European equities shrugged off a poor UK retail sales reading, tepid German data and underwhelming purchasing managers' index surveys from the continent to push higher on Friday.Rising global tensions remained a theme, keeping oil prices at lofty territory.The FTSE 100 index added 55.41 points, 0.7%, at 8,204.68. The FTSE 250 rose 120.58 points, 0.6%, at 20,470.50, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.92

Equities in Europe ended higher on Thursday, overcoming some earlier uncertain trade, as comments from a US official calmed some geopolitical worries which kept a lid on investor enthusiasm.Nonetheless, Brent remained above the $73 mark, supporting oil majors.Moscow's ambassador in London said Thursday Britain was 'now directly involved' in Russia's war with Ukraine, following reports Kyiv had fir

Blue-chips in London traded in the green around midday on Thursday, as the escalating conflict in Ukraine pushed oil and gold prices higher.The FTSE 100 index added 25.97 points, 0.3%, at 8,111.04. The FTSE 250 lost 45.77 points, 0.2%, at 20,198.99, and the AIM All-Share rose 2.00 points, 0.3%, at 724.34.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 815.30, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.2% at 17,701.10, and the Cbo

European equities were mostly in the red on Thursday morning amid a threat of higher for longer interest rates, following a lofty UK inflation reading and a caution against turbocharged US easing from a Federal Reserve official.The FTSE 100 index added just 0.40 of a point at 8,085.47. The FTSE 250 lost just 7.21 points at 20,237.55, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.18 points, 0.4%, at 725.52.The Cboe

It's been a prosperous time to have invested in the markets. Each one of the major share indices around the world has delivered a positive total return over the past 12 months, factoring in share price performance and dividends.At the top end, the US has returned 32.5% as measured by the S&P 500 index; Japan's Nikkei 225 index has returned 15.3%; and even 'unloved' UK has lined investors' pockets

European equities traded higher on Wednesday morning, as stocks in London shrugged off a hotter-than-forecast UK inflation reading for now.Sage shone on the FTSE 100, while Severn Trent also impressed.The FTSE 100 index climbed 23.61 points, 0.3%, at 8,122.63. The FTSE 250 edged up 22.23 points, 0.1%, at 20,449.85, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.56 points, 0.4%, at 726.79.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.

An increasingly tense geopolitical backdrop knocked European stocks on Tuesday, while the pound continued to struggle ahead of Wednesday's UK inflation print.The FTSE 100 index ended down 10.30 points, 0.1%, at 8,099.02. The FTSE 250 rose 32.21 points, 0.2%, at 20,427.62, and the AIM All-Share faded 3.32 points, 0.5%, at 724.23.The Cboe UK 100 ended flat at 814.55, the Cboe UK 250 rose 0.1% to 17,

Stock prices in Europe were generally lower on Friday morning, after optimism from rate cuts in the US and UK wore off, as China unveiled a huge support package under which it will raise the local government debt ceiling.China's top lawmakers have approved a proposal to increase the debt ceiling for local governments by $840 billion, state media said as a key meeting wrapped up in Beijing.Meanwhil

There was a certain degree of investor bemusement last month when shares in US electricity generation company Constellation Energy (CEG:NASDAQ) soared on news technology giant Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) had signed a 20-year power purchase agreement.This was no ordinary deal, however, as it paves the way for the restart of Three Mile Island 1 ? not the reactor which famously melted down in 1979, but a

Equity markets are buoyant, fixed income markets seem more nervous judging by the way yields are rising (at least for government-issued in the developed West), and commodity prices continue to march to their own beat, with gold and silver surging, industrial metals largely flat and oil and gas remaining subdued.The relative calm pervading hydrocarbon prices is in many ways surprising, given the on

Stock prices in London opened mostly lower on Friday morning as China posted its slowest growth in a year and a half, while UK retail sales performed better than expected last month.The FTSE 100 index opened down 28.63 points, or 0.3%, at 8,356.50. The FTSE 250 was down 37.28 points, or 0.2%, at 21,063.64, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.39 points, or 0.2%, at 743.78.London's FTSE 100 had hit a fiv

Stock prices in Europe were lower on Thursday morning, ahead of an interest rate decision from the European Central Bank and weekly jobless data from the US.The FTSE 100 index was down 5.63 points, or 0.1%, at 8,323.44. The FTSE 250 was down 16.90 points, or 0.1%, at 20,962.60, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.56 points, or 0.2%, at 740.99.The Cboe UK 100 was slightly lower at 834.39, the Cboe UK 25

Stock prices rose on Monday morning in London despite reports of new restrictions on the UK gambling sector and disappointing data from China, ahead of US consumer inflation expectations.The FTSE 100 index opened up 5.62 points, or 0.1%, at 8,259.69. The FTSE 250 was up 8.14 points at 20,772.98, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.78 points, or 0.1%, at 734.63.The Cboe UK 100 was down slightly at 826.7

Banks and oil majors kept the FTSE 100 in the green at the London close on Monday, while other stocks slipped, joining peers across the pond.The FTSE 100 index closed up 22.99 points, 0.3%, to 8,303.62. The FTSE 250 ended down 46.87 points, 0.2%, at 20,853.21, and the AIM All-Share closed up just 0.25 of a point at 738.61.The Cboe UK 100 edged up 0.2% to 830.70, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 0.4% at

Stocks were mixed in London at midday on Monday, with blue-chips benefiting from an oil price rise, but FTSE 100 constituent Endeavour Mining tumbling amid concerns in Burkina Faso.The FTSE 100 index was up 30.29 points, 0.4%, at 8,310.88. The FTSE 250 was down 85.54 points, 0.4%, at 20,814.54, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.55 of a point, 0.1%, at 738.87.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 831.49, the

Oil output target dropped amid strategy resetBP had aimed for 25% cut by 2030Shell raises upstream and gas volume guidanceEnergy major BP (BP.) has reportedly abandoned its target to cut oil and gas output by 2030 as new chef executive Murray Auchincloss scales back the FTSE 100 giant's energy transition strategy in order to win back the market's confidence.He wants to arrest the decline in BP's s

Prime minister Keir Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves have made no bones about making 'painful' decisions in order to stabilise public finances and grow the economy, so investors are right to be nervous over what might be included in the Labour party's first Budget since 2009 at the end of this month.Top of the list of investor concerns is that rather than raising income tax, national insurance

Equities were higher during midday trade on Friday, as mining stocks continued to climb, tracking the strength of gold amid a pull-back of the dollar.The FTSE 100 index climbed 19.03 points, 0.2%, at 8,260.00. The FTSE 250 was up 138.55 points, 0.7%, at 20,834.33, and the AIM All-Share rose 2.61 points, 0.4%, at 743.97.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 826.32, the Cboe UK 250 rose 0.7% to 18,356.40,

The recent escalation between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah offered the latest reminder of what a tinderbox the Middle East is right now and the implications that has for oil prices.The black stuff moved back through $80 per barrel after a period of weakness, offering a reminder of why forecasting oil prices is often a fool's errand.Nonetheless, there are plenty of professionals who

Gold prices remain within touching distance of the all-time highs of $2,510 set recently amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.The precious metal is up around 20% year-to-date outperforming most other asset classes. WHY HAS GOLD HIT NEW HIGHS It is not hard to see why investors have flocked to gold due to the crises in the Middle East, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, worries about expected interest