Encouraging start for small caps trustHulse sees value opportunity in UK small capsWindward?s potential excitesShares in Onward Opportunities (ONWD:AIM) rose 1.5% to 111.5p after the smaller companies-focused trust reported an 11.3% NAV (net asset value) total return to 106.5p for the nine months from its March 2023 IPO (initial public offering) to the end of December.That performance compares...

It?s something of a rarity to find a housebuilding company whose shares are hitting new 12-month highs but regional developer Springfield Properties (SPR:AIM) is flying high after its first-half trading update.The firm, which builds new homes in evocative locations such as Elgin and Inverness rather than focusing on Edinburgh and Glasgow, said it had seen increasing homebuyer confidence since...

The deadline for using up this tax year's £20,000 ISA allowance is fast approaching. You have until 5 April to use it or lose it, so now is the time to think about topping up your account.Clearly there are reasons to be nervous as an investor amid rising inflation and tensions in Ukraine, but you do have the option of putting cash into an investment ISA now and sitting on it until you're...

Over the last decade UK shares have lagged their global counterparts, in part thanks to the disruption from Brexit, and that is reflected in the performance of the UK All Companies funds sector. A recent shift in the market towards value suggests it could be time for this space to play catch up.Funds in the category have a pretty broad remit, beyond having 80% of their assets in UK stocks and...

In the first of a two-part series Shares talks to a range of fund managers about the stocks they like for 2022. Covering both UK and overseas markets, the experts offer a range of ideas spanning technology and banking to leisure and automotive sectors.The second part of the series (to be published on 23 December) will reveal a selection of fund managers' biggest disappointments for 2021 and...

'Form is temporary, class is permanent' runs the old adage often used to describe sportsmen and sportswomen, though the maxim can also be applied in the investment industry, where you'll find a cohort of collectives that consistently do the business for their holders.Funds that routinely outperform over economic and stock market cycles must be pursuing a winning process that should pique the...

The double-digit discount to net asset at Henderson Opportunities Trust (HOT) looks unjustified given its long-term track record.Trading 14.7% below its NAV, the investment trust has delivered a total return of 318.5% over the last 10 years.This puts it near the top of the AIC's UK All Companies category in terms of performance and yet it offers the largest discount.A focus on UK value...

UK stocks represent a 'once in a generation' opportunity for investors, say fund managers. After years dogged by political and economic uncertainty, and soggy stock market performance, this is a welcome change of mood music.'UK equities are on a 30 year low versus peers, and we see this as a once in a generation opportunity to get involved in some fantastic businesses,' said Rory Bateman,...

London's FTSE 100 opened higher on the first trading day of June, buoyed by resources plays as global recovery hopes drove further rises in commodities prices.By 8.30 am, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 0.5% at 7,057.54 points with mining giants BHP (BHP), Glencore (GLEN) and Rio Tinto (RIO) leading blue chip gains, rising 2.8% to £21.83, 2.7% to 330p and 3.4% to £62.67 respectively.News...

The FTSE 100 was up 0.2% to 7,542.81 with sterling remaining under pressure on the revelation the new Conservative government plans to legislate against an extension to the Brexit transition period.Education group Pearson (PSON) gained 3% to 663p on news that it had agreed to sell its remaining 25% stake in book publisher Penguin Random House to partner Bertelsmann for around $675m...

All economies experience recurring and fluctuating levels of economic activity over time, with the five main stages of the business cycle running as follows: growth, peak, recession, trough and recovery.The business cycle is usually replicated in the stock market with the market going up when the economy is growing and going down when it is contracting.Different types of stocks tend to perform...

October and November are on course to be two of the busiest months for new stock market entrants this year. By my calculations there are 12 confirmed IPOs (initial public offerings) about to happen on the UK stock market and rumours of nearly another 20 companies set to float in the coming months or early in 2018.The past few weeks has already seen numerous companies list on either London's...