Professional short sellers are currently circling a small group of UK consuming-facing stocks with the goal of profiting from falls in their share prices, potentially caused by Rachel Reeves' Budget decisions.The UK outlook is getting worse by the day, with business and consumer sentiment weakening amid concerns the new government doesn't have an effective plan to accelerate economic growth.The ou

European stocks were higher on Tuesday afternoon, with New York stocks set for a quieter start after a tumultuous Monday trade which saw tech stocks dive.The FTSE 100 index added 51.82 points, 0.6%, at 8,555.53. The FTSE 250 was up 190.59 points, 0.9%, at 20,560.09, and the AIM All-Share rose 3.37 points, 0.5%, at 714.76.The Cboe UK 100 was 0.6% higher at 857.38, the Cboe UK 250 rose 1.0% at 17,99

Wickes raises full year 2024 guidanceHalfords upgrades full year 2025 profit expectationWickes shares up 11%, Halfords shares up 19%Shares in Wickes (WIX) gained over 11% to 170p in morning trading as the DIY retailer reported a strong trading update for the six months ending 28 December.The company delivered continued sales and volume growth in retail with revenue up 3% year-on-year.Wickes also r

Q3 like-for-likes down 9.7%But signs of sales stabilisation'Significant' online gainsTopps Tiles' (TPT) shares slid 4.2% to a 52-week low of 39p after the UK's leading tile specialist reported a 9.7% plunge in third quarter like-for-like sales as 'challenging' market conditions persisted.The share price reaction might have been harsher had Topps not stressed that sales stabilised through the quart

This feature explores spin-offs or de-mergers, looking at the rationale for them and how they have performed, and asks if they can be a promising hunting ground for investors.One of the UK?s largest recent spin-offs was GSK?s (GSK) demerger of its consumer healthcare division in 2022.GSK reportedly rebuffed a £50 billion offer from personal goods giant Unilever (ULVR) to buy the division, named H

Like-for-like sales trend worsensProfits to be second-half weightedLiberum halves FY24 estimatesLike-for-like sales tumbled 11.3% in the second quarter at Topps Tiles (TPT) amid persistently subdued demand in the UK RMI (repair, maintenance and improvement) market, especially for bigger-ticket projects.Shares in the UK?s market-leading tile retailer cheapened 3% to 42.7p on a warning first-half pr

Kingfisher (KGF) 223.5pMarket cap: £4.27 billionInvestors seeking to buy a retail market leader whose shares look just too cheap should peck away at Kingfisher (KGF), the home improvement giant behind the B&Q and Screwfix store chains. Shares concedes we could be a touch early with our ?buy? call, since the £4.3 billion cap is grappling with fragile consumer confidence, particularly in France, a

Even today?s market giants started out small. Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) may now be the world?s largest company with a $3 trillion valuation which rivals the GDP of some major global economies but it began life as a start-up founded by Harvard College drop-out Bill Gates and his childhood friend Paul Allen. Few then would have predicted its global domination today.While we are not expecting the names

We are now a little more than a fortnight away from Christmas Day with TV adverts pushing festive products, high streets adorned with Christmas decorations and shops flush with discount offers.The so-called 'Golden Quarter' including Black Friday is the most hotly contested period of the year amongst retailers and those that suffer disappointing sales or resort to overly-promotional strategies typ

SIG downgrades full year profit to lower end of market expectationsImplies 12% lower profit as demand weakensUncertain timing of recoveryBuilding materials group SIG (SHI) lowered full year guidance for underlying operating profit to the lower end of current market expectations implying a 12% downgrade.The shares fell roughly in line with the downgrade dropping by a tenth to 31p taking the loss ov

The UK's largest supplier of building materials, Travis Perkins (TPK) downgraded full year adjusted operating profit guidance by 12% on Friday flagging the negative impact of higher interest rates and weaker consumer confidence on its end-market.The shares made a new six-month low after falling 5% to 823p, taking them 20% below the highs in February when there was growing optimism the housing mark

An under-the-radar constituent of the IA UK Equity Income sector that is delivering stellar returns despite difficult market conditions is VT Tyndall Real Income Fund (BYX0D61). Small at £18.9 million of assets, it is big on ambition under the stewardship of manager Simon Murphy and competitive on cost, with a lowly annual management charge of 0.35%.Murphy took over the fund right before the pand

- Sales and margins grow by double digits- Returning more than a quarter of its market cap- Shares just above a five-year low Pure-play components firm Essentra (ESNT) delivered a solid set of full-year results and confirmed it would return £150 million of surplus capital, much to the relief of long-suffering shareholders.The shares, which were trading at a multi-year low just last week, firmed 1

The common factor across the latest trading updates from the big housebuilders is they are all forecasting fewer completions and land purchases this year.That could spell trouble for the various trades which support the new-build home industry, from legal services to building materials and equipment hire to fitted kitchens and bathrooms.With mortgage costs soaring after repeated interest rate incr

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gave and took as he provided an outlook on monetary policy, but markets on Thursday decided to focus on the positives.Speaking at an event in Washington on Wednesday, Powell suggested that the US central bank could ease its pace of interest rate hikes 'as soon as' December. At the same time, though, he said rates peak 'somewhat higher' than earlier forecasts

- DIY retailer delivers flat core sales- Maintains full year profit guidance- Liberum says shares are far too cheapShares in Wickes (WIX) weakened 7% to 116p after the home improvement retailer reported flat third quarter like-for-like sales in its core business as the pandemic-induced DIY boom lost momentum and hard-pressed UK consumers deferred big ticket projects.However, there was some relief

Recent trading updates from various builders' merchants and building supplies companies suggest homeowners are no longer spending as freely on 'doing up the house' as they were during the pandemic.When everyone was cooped up at home in the first half of 2020 with cash to spare and DIY stores were classed as 'essential' and were therefore allowed to open, spending on home improvement sky-rocketed e

- Third quarter sales down 16% - Marshalls stock falls 28%- News will worry shareholders in other DIY chainsPatio and paving firm Marshalls (MSLH) reported a sharp decline in sales to the home renovation and DIY market in the three months to September as consumers slammed on the brakes ahead of the hike in household fuel bills this month.It is a warning that should make investors in several other

The retail sector has had a dire 2022, heavily sold off on fears earnings will disappoint as households curb spending due to rising UK inflation and the energy price crisis.Earnings expectations have been cut and investors have priced in a recession already, which means bargain hunters may take the view retailers are now oversold, particularly as prime minister Liz Truss' energy price guarantee wi

One of the UK market's biggest corporate splits in years is about to happen, with GSK (GSK) demerging its consumer healthcare business called Haleon. The latter should become a FTSE 100 company and give investors exposure to some of the best-known brands in toothpaste, painkillers and more.This article will give you the essential details on Haleon and its prospects. But if you're still unsure what