The FTSE 100 index ended Friday's session in negative territory falling 0.91% to 6963.64 below the psychologically critical 7,000 level. The FTSE 250 index fared marginally better, remaining in positive territory up 0.1% at 23,658.14.Two main factors contributed to this decidedly mixed performance. First, the UK market was uninspired by the latest UK retail sales volumes for August which showed a

The FTSE 100 index dipped into negative territory during midday trading on Friday, softening by 0.2% to 7,0111.79. In contrast the FTSE 250 Index fared better trading 0.4% higher at 23,735.41.The UK market was uninspired by the latest UK retail sales volumes for August which showed a 0.9% decline from July. This compared with a consensus forecast of a 0.5% rise.According to the ONS report 6.5% of

Shares in boutique hostels company Safestay (SSTY:AIM) jumped 16% to 23.2p after putting itself up for sale amid a strategic review of the business.The board has revealed it received an early stage and 'highly conditional' approach for the business and in order to maximise value for existing shareholders it unanimously decided to undertake a strategic review of the business.Chairman Larry Lipman c

London's FTSE 100 firmed 0.36% to 7,052.58 on Friday, while the FTSE 250 improved 0.53% to 23,758.83, as steadying Asian markets and a potential easing of UK travel restrictions provided the backdrop for some decent gains heading into the weekend.Airlines and other stocks whose fortunes are tied to the travel industry, including International Consolidated Airlines (IAG), TUI (TUI) and WH Smith (SM

UK markets closed on Monday firmly in positive territory buoyed by new hopes that a leading Covid-19 vaccine contender could be approved for use in the next couple of months, while takeover speculation added a little extra spice.The benchmark FTSE 100 ended the session 1.7% higher at 6,104.73, led by a 7% jump for BT (BT.A), at 109p.The strong rally for the UK telco came following reports over the

UK markets rallied strongly through the morning session on Monday, buoyed by new hopes that a leading Covid-19 vaccine contender could be approved for use in the next couple of months, and takeover speculation.At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE 100 was up 1.85% at 6,112.93, led by the near-6% jump for BT (BT.A), at 107.5p.The strong rally came following reports over the weekend that suggested the tele

UK markets staged a firm rally in early trading on Monday, following Asian markets higher and clawing back some of the heavy losses chalked-up last week.At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up close on 2.7% at 6,756.35, while the mid cap FTSE 250 is also around 2.5% higher at 19,803.06.However, by midday those gains had been entirely wiped out with the FTSE 100 dipping 0.5% to 6,546.61. The FT

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 (£530m).Procee

Boutique hostel Safestay (SSTY:AIM) looks set for another leap in revenue in 2016 after launching a new internet booking platform, enhancing its food offering and boosting occupancy at its underperforming York branch.The £19.6 million cap more than doubled its revenue from £1.9 million to £4 million in 2015 and claims it can do the samein 2016.Its new internet booking platform enables it to off

UK hotels have witnessed a stellar couple of years with London occupancy at its highest level for a decade and double digit RevPAR (revenue per available room) growth in several regional cities. With demand still outstripping supply we think the prospects for stocks like Whitbread (WTB) and PPHE Hotel (PPH) are very promising.Did you know? London is the most Googled city in the worldRewarding regi

Safestay (SSTY:AIM) 58.5pLoss to date: 7.1%Original entry price: 63p, 23 Dec 2014Boutique hotel Safestay (SSTY:AIM) has been readmitted to trading after announcing an open offer of shares priced at 62p to raise £9.3 million, plus an £8.5 million debt facility, to acquire a 615-bed hostel in Edinburgh for £14.9 million.The hostel provides student accommodation during the academic year via a 12-y

London stocks ease lower in early trade on Monday ahead of a busy week that will include important data for the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve in deciding when to increase interest rates. The FTSE 100 index slides around 17 points, or 0.3%, to 6,532, with midcaps also lower, the FTSE 250 down 15 points, or 0.1%, at 17,606.In company news, British plumbing supplies company Wolseley (WOS) t

Safestay (SSTY:AIM) 69pGain to date: 9.5%Original entry price: 63p, 23 Dec 2014Shares in boutique hostel Safestay (SSTY:AIM) have been temporarily suspended pending two large acquisitions. It is trying to buy a UK hostel for approximately £14.9 million and a property in Milan for £6.3 million. Safestay says Milan enjoys strong tourist numbers but is low on budget accommodation.Both acquisitions

London shares creep a fraction higher in early trade on Thursday as investors sigh with relief as inflation risks diminish. The market had feared an early interest rate hike but these worries seem to have been over-egged. The benchmark FTSE 100 stays roughly flat at 6,671, showing a very modest 6 points improvement, moves largely matched by both the midcaps FTSE 250 index and the wider market FTSE

The UK enjoyed a record number of visitors to its shores last year but the relative weakness of the euro against the pound could see this changing in 2015. Leisure stocks like Merlin Entertainments (MERL) and PPHE Hotel (PPH) get a substantial proportion of their revenue from eurozone visitors, putting their profit forecasts at risk.Number crunchAccording to data from Visit Britain the number of v

Whisper it quietly: spin-offs are the City's best-kept secret. Investing in the shares of demerged businesses has delivered market-beating performance in all but the harshest market environments.US fund manager Joel Greenblatt at Gotham Capital made his fortune in the 1980s and 1990s relying heavily on the strategy. He claimed indiscriminately buying demerged securities in the US delivered annual

Budget accommodation provider EasyHotel (EZH:AIM) looks set to ramp up its expansion plans following the acquisition of a freehold site in Liverpool last week.The group is converting the four upper floors of an office building on Castle Street into a 68-bedroom hotel, which is expected to open in spring 2016 at a total cost of around £3 million.Since floating on AIM in June 2014 EasyHotel's share

Safestay (SSTY:AIM) 70.5pGain to date: 11.9%Original entry price: 63p (23 Dec '14)Our bullish call on boutique hostel Safestay (SSTY:AIM) is being rewarded with strong gains and we see plenty of room for more over the next 12 coming months.The £13.6 million cap's maiden full-year results (13 April) show revenue at its Elephant & Castle hostel increased by 19.8% to £2.3 million in 2014 with reve

RESULTS > MONDAY 13 APRIL > FINALSSafestay (SSTY:AIM) 71pInvestors should expect increased revenue and profit from premium hostel Safestay (SSTY:AIM) when it reports full-year results on 13 April. The £13.7 million cap's interim results, which were published on 10 September, showed revenue of £502,000 and pre-tax profit of £137,000 but they only included trading from 29 January to 30 June 2

It's that time of year again when we add up the numbers for the past 12 months and reveal our new stock selections for the year ahead. In a nutshell, our 2014 stocks achieved 5.9% average return (excluding dividends) versus a 3.9% decline in the FTSE All-Share over the same period.Such is tradition, late December sees financial and business magazines, newspapers and websites make bold calls on the