June's larger-than-expected half percentage point interest rate rise has pushed the FTSE 100 index back into negative territory for the year and triggered fears of recession among investors and market observers.Moreover, there seems little doubt the UK central bank will raise rates again at its August meeting, the only question being by how much.'It now appears that interest rates may go...

- Savills chair snaps up shares- Victorian Plumbing founder buys £400,000 worth of stock- Takes stake closer to 50%The chair of Savills (SVS) Nicholas Ferguson snapped up £80,000 worth of shares in the property business.Year-to-date the £1.2 billion market cap has fallen more than 40% and it is down 18% in the last month, caught up in a sell-off in the real estate sector which has been...

According to the Nationwide building society, the average selling price of houses in the UK hit a record £254,822 this month, up more than 10% on the same month last year and the biggest price increase since 2006.Demand has remained surprisingly strong in the final quarter of the year following the tapering of the stamp duty holiday at the end of September, with average prices now 16% above...

The promise of a quick return to form at fast-fashion chain Primark saw investors pile into owner Associated British Foods (ABF) in early trading on Tuesday, but FTSE 100 gains were capped by weakness in UK banks.Barclays (BARC), HSBC (HSBA), Lloyds (LLOY) and NatWest (NWG) were all off by varying degrees.Leading shares have indeed made an underwhelming start as the downbeat mood of the week...

The FTSE 100 dipped slightly on Thursday morning, although it remained above the 7,000 level at 7,118.3, following the UK's easing of travel restrictions for some destinations including France, which will see less people being forced to quarantine on their return to the UK.Strength in utilities and real estate was offset by weakness in miners and consumer non-cyclicals as investors waited for...

The FTSE 100 continued its decline throughout Thursday morning, falling below the 6,000 mark as investor hopes of a V-shaped economic recovery were dampened by the Bank of England.The central bank said the British economy would not recover its end-2019 size until the end of next year, later than its earlier estimate of a recovery by the second half of 2021.In its policy decision, the central...

UK stock markets fell sharply in opening trading on Thursday after the Bank of England forecast a slower-than-expected rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic, while Glencore's (GLEN) dividend cut and several heavy hitters going ex-dividend dragged on markets.The benchmark FTSE 100 dropped nearly 1.5% in early trading to 6,018.33 as investors retreated from equities, following a weak end to the...

UK share markets dropped sharply for the second day running on Thursday as the latest round of corporate earnings reports underlined the hit from the Covid-19 pandemic, with lender Non-Standard Finance (NSF) crashing after warning of going concern risks.The benchmark FTSE 100 fell 1.3% and the mid-cap FTSE 250 1.4%, tracking a slide in global equity markets on fears of more disruptions to...

The property sector is facing its biggest test since the 2016 Brexit vote, with the coronavirus pandemic leading to a new wave of property fund suspensions, dividends being cut and a collapse in valuations.People have been left to question if investing in commercial property is still a viable option and whether it can be relied on for income in the same way as before.However, not all parts of...

The FTSE 100 dropped sharply in opening trade as banks were told to suspend dividends and buybacks, while investors also brace for a likely global recession as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.The UK's benchmark index opened 3.24% lower to 5,488.27, mirroring falls seen in Asian stock markets with the Nikkei 225 in Japan down 4.5%, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong dropping 2.17% and China's...

Thursday trading starts with another huge sell-off gripping UK markets as investors scramble for safety assets and ditch higher risk shares. The benchmark FTSE 100 index continued to plunge in early trade having fallen to its lowest point in four years when it closed yesterday.At 9am, the FTSE 100 had slumped nearly 6% at 5,530.86 as the UK implements its 'delay' plan in response to the...

The general election result has removed one of the major hurdles to investing in UK stocks, namely political uncertainty. Brexit is the next big hurdle and it may not be as bad for UK stocks as investors might think, according to numerous fund managers interviewed by Shares.Despite the UK having to negotiate a full trade deal by 31 December 2020, the fund managers we questioned are generally...

Shares in builders' merchant and tool-hire firm Travis Perkins (TPK) had a bumpy ride last quarter thanks to negative sentiment in its sector caused by profit warnings from building supplies firm SIG (SHI) and a drop in UK housebuilding activity amid uncertainty over Brexit and the general election.With the election out of the way and Brexit due to be formalised later this month, the housing...

The depth and breadth of property services firm Savills' (SVS) operations can make it a good bellwether for the real estate sector as a whole.As such today's year-end trading update - guiding for underlying 2019 results 'towards the upper end of the board's expectations' might look encouraging for the industry. It is certainly pushing the company's share price higher - up 4.6% to...

London's FTSE 100 advanced 30 points to 7,618 on Monday with European stocks ticking modestly higher following a lacklustre end to last week.Weekend press reports suggesting a growing number of Bank of England policymakers are considering voting for an interest rate cut to try and stimulate the economy put a dent in banks such as Lloyds (LLOY), down 0.9% to 59.8p, and Royal Bank of Scotland...

UK equity rallied strongly in early trade on Friday as investors welcome the removal of several key risks that have been hanging over the stock market, sparking the pound to post its biggest gain against the dollar in two and a half years, with £1 worth $1.34.The market now has more confidence that Prime Minister Boris Johnson should be able to pass a Brexit deal and for the UK to formally...

One of the largest and most liquid UK smaller company trusts, yet trading at a 10.2% discount to net asset value (NAV) that suggests value abounds, Henderson Smaller Companies (HSL) has been successfully managed by trained accountant Neil Hermon since 2002.Hermon has established a formidably strong long-term track record by constructing a diversified portfolio with a focus on growth at a...

Anyone visiting or living in London will be aware that office blocks continue to spring up all over the place, with the skyline dominated by cranes as developers press ahead with new projects.But if you move outside the M25 the story is very different as we explain in this article.We've spoken to Midlands-focused property investor Real Estate Investors (RLE), or REI for short, and...

The FTSE 100 trades 0.4% higher at 7,189.08 after MPs voted yesterday against a no deal Brexit. The pound held on to gains made overnight despite the fact the vote has no legal force.International property agent Savills (SVS) reports full-year revenue growth for 2018 but expects to see declining transaction volumes in some markets this year in line with global uncertainties. Investors focus on...

News of Chinese stimulus helps support the FTSE 100 as investors await the outcome of today's crunch vote on Brexit later.Theresa May's draft deal is widely expected to be voted down. The FTSE 100 is currently 0.2% higher at 6,867.15, though the more domestic-facing FTSE 250 reverses earlier gains to trade 0.2% lower.House builder Persimmon (PSN) dips 1% to £22.07 as it guides for annual...