London?s FTSE 100 hit another record high on Friday, rounding off a strong week with another gain, despite a robust US inflation reading threatening to spoil the party.The FTSE 100 index added 60.97 points, 0.8%, at 8,139.83. It is its best closing level ever, and it earlier hit a record intraday high of 8,146.75.The FTSE 250 was up 222.18 points, 1.1%, at 19,824.16, and the AIM All-Share rose 2.1

Revenue and earnings beat Street estimatesStrongest revenue growth in two yearsFirst ever dividend announcedShares in Alphabet (GOOG:NASDAQ) are set to open at a new all-time high after the Google parent reported strong double-digit first quarter revenue growth, and bested Wall Street profit estimates. The internet search giant also announced it would pay its first ever dividend.Pre-market data ha

Revenue and profit top forecastsAnalysts hold back on upgradesShares climb in line with rivalsWith Barclays (BARC) and Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) having already posted first-quarter results and seen their shares rally in response, the onus was on NatWest Group (NWG) not to let the side down and the bank duly delivered a positive update with earnings a touch above estimates despite a weak year-on-

London?s blue-chips remained in demand, pushing to new highs, with investors hoping US inflation data later does not derail the optimistic mood.In the FTSE 100, ConvaTec was an outlier, after Peel Hunt downgraded the firm?s investment rating. On the other side of the index was NatWest, with a set of well received results.The FTSE 100 index was up 35.73 points, 0.4%, at 8,114.59. The FTSE 250 was u

Board recommends all cash 620p offerPrice pitched at 20% premium to prior closeBid ends tumultuous three years for DarktraceIt has certainly not been a dull time for shareholders in cybersecurity firm Darktrace (DARK) since it listed three years ago and now it looks like its short sojourn has come to an end after agreeing an all-cash offer from private equity outfit Thoma Bravo at 620p per share.H

Investors bought in London at the open on Friday, with news led by Anglo American rejecting BHP?s £31.1 billion takeover offer and Darktrace accepting a $5 billion private equity takeover offer.The FTSE 100 index opened up 42.14 points, 0.5%, at 8,121.00. The FTSE 250 was up 151.94 points, 0.8%, at 19,753.92, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.41 points, 0.3%, at 755.53.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.6% at

London?s FTSE 100 pushed higher on Thursday, leaving peers on the continent and beyond in its wake, on share price rises for heavyweights AstraZeneca, Barclays and Unilever, as well as M&A impetus for Anglo American.Trade was underwhelming elsewhere, however, as equities struggled following a red-hot US inflation reading, which was coupled with numbers showing a slowdown in growth.The FTSE 100 ind

Second-quarter guidance disappointsAI spending plans spook investors$200 billion wiped off market valueSocial media and technology outfit Meta Platforms (META:NASDAQ) saw its recent share price momentum stall in a big way overnight as investors fretted its ?year of efficiency? in 2023 would give way to a period or profligacy.At one point more than $200 billion had been wiped off the company?s valu

Net interest income fallsInvestment bank slipsBuyback target confirmedHigh-street lender Barclays (BARC) reported a drop in first-quarter pre-tax profit due to a combination of weaker net interest income and lower income from its investment bank, but the results were slightly ahead of market expectations.The shares gained as much as 9p or 4.5% to 200p, their highest level in over a year, as the fi

I?m going to be 50 next year, and so far, I have saved about £18,000 in a workplace pension. I have been automatically enrolled since 2016.My question is should I stick with it and get a SIPP pension as well? Or should I just put more in the workplace one until retirement?I hadn?t really thought about a pension until I hit 50.FranRachel Vahey, AJ Bell Head of Public Policy, says:Generally, for th

Popular investment vehicle Alliance Trust (ATST) has announced a modest but meaningful shake-up of its portfolio.The FTSE 250 constituent invests in global equities across a range of industries and sectors through a ?manager of managers? approach. Following an overhaul in 2017, the trust gives investors relatively low-cost exposure (with an ongoing charge of 0.62%) to 10 leading fund managers sele

Every time anyone in the UK puts money into a pension, a deal is struck. The government adds tax relief to the contribution, and the quid pro quo is you have to lock that money away for retirement. Hence why you can only access a pension after the age of 55, rising to 57 from 2028.The idea is that if you?ve got your own funds to live on in retirement, you won?t fall back on the benefits system and

Shares in Ocado (OCDO) have fallen by 20% over the past month as the online grocer continues with its fractious relationship with joint venture partner Marks & Spencer (MKS).Despite reporting average orders per week of 414,000, an 8.4% increase compared with the first quarter of 2023, and a 10.6% rise in revenue for Ocado Retail for the 13 weeks to 3 March, trouble is brewing for the online grocer

A key rationale for investing in the smallest companies on the UK market is that these businesses have the most capacity for growth.However, for several reasons investing in micro-cap businesses is not for everyone and has, with some notable exceptions, proved less than fruitful in recent years. WHAT IS A MICRO CAP?The definition of what constitutes a micro cap varies. Natalie Bell, fund manager a

The world?s second largest economy and most dominant emerging market remains China and to get a window into the prospects for growth investors often look to PMI (purchasing managers? index) data.One influential reading is the Caixin/S&P Global China General Manufacturing PMI. Manufacturing accounts for a big chunk of Chinese GDP and PMI surveys are used globally as a leading indicator of economic

Gaming Realms (GMR:AIM) 31.6pMarket cap: £93.4 millionFor the uninitiated, Gaming Realms (GMR:AIM) is a leading business-to-business licensor and distributor of games to the regulated gaming market.The company owns the IP (intellectual property) to the Slingo brand, one of the most popular formats of games played online.As the name suggests the format is a mash-up of slots and bingo. The game in

The persistently high interest rate environment means companies are under pressure to cut costs and jobs are an obvious target. While they can cut their workforce through redundancies or slash the wage bill through shorter or fewer shifts, others might already be operating with a skeleton crew and cannot pare back any further.It is against this scenario that higher wages are adding to companies? p

It?s been a busy month in small-cap land with good news, bad news and downright weird news for investors to digest.First the good news, as the persistent undervaluation of UK companies ? and small caps in particular ? draws increasing numbers of corporate buyers.Financial services software provider Gresham Technologies (GHT) agreed a 163p per share cash offer from funds managed or advised by STG P

Interest rates are expected to stay higher for longer to combat the sticky inflation which remains a threat to investors? hard-earned wealth and purchasing power. During periods of high inflation, it is crucial to invest in companies that possess pricing power, because these firms can pass on increased costs to customers, enabling them to maintain profit margins and generate the robust cash flows

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