UK stocks headed lower on Tuesday afternoon as the debate on interest rates reared its head again following better than expected jobs data in the UK and stronger than forecast US retail sales.While the Bank of England's decision to hold off on hiking rates last month surprised investors, today's employment data may add pressure on the central bank to finally take the plunge.At the close the...

UK and European stock markets enjoyed a day of strong gains on Tuesday as investors took a risk-on approach in the face of speculation in Washington that President Trump could introduce a capital gains tax cut to create jobs.UK stocks shrugged aside latest employment data which showed the number of people in work in the three months through June fell by 220,000, the biggest quarterly decline...

European stock markets stormed higher across the board at lunchtime on Tuesday as investors pin hopes on speculation in Washington that President Trump could introduce a capital gains tax cut to create jobs.UK stocks shrugged aside latest employment data which showed the number of people in work in the three months through June fell by 220,000, the biggest quarterly decline since the global...

London's FTSE 100 rose 15 points to 7,568 on Monday with strength in miners and tobacco stocks helping to offset weakness in banking and utilities names. European markets were less volatile than those in Asia, where big declines were seen across China, Hong Kong, India and Japan. Market chatter suggested that investors were no longer betting on sharp interest rate cuts in the US and so...

MARKET CAP: £1BN & ABOVE IQE +318%To call IQE's (IQE:AIM) share price run this year remarkable still understates the performance. At one stage last month the stock closed at 178.75p. The share price began the year trading at 37.75p.So why has it had an amazing run? Unconfirmed rumours that IQE's vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) technology is being used in Apple's latest iPhone...

Strong commodity prices helped the FTSE 100 shake off a weak trading session in Asia overnight to trade modestly higher at 7,561.49 this morning. Mining and oil and gas stocks were higher as crude moved to a two-year high amid a political crackdown by major producer Saudi Arabia.Drug developer BTG (BTG) slumps 5.6% to 735p as it confirms a £53.5m hit from a legal dispute with Wellstat...

The new trading week gets off to a shaky start with economic and geopolitical concerns making investors nervous. China has cut its economic growth target to 6.5% from last year's 6.7% rate; North Korea launched four missiles towards the Sea of Japan; and the US Federal Reserve indicated it may put up interest rates this month.The FTSE 100 followed in the footsteps of Japan's Nikkei index with...

Another hopeful is attempting to turn carbon-based 'super' material graphene into cash as Directa Plus (DCTA:AIM) joined the junior market on Friday. Given the patchy performance of others listed companies trying that same trick it is somewhat surprising that the Italian company has managed to raise £12.8 million from investors, priced at 75p per share. Even more eye-popping is the fact that...

A rebound in resources stocks is helping to recover some of the previous session's losses with the FTSE 100 up 0.61% at 6128.73 this morning.Online second hand car marketplace Auto Trader (AUTO) is down 1.7% to 384.7p as directors and management sell shares following the expiry of their lock-up period post the company's IPO. Between them chief executive Trevor Mather and finance director Sean...

Specialty chemicals business Versarien (VRS:AIM) is in theory packed with blue sky potential but the key question prospective investors need to ask themselves is: how many times will the company have to keep coming back to the market to raise more cash?In a recent initiation note on the company (10 Dec 2015) house broker WH Ireland slapped a buy recommendation and 25p price target on the stock...

Mike Ashley-controlled retail powerhouse Sports Direct International (SPD) slumps 11.7% to 587.5p as interim profits fall short of expectations, up only 3.6% to £166.4 million against tough comparatives which were boosted by the build up to the 2014 World Cup.Commercial software support outfit Micro Focus (MCRO) surges 10.7% to £14.74 as it postsstellar revenue and underlying profit growth...

The ability of micro cap stocks to deliver super-sized returns in super quick time is exemplified by Catalyst Media (CMX:AIM).The £12.3 million cap's main asset is a 20.5% stake in provider of broadcasting services to bookies Satellite Information Services (SIS) and it is up 63.9% in the space of a week to 50p after SIS secured (23 Sep) a new five year deal with Racecourse Media commencing...

Thermal management technology firm Versarien (VRS:AIM) is expanding its reach in the US.On 20 April it announced the appointment of Mouser Electronics as an authorised global distributor in the sale and promotion of the Versarien standard range of heat sink products. The agreement should bolster faith in management as it looks to achieve commercial traction in the Versarien technologies...

The stock market's smallest and riskiest companies have always held fascination for private investors. On the premise that 'elephants don't gallop, but fleas leap,' to borrow Jim Slater's often quoted phrase, it's easier for a tiny company to double its size, and investor's money, than for a big one. Let's face it, a blue chip company worth £1 billion will find it much harder to double or...

It's that time of year again when we add up the numbers for the past 12 months and reveal our new stock selections for the year ahead. In a nutshell, our 2014 stocks achieved 5.9% average return (excluding dividends) versus a 3.9% decline in the FTSE All-Share over the same period.Such is tradition, late December sees financial and business magazines, newspapers and websites make bold calls on...

Investors' patience has been truly tested in the past few weeks with big declines across the stock market. While the performance of all the major UK indices leaves a sour taste, such events do act as important reminders to run a health check on your portfolio. That's precisely what we've done with our annual equity picks - the '14 for 2014' selections that were published in our Christmas...

Imminent full-year results (22 Jul) from specialty chemicals outfit Versarien (VRS:AIM) should afford investors an opportunity to appraise the performance of the group's Total Carbide division. This has been the best performing part of the business since the £26.8 million cap's admission to AIM in June 2013.One of our key picks for 2014 (see Cover, Shares, 24 Dec '13), Versarien comprises two...

Thermal management technology firm Versarien (VRS:AIM), flagged by us as a prime play for 2014 (see Cover, Shares, 24 Dec '13) has added to its capability through the £440,000 acquisition of graphene business 2-DTech (14 Apr). This deal should support the award of commercial contracts and extend a rerating which has seen the stock advance 55% year-to-date.Graphene is a man-made material...

3D conversion technology minnow DDD Group (DDD:AIM) rockets 43% to 5.75p despite no new news. The company last week won new licences for its TriDef technology for use in mobile devices but today's rally will have investors wondering if some bigger news will emerge.Smart Metering Systems (SMS:AIM) makes it first acquisition with the £14 million cash and shares purchase of Cardiff-based Utility...

There are few fund managers whose trades are worth watching carefully, given their consistently impressive portfolio returns. This is one reason why tracker funds may be gaining a good following, but markets are inefficient and while their large percentage ownership of the equity market means it is impossible for all money managers to beat their benchmark, some do it with uncannily regularity....