UK high street enduringLow ticket leisure a winnerValue retail showing resilienceMany have sounded the death knell for the UK high street, notably during the Covid crisis as retail trends shifted towards online shopping. Yet, the high street has endured amid the consumer's persistent demand for physical retail.And despite many high street stocks successfully adapting to this evolving retail market

1. Tariffs: President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he will impose new tariffs on three of America's leading trading partners. He plans to sign an executive order placing 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico on day one of his presidency, with an additional 10% on goods from China. This is on top of earlier plans for 60% tariffs on China and 10%-20% on all other imports to the Un

It may have had a tough time of late but consumer electronics and technology hardware outfit Samsung (005930:KRX) still dominates the South Korean market.If you include the preference shares it has a near-30% weighting in the MSCI Korea index. However, there are some other interesting businesses beyond Samsung. Number two is SK Hynix (000660:KRX) which is one of the world's largest semiconductor v

Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and calls from incoming US president Donald Trump for NATO members to increase defence spending as a percentage of national income will continue to provide a tailwind for the defence sector.AIM-quoted Cohort (CHRT:AIM) is well positioned to benefit from an increase in defence spending and at the first-half results on 11 December, the group disclosed

In terms of an early Christmas present, the UK market received its very own 'secret Santa' gift last month with the first net inflow into funds invested in UK stocks since April 2021.According to data from consultants Calastone, fund flows turned positive in November after record outflows in October and a negative run lasting 41 consecutive months.Admittedly, the £317 million of net buying was a

Next year should prove a sweet one for Treatt (TET) and its shareholders. The extracts-to-ingredients supplier has the recipe for long-term growth and many of the hallmarks of a high-quality company including an unwavering focus on innovation, strong cash generation and double-digit returns on both equity and capital employed.Well-placed to profit as its end-markets recover from an unhelpful spell

Strange as it may sound, the pandemic turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the auction industry as it forced firms to join the 21st century and offer an online service.Whereas previously many small auction houses were limited to the number of buyers they could accommodate due to lack of physical space, today they can not only tap into their local market but a whole army of online punters at

Stocks in London were mixed after opening higher on Wednesday, as UK inflation data increased the chances of the Bank of England holding rates steady tomorrow.The FTSE 100 index closed up just 3.91 points at 8,199.11. The FTSE 250 ended 59.13 points higher, 0.3%, at 20,601.99, and the AIM All-Share gave back 2.62 points, 0.4%, at 719.42.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.1% at 822.61, the Cboe UK 250 ro

Stocks in Europe were mostly higher at midday Wednesday, with UK inflation reaching an eight-month high but not forcing 'shares in interest rate-sensitive sectors' to retreat.In UK and European news, the UK consumer prices index rose by 2.6% in the year to November, picking up pace from a 2.3% rise in year to October and in line with FXStreet-cited market consensus. The closely watched CPI service

Firm cites 'very challenging' tradingUnviable stores set to closeDiscounter to pass final dividendStruggling footwear retailer Shoe Zone (SHOE:AIM) has halved its current-year profit guidance and plans to pass the final dividend for the year ended 28 September 2024 after experiencing 'very challenging trading conditions' since the Budget.Combined with increased costs also stemming from the Budget,

UK indices were down at the close on Tuesday, as Bunzl warned deflation will have a impact on profitability.The FTSE 100 index closed down 66.85 points, 0.8%, at 8,195.20. The FTSE 250 ended 270.17 points lower, 1.3%, at 20,542.86, and the AIM All-Share gave back 7.45 points, 1.0%, at 722.04.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.7% at 823.10, the Cboe UK 250 fell 1.4% at 18,067.65, and the Cboe Small Compa

Pre-tax profit jumps over 50%Firm cites higher-margin ordersOutstanding long-term returnsPrecision engineering firm Goodwin (GDWN) was the standout performer by a country mile on a grey day for the UK market, posting a strong increase in six-month earnings and orders.The shares, which were up 12% year-to-date head of today's report, jumped as much as £12.40 or 18% to £80 before settling up £7.7

Shares down 55% over five yearsBoard lacks 'sense of urgency'Shareholder requests boardroom refreshMarked down 55% over the past five years, Johnson Matthey's (JMAT) unloved shares jumped 5% to £14.20 after Standard Investments called for a strategic review which could include the sale of 'part or all' of the challenged specialty chemicals company.The FTSE 250 firm's largest shareholder with an 1

Stock prices in Europe were mostly lower on Monday morning, as UK consumer confidence deteriorated while France's credit rating received a downgrade from Moody's.China's retail sales growth weakened last month, missing forecasts as demand remains muted in the world's number two economy.Retail sales expanded 3% year-on-year in November, the National Bureau of Statistics said, slowing from a 4.8% ri

European stocks were higher heading into Friday afternoon, shaking off disappointing UK data, while Paris shares were up after a new prime minister was named.The FTSE 100 index traded up 12.74 points, 0.2%, at 8,324.50. The FTSE 250 was up 23.30 points, 0.1%, at 20,972.34, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.59 points, 0.2%, at 735.97.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.2% higher at 835.95, the Cboe UK 250 was up

Markets 'challenging and unpredictable'US disruption and Korea destockingWax Lyrical performance improvingShares in British ceramics maker and homewares retailer Portmeirion (PMP:AIM) plunged 17% to a 10-year low of 170p on a warning annual profits will fall significantly short of forecasts, primarily due to delays getting stock into the US in time for the Christmas and destocking in South Korea.W

The UK stock market has performed robustly over the past year, with several companies standing out significantly. In this article, we will examine the top-performing large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap stocks of 2024, dissected across four different market valuation categories.£5 BILLION+ MARKET CAPAfter a stellar 2023, aeronautical engineer Rolls-Royce (RR.) has once again rallied hard during 2024

Dividends are a key component of successful investing whether taken as an income to support retirement or reinvested to compound future total returns.With interest rates set to fall as inflation is gradually brought back under control dividend yields will become more competitive as a source of income compared with income from cash and bonds.In this article we scour the FTSE 350 for the companies w

Predicting what will happen to the global economy and markets over the next 12 months is hard enough at the best of times, but with Trump's election victory on 5 November that job has become even more difficult.As Deutsche Bank's head of global economics and thematics Jim Reid put it, the outlook is no longer 'business as usual' which opens up a much wider range of potential outcomes for the globa

Some of the most successful businesses of our time (and all time in fairness) are effective monopolies (or perhaps part of a duopoly or triopoly) with such dominant market positions they are able to enjoy significant pricing power and generate above-average margins and returns on investment.This type of situation can be overturned in two main ways: either competition emerges, attracted by the retu