The UK market has a long tradition of collective investing in smaller companies, which means there is a wide range of funds and trusts available to investors looking for broad exposure rather than to pick individual stocks themselves.There are two dozen trusts listed on the Association of Investment Companies website, with a combined market cap of around £6 billion, while the Investment Associati

2024 targets confirmedCash-flow forecast raised2025 outlook 'resilient'On an off-day for markets, with the FTSE 100 and the All-Share down 1%, facilities management group Serco (SRP) was a rare bright spot following its year-end trading update.The shares gained 8p or 6% to 147p, erasing much of their losses over the last month and indeed year-to-date. SOLID 2024 PERFORMANCEThe group, which

Funds inevitably have their up and downs in performance. When a fund has gone through a particularly poor spell, does this represent a buying opportunity for investors in the expectation it will bounce back to form?Likewise for existing investors, should they stick or twist? Fortunately, there are lots of studies from the institutional fund management world which provide answers to that question a

At the start of 2024, I speculated that interest rate cuts could lead to takeovers involving bigger companies than the type of deals seen in 2023. While the rate-cut journey still remains in its infancy for the UK and other key geographies, the predicted wave of large-cap takeovers is firmly in motion. It's a reminder there is value on the UK market in droves.There have been bids or expressions of

Total contract value $320 millionSpace base near the North PoleCritical work on energy networkOutsourcing and facilities management group Serco (SRP) scored another win with the US military in the form of a four-year contract to modernise a space base 750 miles inside the Arctic Circle for a cool $320 million.The shares, which fell sharply at the start of August after the firm posted a drop in fir

Stock prices in Europe were mildly higher on Thursday morning, as investors await the start of the Jackson Hole conference on Thursday which could indicate clues on the trajectory of US interest rates.Amongst individual stocks, JD Sports Fashion saw its shares jump, after updating shareholders on its second quarter growth. Eckoh also took some of the spotlight, after receiving a takeover offer fro

First half tops expectationsFull-year guidance increasedMedium-term targets maintainedInvestors in Serco (SRP) received a pleasant surprise as the business services group revealed first-half profits were 'ahead of plan' and full-year profits, free cash flow and leverage would all be better than previously expected.The shares, which had drifted off their highs in the last couple of months, tacked o

The end of the tax year is fast approaching and with it the opportunity to maximise your £20,000 ISA allowance for the year.In this article we have identified six names from a list of some of the most consistent funds and fund managers in the UK which could be a good fit for your tax wrapper. While we have aimed for a balance across different investment styles and asset classes this is not intend

Bunzl raises profit target againCapita and Serco orders growDriver the day?s star turnOn a good day for markets in general, UK business services firms were feeling the love after posting positive trading updates.Half a dozen firms, from FTSE 100 distributor Bunzl (BNZL) to FTSE 250 outsourcer Serco (SRP) and staffing firm SThree (STEM) all the way down to tiddlers Capita (CPI), Driver (DRV) and RM

First half bolstered by organic growth and acquisitionsDefence and immigration services drive upgradeFull year earnings now seen risingInvestors in unloved outsourcing specialist Serco Group (SRP) were jumping for joy on news the firm was increasing its full year profit guidance after a stronger-than-expected first half.The shares, which earlier this week were plumbing 12-month lows around 135p, l

- Lok'nStore director cashes in on strong performance- IHG chair increases stake- Serco CEO sells shares to meet Australian tax liabilitiesAndrew Jacobs, chairman of self-storage firm Lok'nStore (LOK:AIM), has sold £10 million worth of shares to meet demand for stock from institutional investors. He is still left with nearly 4.4 million shares, equal to 14.5% of the company.The disposal follows h

Optimism that the UK economy may not be as weak as once feared has lifted numerous UK stocks so far in 2023. Yet many investment trusts continue to trade at wide discounts to their net asset values - both relating to UK stocks and overseas ones. It means their share prices are worth less than the value of the investments in their portfolios.According to Winterflood data, the average investment tru

Achieving decent returns has been difficult in 2022 as shareholders in many investment trusts have found to their cost. According to data from the Association of Investment Companies, the average one-year share price total return from all trusts (excluding venture capital trusts) is -13.7%.However, several trusts have really stood out from their sector peers this year. In this article we highlight

There is no question this year has been an extraordinarily difficult one for many companies, who have had to cope with a sharp rise in both operating and financial costs as energy and labour prices have jumped and interest rates have gone up.It is therefore not such a surprise that FTSE 100 chief executives are leaving in record numbers, with over a dozen either having moved already this year or d

It is one thing for analysts to forecast which stocks and sectors will do well in a rising-rate or inflationary environment, but when it actually comes to pass it's always fascinating to see what works in practice.Judging by the list of stocks making 12-month highs over the past week, those who favoured real assets were on the money.Standing tall are 3i Infrastructure (3IN), AEW UK REIT (AEWU), GC

UK stocks regained some of their earlier losses on Thursday but closed in the red as the debate around the potential economic damage caused by Omicron intensified.US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen weighed in on the debate by saying the new variant could slow the global economy and cause significant problems.Meanwhile oil prices rallied around 1.5% after the OPEC+ oil producers' cartel said they w

UK stocks remained in deep negative territory at midday Thursday as investment sentiment continued to suffer from worries over the Omicron variant and US central bank plans to increase its pace of tapering. Investors were also watching energy prices ahead of a meeting of OPEC+ oil producers, which it is hoped will lead to an increase in supplies after the U.S. and others released crude from their

Support services firm Serco (SRP) gained 1.6% to 135.9p as it stuck with its 2021 forecasts and issued 2022 guidance in line with analysts' consensus estimates.The company updated the market ahead of a capital markets day at which it will outline expectations to deliver revenue growth of 4% to 6% from 2022 onwards, improve its margins by as much as 1% to 6% and convert at least 80% of its operatin

UK stocks dropped in early trading after a selloff in overseas markets following the first case of the Omicron variant in the U.S. and a warning from technology firm Apple that demand for its latest iPhone had weakened.Meanwhile, investors were also watching energy prices ahead of an meeting of OPEC+ oil producers, which it is hoped will lead to an increase in supplies after the U.S. and others re

UK stocks recovered from their intraday weakness to close marginally higher, despite a rise in sterling as expectations grow of a rise in official interest rates at next month's Bank of England meeting.At the close on Monday the FTSE 100 index was 4 points to the good at 7,352 points with financial stocks offsetting a sluggish mining sector following the COP26 climate conference.Brent crude prices