UK takeovers moved up a gear in 2024 as predators targeted bigger companies. The average value of deals was £1.07 billion, nearly three times higher than the £390 million average in 2023. In total, there were £49 billion worth of recommended bids versus £17.2 billion last year.A bounty of unloved or underappreciated companies were swept off their feet, signalling the UK market as being 'on...

Automotive fluid storage and delivery specialist TI Fluid Systems (TIFS) became another statistic last week in the seemingly unstoppable wave of UK M&A (mergers and acquisitions).Having spurned two lower bids from Apollo-backed ABC Technologies, the auto parts-maker finally agreed a 200p per cash offer which valued the company at just over £1 billion.The offer represents a 21% premium to...

Indices in London ended the session in the green on a mixed day for retailers on Black Friday as US equities pushed higher in a shortened trading session.The FTSE 100 index rose 6.08 points, 0.1%, at 8,287.30. The FTSE 250 climbed 8.79 points, at 20,771.57, and the AIM All-Share firmed 1.58 points, 0.2%, at 732.49.For the week, the FTSE 100 rose 0.3%, the FTSE 250 advanced 0.9% and the AIM...

London's FTSE 100 was largely flat, though the FTSE 250 made a more sizeable move heading into Friday afternoon, as M&A activity continued.The FTSE 100 index added just 3.66 points to sit at 8,284.88. The FTSE 250 registered a more convincing 31.63 point gain, 0.2%, at 20,794.41, and the AIM All-Share added 1.49 points, 0.2%, at 732.40.The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.1% at 832.14, the Cboe UK 250 added...

200p per share offer accepted21.2% uplift on ABC's initial bidTI Fluid valued at £1.04 billionAnother one bites the dust. Automotive fluid storage and delivery specialist TI Fluid Systems (TIFS) looks set to become the latest company to exit the UK stock market.Having spurned earlier bids from ABC Technologies, the car parts supplier has succumbed to the private equity backed group's...

Latest 'unsolicited' offer spurnedTI Fluid Systems confident in standalone prospectsABC 'remains interested' in a dealTI Fluid Systems' (TIFS) shares motored 14% higher to 166.4p on news the automotive fluid storage and delivery specialist has become the latest down-on-its-luck UK company to receive a bid approach.In fact, Oxford-headquartered TI Fluid Systems has rejected two takeover offers...

- Shares surge 16% on strong first quarter- Revenue up 15.6%- Company sticks with full-year guidance despite encouraging startCombine a beaten down share price and a better-than-expected bit of news and you have the recipe for big share price gains and that's exactly what has transpired at automotive fluid storage and delivery specialist TI Fluid Systems (TIFS).The Oxford-headquartered company...

-First-quarter revenues drop 7.7%-Lower anticipated global light vehicle production volumes-Full-year guidance maintainedGlobal manufacturer of automotive fluid storage and delivery systems TI Fluid Systems (TIFS) said continued supply chain disruptions and Covid-19 lockdowns in China reduced first-quarter revenues through March by 4.1% to €755 million.In constant currencies revenues...

UK stocks edged higher after a remarkable reversal overnight in the technology-focused Nasdaq 100 index in the US. From a loss of 4% at the London close the index clawed its way back to a gain of 0.5% at the bell.Sentiment was also helped by US software firm IBM which posted better than expected revenues for the fourth quarter. However, investors are unlikely to commit to 'buying the dip'...

Just as investors were looking the other way, with Chinese shares tumbling on fears of a major default in the property sector and US shares wobbling ahead of a crucial Federal Reserve meeting this week, the global chip crisis has reared its head once again.A combination of weak demand and enforced factory shutdowns during the pandemic, followed by a faster-than-expected global recovery and...

This is part two of a three-part series on the FTSE 250. Read part one here and we'll conclude the series in next week's issue. In our three part series on the FTSE 250 we are aiming to slice and dice the index to identify stocks with different inherent qualities and generate ideas for investors. This week in part two we look at the FTSE 250 from the perspective of growth versus valuation and...

With 'value' investing still in the ascendancy in global markets, and with UK stocks still trading at a hefty discount to their international peers, we have screened the FTSE All-Share index for cheap stocks which we believe offer significant upside potential.As well as looking at straightforward price to earnings ratios for the next 12 months, we have included returns on capital - in order to...

Higher than expected UK inflation and a stronger reading on US retail sales conspired to stoke inflation fears on Wednesday, sending the FTSE 100 down 0.6% to 6,710.90 points by the close, by which time the S&P 500 across the pond was off by 0.7%.CORPORATE NEWSCigarettes colossus British American Tobacco (BATS) dropped 4% to £26.40, even as it reported a rise in annual profit, citing strength...

London's blue chip benchmark traded slightly lower at lunchtime on Wednesday as a higher-than-expected reading of UK inflation stoked some fears over rising prices.In the US, futures markets suggested a similarly tepid feel to trading on Wall Street, with retail sales data scheduled to be released.By noon, the FTSE 100 was 0.12% lower at 6,740.64 points, while the FTSE 250 was off 0.7% at...

UK stocks opened markedly lower on Wednesday as the latest data showed inflation rose higher than expected last month.Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index, rose 0.7% in the 12 months to January, up from December's 0.6%, according to the Office for National Statistics. The rise was larger than many economists had forecast.Consumer goods giants Unilever (ULVR) and Reckitt...

Monday 9 November saw things change for investors as the surge of enthusiasm associated with finding a vaccine for Covid-19 buoyed markets. For the first time in many months the vast majority of my 30 shares rose markedly.This did not trigger a notable increase in buying and selling on my behalf. I reduced my investment in two funds but little else. It was pleasing though to see that half my...

UK stocks reversed their morning gains as markets worldwide wobbled after US legislators warned that a bi-partisan deal over up to $1,900 billion of government stimulus may take longer than expected.At the close the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was down 56 points or 0.8% at 6,639 as weakness in travel and financial stocks offset gains in retailers and utilities.Gold prices slipped 0.2% to...

UK stocks gave up their early gains on Monday as a pick-up in merger and acquisition activity was offset by increasing worries over the new strain of the virus.By midday the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was down 20 points or 0.3% to 6,674 as weakness in travel and financial stocks offset gains in retailers and miners.Gold prices slipped 0.2% to $1,851 an ounce and Brent Crude gained 0.5%...

UK stocks opened ahead on Monday buoyed by mergers and acquisition activity but increasing worries over the new strain of the virus kept enthusiasm muted.Trading in Asia was positive with Japan's Nikkei 225 up 0.7% and China's SE Composite up 0.5%. Gold prices slipped 0.2% to $1,851 an ounce and Brent Crude gained 0.5% to $57.5 a barrel.The pound was 0.2% higher at $1.37. At 08:40 the FTSE 100...

UK markets closed higher on Thursday as investors here and in the US factored in a win for Democrat candidate Joe Biden victory in the race to the White House.The S&P 500 index jumped 2% while the technology-heavy Nasdaq index rallied more than 2% to put in its best weekly performance since April.In the UK, the Bank of England voted unanimously to leave interest rates unchanged at 0.1% and...