After almost closing at a new high in early April, the UK?s blue-chip FTSE 100 has finally made it into the ranks of indices hitting new all-time highs thanks to a 4.5% gain since the start of January.On 22 April the index reached its highest ever close and on 23 April it moved through its previous intra-day high.The UK clearly isn?t in the same league as the US, where the S&P 500 has notched up n

Margins beat across the boardInterim dividend raised sharplyFull-year outlook increasedGrocery-to-retail conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF) delivered investors a double helping of good news with consensus-beating first-half results and a 46% increase in the interim dividend.In response the shares jumped 9% to £27.50, topping the FTSE 100 leader board and returning to their pre-pandemic p

Primark?s margin recovery narrative and sales performance for the second quarter ended 2 March will be in focus when parent Associated British Foods (ABF) delivers first half results (23 April).Shareholders will also be seeking reassurance the food-to-fashion conglomerate still expects ?meaningful progress? in profit and cash in the year to September 2024.The jewel in the ABF crown, Primark?s like

Sales down 4% in December and JanuaryFashion retailer unveils new CEONew broom Erver has work cut outShares in H&M (HM-B:STO) cheapened 9% to SEK153.5 (£1/SEK13.2) in Stockholm after the Swedish fashion retailer disappointed the market with news of a 4% sales slide for December and January that demonstrated there is still work to be done to turn the business round.In order to shake things up, H&M

Warm weather weighs on Q1 salesPrimark sales growth slows to 7.9%But ABF still confident of profit progressFollowing a slow start to its important first quarter period, Christmas saved the day for Associated British Foods? (ABF) retail arm Primark, the jewel in the foods-to-fashion conglomerate?s crown.Shares in Associated British Foods nudged up 1.5% to £22.99 after the company reported a solid

Primark?s Christmas trading performance, as well as management commentary around trading early in the new calendar year, will be the main focus when the discount fashion chain?s parent Associated British Foods (ABF) next updates the market on 23 January. With a tailwind from the cost-of-living crisis, value-focused retailers and discounters including German grocers Aldi and Lidl, bargain stores gi

Hard-pressed fashion retailer warns againLike-for-like sales down 7% in last six weeksCost-saving programme on trackEmbattled clothing and footwear retailer Superdry (SDRY) has disappointed the market yet again, warning trading has been ?significantly below? management expectations with full year profits to fall short of forecasts as a result.Shares in the hard-pressed hoodies, jackets and sweatsh

Stocks in London continued to rally during midday trade on Thursday, as the Bank of England left interest rates unchanged, matching Wednesday?s move from the US Federal Reserve.Sterling was quoted at $1.2706 shortly after midday on Thursday, higher than $1.2525 at the London equities close on Wednesday. Before the decision, the pound was trading at $1.2667.The FTSE 100 index was up 137.20 points,

We suggested investors buy into the positive price momentum behind Associated British Foods (ABF) in September on the basis the diversified food, ingredients and retail conglomerate was churning out good news and there was further upside for the shares.Our thesis was the broad-based growth business had passed through the worst of cost inflationary pressures and the Primark-owner was entering a per

Mixed start to the year knocks sharesFull year profit expected to be metSecond half weightingAnimal genetics specialist Genus (GNS) reiterated full year profit guidance at its annual general meeting on Wednesday but conceded that phasing is expected to be second half weighted after mixed trading in the period.Increased uncertainty of meeting market expectations saw the shares fall 3% to £20.47, m

London?s FTSE 100, which only registered a more underwhelming gain compared to continental peers after a US inflation slowdown on Tuesday, was back in form on Wednesday after similarly favourable data from the UK.Retail and property led the way, as an easing of inflation pressure in the UK has lifted hopes that the Bank of England has enacted its last rate hike and will not need to keep bank rates

ABF raises total dividends by 37%Primark delivers robust performanceFurther retail sales growth expected this yearDiversified food, ingredients and retail conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF) continues to churn out good news for investors.Shares in the company topped the FTSE 100, rising nearly 6% to £22.26 after the cash generative colossus declared a surprise special dividend plus a furt

Operating profit forecast nudged higherPrimark shows resilience in face of unseasonable weather'Substantial' profits improvement expected in sugarAssociated British Foods (ABF) was the FTSE 100's biggest riser on Tuesday, the shares gaining 5.9% to £21.19 after the global food, ingredients and retail giant nudged up operating profit guidance for the year to 16 September 2023 on the back of a bett

Finance director sells company stake to cover tax billRevolution Beauty director snaps up 500,000 sharesNational Grid boss sells over £2 million sharesEoin Tonge, finance director of diversified conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF), has sold 45,355 shares at £20.07 for a total value of £910,139 on 5 JulyTonge was chief financial officer and chief strategy officer at Marks & Spencer (MKS

Discount fast-fashion chain Primark dominates discussions around Associated British Foods (ABF).But as well as being the company behind the budget retail brand, now the UK's largest clothing, footwear and accessories seller by volume, the Weston family-controlled conglomerate also encompasses leading food and ingredients businesses.These bits of the group are often neglected in the wider analysis

Tobacco and alcohol firms lead UK rankingsAI machine analyses more than 10,000 data pointsProduces probabilities, not certaintiesTobacco and alcohol producers feature among the best UK stocks to buy in July, according to Danelfin's proprietary artificial intelligence stock picking engine. Imperial Brands (IMB) and Diageo (DGE), behind the Lambert & Butler, Rizla and Johnny Walker brands, stand fir

UK investors will be well aware of the lopsided performance of the US stock market in recent months, with a handful of stocks accounting for almost the entire index gains so far this year.However, a similar phenomenon is occurring right under our noses with most of the gains in the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 down to the outperformance of some of their larger stocks.This concentration on a select few te

Full year operating profit to be 'moderately ahead'Primark sees strong summer salesTasty growth across the food businessesDiversified conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF) has upgraded its profit guidance for the year to September 2023 following a good start to the summer selling season for its discount fashion chain Primark, twinned with tasty sales progress across its food businesses in th

Can Primark-owner Associated British Foods continue to beat the squeeze?The diversified conglomerate has shown resilience in the face of the cost-of-living crisis, but its customers are feeling the pinchFTSE 100 foods-to-fashion conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF) updates on trading on 26 June, where investors will look for comment on the state of the consumer and (hopefully abating) cost

Despite inflationary pressures and a cost-of-living crisis that is squeezing consumers' real disposable income, shares in household name retailers with nationwide physical store footprints have rallied hard since the back end of 2022.They include British retail institution Marks & Spencer (MKS), variety goods discounter B&M (BME), cut-price greeting cards seller Card Factory (CARD), athleisure spe