London's FTSE 100 opened modestly higher on Friday morning, the blue chip benchmark bid up 0.4% to 7,220.1 points following energy sector share price falls earlier in the week, as investors shrugged off a Delta variant linked sell-off in Asia.The more domestically-focused FTSE 250 firmed 0.1% to 23,770.5 early on, while gold made further gains to $1,760 following yesterday's strong producer...

A positive US jobs report provided markets and banking stocks with a boost, driving the S&P 500 to a record high across the pond.However, London's FTSE 100 was subdued on Friday, despite gains for NatWest (NWG), Lloyds (LLOY), Barclays (BARC) and HSBC (HSBA).The blue chip benchmark finished the session broadly flat at 7,122.95 points, which was enough to ensure its best weekly performance...

Equity markets were muted on Friday after racking up solid gains in the earlier part of the week, with investors awaiting the all-important US monthly non-farm payroll report due out this afternoon.Last night, US markets hit new highs on growing optimism after a fall in weekly unemployment claims and a record high reading on the services PMI as spending shifted from goods to...

London's FTSE 100 enjoyed a material recovery in afternoon trading to close Monday's session up 0.6% at 7,062.29 points, while the more domestically-focused FTSE 250 ended 0.6% higher at 22,457.1.This followed a positive start to trading in the US, where the S&P 500 rose 1.2% to 4,217.48 by 4.30pm UK time as concerns surrounding the US Federal Reserve's accelerated rate rise timetable...

The FTSE 100 was broadly flat at lunchtime on Monday, nudging above the 7,000 mark as the fall-out from last week's US Federal Reserve meeting and brought forward rate hike guidance continued.Most commentators had pencilled in 2023 or even 2024 for the re-evaluation of rates alongside the tapering of monetary support but Federal Reserve official James Bullard, has said that a rise in borrowing...

The UK's major shares fell in early trade as investors worldwide react to a Fed-led market wobble as worries re-emerge that the US Fed may speed up interest rate rise plans to combat inflationary pressure. Supermarkets were also front a centre with Morrison's (MRW) jumping after the group rebuffed a buyout offer over the weekend.Most commentators had pencilled in 2023 or even 2024 for the...

London's FTSE 100 was up 1.4% at 6,495.2 points at midday on Monday as China injected fresh funds into its money market and the price of silver surged 10% to $29.49 an ounce as retail investors piled in.The precious metal has become the latest asset to be targeted by retail investors associated with the Wallstreetbets group on community platform Reddit.Shares in silver miners soared, with FTSE...

The FTSE 100 gained 0.66% to 6,449 shortly after trading began on Monday as China injected fresh funds into its money market, while silver prices rose on expectations the precious metal is being targeted by newly empowered day traders.The FTSE's gain comes after a strong rally in Asian markets, with Japan's Nikkei 225 up 1.55%, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong soaring 2.15% and China's Shanghai...

The majority of director deals over the past week have involved significant share sales, the most interesting of which comes from online travel platform Trainline (TRN).Chief financial officer Shaun McCabe sold 600,000 shares in the business at a price of 480p each, netting a total of £2.88 million.The sale comes after a big rally in Trainline shares, which have jumped from 256.8p on 2...

Scientists at Cardiff University have found that two of Venture Life's (VLG:AIM) mouthwash products can eradicate the Covid-19 virus completely within 30 seconds. News of the exciting breakthrough sent shares in the consumer self-care products specialist surging 17% higher to 100.7p on Monday.In the summer, the AIM-listed firm behind the UltraDEX and Dentyl oral care ranges confirmed that...

UK stocks ended Monday's trading session modestly lower as worries over the size of future financial packages in Europe and the US overshadowed positive Covid-19 vaccine and treatment data and oil companies also weighed on sentiment. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index closed down 28.78 points, or 0.46%, at 6,261.52.LARGE AND MID CAP RISERS AND FALLERSBP (BP.) dropped 2% to 303.2p and Royal...

UK stocks traded lower midway through the session on Monday, with oil companies weighing, as mounting Covid-19 cases stoked fears of a short-lived recovery in the global economy.At 11.35, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down 41.66 points, or 0.66%, at 6,248.64.LARGE AND MID CAP RISERS AND FALLERSBP (BP.) dropped 1.6% to 302.45p and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) 1.3% to £12.24 amid a fall in crude...

Shares in consumer self-care company Venture Life (VLG:AIM) vaulted 17% to a three-year high of 84p on news of an 80% surge in first-half revenue amid a wave of new manufacturing and distribution agreements.Investors responded to a positive outlook from chief executive Jerry Randall.He said the performance demonstrated 'the resilience and opportunity within our business, along with the...

UK markets were dragged lower in early trade on Tuesday by worries of investor over-exuberance after another surge for Wall Street overnight.Monday's rally in US stocks pushed the S&P 500 back into the green for the year as easing lockdowns bolstered optimism on an economic rebound. The benchmark closed at a 15-week high, bringing its rally from the March low to almost 45%, while the Nasdaq...

Shares in Venture Life (VLG:AIM) leapt almost 30% higher to 64.5p on Monday after the consumer self-care company announced its largest-ever contract win with the signing of a new and exclusive agreement with its existing Chinese partner for mouthwash brand Dentyl.Worth a minimum of €168m, the 15-year tie-up with its unnamed Chinese partner covers the distribution of products in Greater...

Despite all the uncertainty created by Brexit the latest reading from the Quoted Companies Alliance/YouGov Small & Mid-Cap Sentiment index suggests most small and medium-sized companies in the UK are optimistic about 2019.Nearly three quarters of the companies surveyed expect to increase the number of employees in the coming 12 months and 47% are looking to raise capital over the same time...

If you have ever shopped in Boots or Superdrug, you may be familiar with some of international healthcare group Venture Life's (VLG:AIM) products.One of its biggest brands is UltraDEX, an oral healthcare product range that was introduced through the acquisition of Periproducts in 2016.Venture Life develops, manufactures and commercialises self-care products for companies, including healthcare...

Marketing efforts at Venture Life (VLG) appear to be paying off as its UltraDEX products, including toothpaste and mouthwash, in June enjoyed their highest month of sales over the last five years.The company promoted the product range in the UK through TV advertising and promotions through independent coffee shops.

Fancy doubling your money in a year by investing in an exciting stock? Sounds great, doesn't it? It's harder than you think, but certainly not impossible.Over the past 12 months, robotic process automation specialist Blue Prism (PRSM:AIM) is up by 439%; online musical equipment retailer Gear4Music (GFM:AIM) has increased by 341%; and computer games service group Keywords Studios (KWS:AIM) is...

London stocks loss early gains as caution once again grips UK stock markets with the mood still dominated by the delicate state of the negotiations between Greece and its creditors. Having ticked up first thing the FTSE 100 index drifts back modestly, with little in the way of corporate news to stimulate interest, the blue-chips nudging around 14 points lower to 6,776.The midcaps FTSE 250 and...