reforestation, peatland restoration and biodiversity improvementsIt should improve air quality, flood mitigation and enhance the natural landscapeThe UK commercial property sector is a significant contributor