Wine seller?s profitability significantly improvedConfident of a ?positive? 2024 performanceRecruiting new customers remains toughShares in Virgin Wines (VINO:AIM) bubbled up 1.1% to 38.4p after the direct-to-consumer online wine retailer uncorked news of a ?good? Christmas trading period and reiterated its guidance for the year to June 2024 guidance.The stock has soured more than 30% over one yea

- Online wine purveyor reports earnings plunge- Launches full business review- But customer base remains strong, new partnerships performing wellShares in Virgin Wines (VINO:AIM) fell 8% to 44.7p, leaving them 65% lower over one year, after the online wine retailer uncorked a 97% plunge in pre-tax profits for the half to December 2022.Given the shift in consumer confidence over the past 15 months,

VIRGIN WINES (VINO:AIM) 153.5pLoss to date: 31.5%Original entry point: Buy at 224p, 22 April 2021Our bullish call on Virgin Wines (VINO:AIM) is 31.5% in the red following a mild profit warning (3 Feb) from the direct-to-consumer online wine seller which prompted what looks an overreaction by the market.Sales and profit for the year to June 2022 are now expected to be 'slightly below' consensus est

UK shares saw selling pressure on Thursday following the Bank of England's historic decision to deliver the first back to back interest rate increase since 2004.Sentiment was further dampened following a 24% decline in Meta shares, previously known as Facebook which sent US indices into the red with the tech heavy Nasdaq Index down 2.25% and the SAP Index off 1.4%.Meta has been impacted by competi

The Bank of England has made the historic decision to deliver the first back to back interest rate increase since 2004.The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously in favour of raising the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 0.5%. The decision had been expected by the market.The benchmark FTSE 100 and the mid-cap FTSE 250 indexes traded 0.3% and 0.6% lower on the news at 7,556.6

Shares in Virgin Wines (VINO:AIM) shed 22.5% to trade at 155p after the online wine retailer warned sales and profits for the year to June 2022 are now expected to be 'slightly below' consensus estimates amid increased cost pressures and an 'uncertain trading and macro environment'.Also weighing on the direct-to-consumer online wine purveyor's outlook are the weaker than expected new customer recr

Major shares in London opened higher on Thursday, albeit modestly, lifted by earnings from energy and consumer companies as investors braced for an expected second consecutive rate hike by the Bank of England.At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 is 0.1% up at 7,590.86, led by Compass (CPG), while BT (BT.A) checked further progress. Mid-caps remain under pressure, the FTSE 250 losing 0.25% at 22,198.16.U

UK stocks retraced early losses on Thursday afternoon, helped by a strong opening in US markets with the benchmark FTSE 100 index closing flat at 7,249.US stocks gained despite third quarter GDP coming in below expectations at 2%, the lowest annualised growth reading since the pandemic and below trend growth prior to the pandemic.Markets brushed off the headline data as the cause of the miss was r

FTSE remained in negative territory on Thursday lunchtime dragged down by weakness in oil shares after Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) missed earnings forecasts and Brent Crude prices dropped almost 2% to $82.30 a barrel.At 12pm the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was down 0.3% at 7,230.The European Central Bank is due to update the market on its interest rate policy and economic outlook over lunchtime.

Shares in Virgin Wines (VINO:AIM) bubbled up 4.6% to 192.5p on Thursday after the direct-to-consumer online wine purveyor uncorked palate-pleasing results for the year to June 2021.Sales grew by more than 30% for the second successive year, to £73.6 million, and pre-exceptional pre-tax profit fizzed 86% higher to £5.2 million as the premium wines purveyor profited from the accelerated wine buyin

Despite gains for index heavyweights including Lloyds Banking (LLOY) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the FTSE fell on Thursday due to negative movements from both Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and HSBC (HSBA).The blue chip benchmark traded 0.36% lower at 7,227.24 points on a busy day of corporate results.The European Central Bank was set to update the market later in the day and investors will be looking fo

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

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 stocks made modest gains on Tuesday, clawing back some of Monday's losses as bargain hunters looked to take advantage of the biggest correction in shares since early January.In the US, the economically sensitive Russell 2000 index traded 2.5% higher and US bond yields rose while technology stocks lagged.IBM jumped after reporting strong second quarter results, trading up 3% while investors awai

UK stocks had given back a lot of the earlier gains at midday on Tuesday but remained in positive territory as investors attempted to balance reopening optimism with an accompanying surge in coronavirus infections.At 12pm, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 0.3% at 6,863 points, stabilising somewhat after registering heavy losses on Monday when it closed down 2.3%.CORPORATE DEVELOPMENTSIn corpora

UK stocks rose in early trading on Tuesday, paring some of Monday's steep losses, as investors attempted to balance reopening optimism with an accompanying surge in coronavirus infections.At 8.30, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was up 1.2% at 6,923.64 points, having closed 2.3% lower on Monday, or so-called Freedom Day.Leading the charge were miners, oil producers and banks, all sectors highly lever

VIRGIN WINES (VINO:AIM) 246pGain to date: 9.8%Original entry point: Buy at 224p, 22 April 2021Our bullish call on stock market newcomer Virgin Wines (VINO:AIM) is 9.8% in the money and we are encouraged by an upgraded outlook (6 May) from the online wine retailer, which now sees year to June 2021 sales and profitability coming in ahead of its previous expectations.The strong sales momentum experie

London's FTSE 100 was 0.2% higher at 7,050.16 points at lunchtime on Thursday as the Bank of England decided to hold interest rates at 0.1% and investors weighed positive corporate updates and potential political uncertainty linked in particular to elections in Scotland.As expected, the Bank of England (BoE) acknowledged improvements in the UK growth outlook owing to vaccinations picking up pace b

Leading UK shares traded cautiously higher in early deals on Thursday ahead of the Bank of England meeting in which it is expected to raise economic growth forecasts.The UK's benchmark FTSE 100 index gained 0.27% to 7,058.44, while the midcap FTSE 250 index traded 0.5% higher to 22,497.87, with the Bank set to announce that the country will see GDP growth at 7% in 2021, compared to the 5% forecast