London's FTSE 100 was in the green at midday on Thursday, as climbing oil and gold prices offset declines for banking and airline firms on the first day of trading in 2025.The FTSE 100 index traded up 9.94 points, 0.1%, at 8,182.96. The FTSE 250 was down 78.07 points, 0.4%, at 20,544.54, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.45 points, 0.3%, at 722.08.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 820.39, the Cboe UK 25

Proceeds of sale will be used to reduce debt£1.5 million share buyback announcedShares up 29% over the past yearShares in Mission Group (TMG:AIM) gained over 19% to 28.75p in morning trading as the digital and marketing communications group said it had sold April Six to US-headquartered Marketbridge for £17.4 million.Fiona Shepherd, founder, and CEO of April Six will remain at the company but wi

Confidential settlement reachedChrysalis gets 'non-material sum'FCA investigation still ongoingShares in Revolution Beauty (REVB:AIM) soared 16% to 16p after the unloved cosmetics company agreed a settlement with disgruntled former shareholder Chrysalis Investments (CHRY).Investment trust Chrysalis had previously threatened legal action against Revolution Beauty, alleging the makeup-to-skincare pr

Nationwide price index hits a two-year highHalifax survey seen confirming positive trendBuyers still boycotting housebuilding stocksShares in UK housebuilders received an early New Year's lift after the latest Nationwide price survey showed the market ended on a high note last month with particular strength in northern England.However, the rally didn't last long with Barratt Redrow (BTRW), Berkele

London's FTSE 100 closed higher on Tuesday in a shortened trading day, securing the strongest annual gain for the index in three years.Advances in New York this year towered over the UK blue-chip index, however. The FTSE 250 registered an even weaker annual gain and the AIM All-Share shrunk over the course of 2024.The FTSE 100 index ended up 52.01 points, 0.6%, at 8,173.02. It is up 5.7% for the y

Wealth managers least likedBank of Georgia gets full houseReal estate popular among analystsHumans generally feel more comfortable in groups which partly explains why stock prices often move in broad trends: knowing other investors and analysts have come to the same conclusion about a company breeds confidence in the investment case, whether or not it turns out to be correct.A rarer breed of inves

Support deal signed with Pratt & Whitney 40 A320NEO to stay grounded into 2026Shares down 34% year-to-dateShares in Wizz Air (WIZZ) gained around 2% to £14.44 in morning trading as investors welcomed the European budget carrier's support agreement with engine maker Pratt & Whitney in relation to its grounded aircraft.As well as giving operational support, Pratt & Whitney - which is part of US def

Palantir, Salesforce, Snowflake, MongoDB favouredAI monetisation to expand beyond chips in 2025Investors warned to watch economic risksAnalysts at Wedbush believe 2025 will be a year of significant growth for the software sector as the AI (artificial intelligence) revolution begins a new phase fuelled by enterprise adoption of generative AI and machine learning large language models.The Wedbush te

The FTSE 100 opened in the red on Tuesday morning, as the shortened final day of trading for the year kicked off with some trepidation.Stocks in New York struggled on Monday, trade in Asian equities was unconvincing, and the nerves fed through to Europe on New Year's Eve.The FTSE 100 index opened down 8.35 points, 0.1%, at 8,112.66. It is up 5.0% for the year.The FTSE 250 was up just 9.64 points a

Share prices in London started lower on Friday after the two-day Christmas break, as investors dissected initial readings on the strength of holiday sales and the weekly reading on US employment.Out on Boxing Day, US seasonally adjusted initial jobless claims were 219,000 in the week that ended this past Saturday, down 1,000 from the previously week's unrevised total of 220,000, the US Department

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

A mixed close for London equities on Monday highlighted increasing concerns about the UK economy, with businesses bracing for a sharp slowdown and consumer confidence sliding further.The FTSE 100 index closed up 18.11 points, 0.2%, at 8,102.72. The FTSE 250 ended down 31.60 points, 0.2%, at 20,419.09, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.84 points, 0.3%, at 712.44.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.1% at 812

The FTSE 100 in London edged into the green on Monday at midday despite a downcast morning of economic data announcements.In London, the FTSE 100 index was up 10.02 points, 0.1%, at 8,095.11. The FTSE 250 was down 49.10 points, 0.2%, at 20,401.59, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.87 of a point, 0.1%, at 711.47.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.1% at 812.51, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.3% at 17,888.41, and the

Stocks in London opened in the red on Monday amid unwelcome domestic GDP and consumer sentiment releases, and in good news for Direct Line Insurance as Aviva finalises its cash offer.British shoppers expect a 'January spending squeeze' according to the British Retail Consortium.The personal financial situation index remained in negative territory, though steady, at minus 3 points. However, the ind

UK water firms had their gains pulled back by Friday's close following yesterday's Ofwat induced bump, as Trump threatened the EU with tariff's if it failed to address its trading deficit.The FTSE 100 index closed down 12.67 points, 0.2%, at 8,092.65. The FTSE 250 ended up 31.24 points, 0.2%, at 20,430.62, and the AIM All-Share closed down 0.1, or 0.73 of a point, at 711.05.The Cboe UK 100 ended d

UK stocks were down at midday in London on Friday as concerns about the state of the economy persisted off the back of sluggish retail sales figures.In Europe, pharmaceuticals heavyweight Novo Nordisk plummeted 18% in Copenhagen after disappointing data for its weight loss drug CagriSema.The product is seen as a rival to Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound obesity treatments. In premarket trading in

Second quarter better than feared Sales down in North America, ChinaTurnaround more marathon than sprintFollowing an initial bounce in after-hours trading on Wall Street stoked by better-than-feared second-quarter results (19 December), Nike's (NKE:NYSE) shares stumbled to trade roughly flat on the realisation the sportswear firm's turnaround will take longer than expected.There was also disappoin

Ocado still the number one shortRetailers in general unlovedEnergy services stocks drilledShort-selling, or borrowing shares to sell in the hope of buying them back at a lower price, is not something most retail investors have the nerve or the skill-set to pull off as it requires a certain mindset and a willingness to tolerate heavy losses on occasion until your bets come right.For the pros, howev

The US market lost its recent momentum in a big way this past week as shares collapsed on the 18 December with the S&P 500 enduring its worst day since 2001.The trigger for the sell-off was a hawkish tone from the US Federal Reserve even as it announced its latest interest rate cut.With officials signaling growing concern over the threat posed by inflation, the market moved quickly to reset bets o

UK equities suffered on US exposure as they closed lower on Thursday amid the Bank of England holding interest rates, but warning of 'heightened uncertainty'.UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pleaded for patience over his drive to improve living standards, warning it 'will take some time' for people to feel the benefits.Starmer hopes changes to planning rules, reforms to regulations and the use of te