The FTSE 100 reached a new all-time high on Friday, with stocks comfortably in the green at midday, after sound fourth quarter growth data from China, which beat the consensus.The FTSE 100 index was up 99.25 points, 1.2%, at 8,491.24. It had earlier reached a new intra-day high of 8,496.42.The FTSE 250 was 36.40 points higher, 0.2%, at 20,564.10, and the AIM All-Share advanced 1.87 points, 0.3%, a

Oil prices have hit a six-month high amid cold weather and new US sanctions on Russian sales of crude.This is not entirely bad news for the FTSE 100 given the heavy weighting of oil giants BP (BP.) and Shell (SHEL) in the index, but not for nothing is oil known as a tax on economic growth.Higher prices are likely to feed into higher inflation, which will only reinforce assumptions about interest r

The FTSE 100 closed lower on Monday, but above early lows, as bond yields continued to creep up and analysts predicted the end of the US rate cutting cycle.The FTSE 100 index closed down 24.30 points, 0.3%, at 8,224.19. The blue-chip index had fallen as low as 8,192.31.The FTSE 250 ended 15.57 points lower, 0.1%, at 19,718.37, and the AIM All-Share shed 3.99 points, 0.6%, at 709.39.The Cboe UK 100

London's blue chip index edged upwards on Wednesday as BAE Systems rose amid pressure from Donald Trump on NATO to increase defence spending, but rising bond yields caused volatility elsewhere.The FTSE 100 index ended up 5.75 points, 0.1%, at 8,251.03. The FTSE 250 tumbled 398.13 points, 2.0%, at 19,952.24. The AIM All-Share fell 5.17 points, 0.7%, at 720.11.The Cboe UK 100 closed up slightly at 8

Shares in London were lower at midday on Wednesday as US tariff jitters resurfaced, adding to nervousness caused by surging bond yields.The FTSE 100 index was down 27.54 points, 0.3%, at 8,217.74. The FTSE 250 was down 264.16 points, 1.3%, at 20,086.21, and the AIM All-Share was down 4.22 points, 0.6%, at 721.06.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.4% at 822.92, the Cboe UK 250 was 1.5% lower at 17,494.59,

The FTSE 100 made a tepid-at-best start to trading on Wednesday, with Shell declining after it forecast a weaker fourth-quarter output performance for its Integrated Gas unit.The FTSE 100 index opened down just 0.69 of a point at 8,244.59. The FTSE 250 was down 24.85 points, 0.1%, at 20,325.52, and the AIM All-Share was up just 0.18 of a point at 725.46.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 825.45, the

London's blue chip index was up milder than its peers in Paris and Frankfurt at Monday midday, as UK service sector growth for December was softer than anticipated.As well as Monday's composite and services PMI readings, the first full trading week of 2025 has various jobs data releases from the US culminating in Friday's nonfarm payrolls.More than half of UK companies plan to raise prices by earl

London's FTSE 100 ended lower on Friday, as a sharp sell-off in alcohol makers, spurred by US calls for cancer warning labels on alcoholic beverages, weighed on the index alongside weak housebuilders, despite gains in oil majors Shell and BP and a bright start on Wall Street.The FTSE 100 index ended down 36.11 points, 0.4%, at 8,223.98. The FTSE 250 fell 48.83 points, 0.2%, at 20,591.40. But the A

London's blue chip index was slightly in the red on Friday midday, while US markets are expected to open higher after a weak start on Wall Street on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index traded down 4.69 points, 0.1%, at 8,255.40. The FTSE 250 was down 48.37 points, 0.2%, at 20,591.86, and the AIM All-Share was up just 0.19 of a point at 723.54.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 827.28, the Cboe UK 250 was 0.

London's blue chip index opened in the red on Friday morning, following a healthy start to the new year, after stocks in New York declined on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index opened down 5.86 points, 0.1%, at 8,254.23. The FTSE 250 was down 51.56 points, 0.3%, at 20,588.67, and the AIM All-Share was down just 0.01 of a point at 723.69.The Cboe UK 100 was flat at 827.68, the Cboe UK 250 was 0.1% lower a

London's FTSE 100 started 2025 strong, boosted by retailers on Christmas cheer and gains in miners, despite weak manufacturing data and a falling pound.The FTSE 100 index ended up 87.07 points, 1.1%, at 8,260.09. The FTSE 250 rose 17.62 points, 0.1%, at 20,640.23. The AIM All-Share jumped 4.07 points, 0.6%, at 723.70.The Cboe UK 100 closed up 1.1% at 827.66, the Cboe UK 250 fell 0.2% at 18,028.35,

London's FTSE 100 was in the green at midday on Thursday, as climbing oil and gold prices offset declines for banking and airline firms on the first day of trading in 2025.The FTSE 100 index traded up 9.94 points, 0.1%, at 8,182.96. The FTSE 250 was down 78.07 points, 0.4%, at 20,544.54, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.45 points, 0.3%, at 722.08.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 820.39, the Cboe UK 25

Equities in Europe declined on Monday, in holiday-thinned trade, while declines in New York were more dramatic, with tech stocks bearing the brunt.The FTSE 100 index ended down 28.77 points, 0.4%, at 8,121.01. The FTSE 250 shed 84.10 points, 0.4%, at 20,404.55, and the AIM All-Share lost 0.89 of a point, 0.1%, at 714.23.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.2% at 814.55, the Cboe UK 250 fell 0.4% at 17,858

London's FTSE 100 ended higher in quiet trade on Friday, though gains were more convincing in mainland Europe, shaking off declines in New York.The FTSE 100 index added 12.79 points, 0.2%, at 8,149.78. The FTSE 250 fell 82.86 points, 0.4%, at 20,488.65, and the AIM All-Share ended down 2.21 points, 0.3%, at 715.19.The Cboe UK 100 ended higher at 816.42, the Cboe UK 250 lost 0.5% at 17,930.53, and

I am 67 and currently have a SIPP worth approximately £500,000. Because the favourable IHT regime is now ending I am now considering whether to reduce the amount in my SIPP and look at alternatives.My understanding is that I can take 25% tax free from my SIPP at any point and then the remaining pot is taxed on withdrawal at marginal rates. We do not need the cash immediately as we have other reso

Let's not beat around the bush, January is an awful month. You've just spent a packet on Christmas, your favourite clothes are inexplicably tight, and your efforts to work off a little holiday weight in the gym are hampered by everyone else trying to do exactly the same thing.It's against this backdrop of seasonal wretchedness that HMRC stations its deadline for filling in a tax return, just in ca

FTSE mining stocks on Wednesday were boosted by an uptick in gold prices while the Nasdaq Composite hit an all-time high, topping 20,000 for the first time.A jump in the gold price boosted Endeavour Mining and Fresnillo, while Lloyds Banking Group climbed as the Supreme Court agreed to an appeal brought by motor finance companies regarding car loans.The FTSE 100 index closed up 21.26 points, 0.3%,

The FTSE 100 closed up on Monday, boosted by blue-chip oil firms responding positively to the ousting of long-standing Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad.The FTSE 100 index closed up 43.47 points, 0.5%, at 8,352.08. The FTSE 250 ended down 9.73 points at 21,049.27, and the AIM All-Share closed up 2.63 points, 0.4%, at 740.85.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.5% at 838.25, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.1% at 18,5

The FTSE 100 index closed up on Thursday, with AstraZeneca shares rising on US FDA approval of its Imfinzi treatment.Also on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised a 'relentless focus on delivering for working people' ahead of a major speech setting out targets to measure progress on his government's plans.AJ Bell's Danni Hewson noted: 'The prime minister today said that households will

FTSE 100 mining stocks were boosted on Tuesday amid reports of Chinese economic strategy talks while a host of FTSE 250 constituents saw double-digit share price rises after well-received earnings.The FTSE 100 index rose 46.52 points, 0.6%, at 8,359.41. The FTSE 250 ended 123.69 points higher, 0.6%, at 20,892.74, and the AIM All-Share rose 2.05 points, 0.3%, at 735.09.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.8%