Stocks in London headed into the long weekend on the front foot, outperforming their European peers.Markets in London will now shut for two public holidays, Good Friday and Easter Monday. They will reopen on Tuesday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 20.64 points, 0.3%, at 7,952.62. The FTSE 250 ended up 74.07 points, 0.4%, at 19,884.73, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.15 points, or 0.2%, at 743.26.Ov

The Fed lit the touch paper for a monster rally this week after effectively green-lighting market expectations for rate cuts next year. This was not in the script, and while Fed chairman Jay Powell stopped short of declaring victory over inflation, it?s what the market heard.?Declaring victory would be premature,? Powell actually said, before pondering ?when will it become appropriate to begin dia

European blue chips ended the month on the front foot after easing inflation in the eurozone and the US boosted hopes that interest rates could be cut sooner than previously thought.The FTSE 100 index closed up 30.29 points, 0.4%, at 7,453.75. The FTSE 250 ended down 234.11 points, 1.3%, at 18,233.47, and the AIM All-Share closed down 1.75 points, or 0.2%, at 713.78.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.3% a

Stock prices in London were up at midday on Monday ahead of this week's central bank decisions in Japan, the US and the UK, and amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The FTSE 100 index was up 62.88 points, 0.9%, at 7,354.16. The FTSE 250 was up 165.83 points, 1.0%, at 17,032.25, and the AIM All-Share was up 4.97 points, 0.7%, at 679.43.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.8% at 733.40, the Cboe UK 250

Stock prices in London rose on Monday morning, ahead of meetings of central banks from Japan, the US and the UK, as investors weighed up developments in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The FTSE 100 index opened up 50.75 points, 0.7%, at 7,342.03. The FTSE 250 was up 139.01 points, 0.8%, at 17,005.24, and the AIM All-Share was up 5.10 points, 0.8%, at 679.56.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.7% at 7

European stocks were lower heading into Monday afternoon, starting the week off in a tepid fashion as concerns around tensions in the Middle East and rising US bond yields hurting equities hurting.The yield on the US 10-year government bond topped 5.00% for the first time since the height of the subprime mortgage crisis in 2007.The FTSE 100 index was down 45.56 points, 0.6%, at 7,356.58. The FTSE

Stock prices in London were lower at midday on Wednesday after a stronger-than-expected print for UK inflation supported a higher for longer narrative around interest rates.The FTSE 100 index traded down 50.75 points, 0.7%, at 7,624.46. The FTSE 250 slumped 201.77 points, 1.1%, at 17,487.69, and the AIM All-Share was down 3.79 points, 0.6%, at 686.79.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 761.40, the Cb

Equity markets went into Friday afternoon in negative territory, hurt by US interest rate worries, weaker China data, and escalating tensions in the Middle East.Thursday's US inflation data did little to soothe 'higher for longer' interest rate worries. Conversely, the inflation reading from China was tepid, adding to growth fears there.Israel, meanwhile, sent an order for citizens to evacuate Gaz

Stocks price in London were higher at midday on Thursday as rising oil prices and developments in China helped lift blue-chip oil majors and miners.The pound weakened against the dollar, meanwhile, ahead of a key US inflation print, due out at 1330 BST.The FTSE 100 index added 55.55 points, 0.7%, at 7,675.58. The FTSE 250 surged 196.84 points, 1.1%, at 18,073.08, and the AIM All-Share climbed 2.26

Guarded optimism that politicians will find a way to avoid a catastrophic debt default by the US government helped to lift share prices in Europe early Friday, while luxury stocks were on the rise after a positive update by Geneva-based Richemont.Among individual stocks in London, insurer Beazley rose after reporting a strong start to the year. E-commerce company THG tumbled as its takeover talks

Bank shares were back under severe selling pressure on Wednesday, with some suspended from trading, after yet more bad news for Credit Suisse reawakened worries caused by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.Just a handful of FTSE 100 stocks were in the green around midday UK time, all largely 'safe' utilities or pharmaceutical firms.While stocks made a tepid start to the day, they managed to hang

The FTSE 100 on Monday pulled back from its record high, as rate hike worries in the wake of Friday's US jobs report spooked markets.The US labour market is still in robust health, despite rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. The upshot of Friday's jobs data could be more rate lifts by the Fed, just as equity market traders were hoping for pivot by the central bank.The FTSE 100 index ended down 65.0

Stocks were lower at midday in London on Monday, as the prospect of a pivot in central bank policy away from rate hikes seemed to recede into the future, while a new source of conflict between the US and China was hurting oil prices.'Having hit a new all-time high last Friday, the FTSE 100 opened the new trading week with a hangover...Throwing cold water over the party were stronger than expected

London share prices started the week mostly higher on Monday, after some better-than-expected UK economic data at the end of last week and as company trading updates remain generally upbeat.The FTSE 100 index opened up 15.25 points, or 0.2%, at 7,859.32. The index of large-cap stocks continued to edge towards its record high of 7,903.50 points, set back in May of 2018.The FTSE 250 was up 40.75 poi

Stock prices were mixed but the dollar was facing selling at midday on Friday, ahead of an economic indicator expected to influence the US central bank's next interest-rate decision.The FTSE 100 index was down 14.18 points, 0.2%, at 7,544.31. The FTSE 250 was up 106.91 points, 0.6%, at 19,516.33, and the AIM All-Share was up 4.35 points, 0.5%, at 854.91.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 754.26, the

London stock prices were mostly lower early Tuesday, after a UK unemployment report showed continued inflationary pressure from a lack of workers, making further interest rate hikes more likely.The FTSE 100 index opened up 4.04 points, 0.1%, at 7,389.21. The mid-cap FTSE 250 was down 55.92 points, or 0.3%, at 19,566.33, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.86 points, 0.2%, at 849.69.The Cboe UK 100 wa

Stocks in London were boosted by hopes that the world's largest two economies would change course on major policies which have been weighing on investors' minds in recent months.The US Federal Reserve's policy setting Federal Open Market Committee started its two-day meeting on Tuesday, with investors hopeful that the central bank offer signs that it is ready to slow the pace of its interest rate

London's miners got a boost from unconfirmed speculation that China is considering backing off its zero-Covid policy, which has damped the country's demand for metals, while BP promised more shareholder returns as long as oil prices remain high.The FTSE 100 index was up 98.58 points, or 1.4%, at 7,193.11 at midday in London. The FTSE 250 was up 399.68 points, or 2.2%, at 18,289.61, and the AIM All

Stock markets globally were starting November on the front foot, with Asian markets and London mining shares boosted by speculation that China is considering ending its zero-Covid policy.The FTSE 100 index opened up 103.79 points, 1.5%, at 7,198.32. The FTSE 250 was up 258.82 points, 1.5%, at 18,148.75, and the AIM All-Share rose 7.10 points, 0.9%, at 813.23.The Cboe UK 100 opened up 1.3% at 719.4

The pound was recovering some ground on Monday, holding back the internationally exposed FTSE 100 stock index, after former prime minister Boris Johnson pulled out the race to take back his former job, clearing the way for market favourite Rishi Sunak.The FTSE 100 index was down 24.70 points, or 0.4%, at 6,944.50. The mid-cap FTSE 250 was up 79.70 points, or 0.5%, at 17,286.25, and the AIM All-Sha