Stock prices were up in London heading into the afternoon on Thursday, with Anglo American leading the charge on confirming it was ?reviewing? a takeover bid from its larger Australian rival BHP Group.The FTSE 100 index was up 54.22 points, 0.7%, at 8,094.60. The FTSE 250 was down 20.05 points, 0.1%, at 19,699.32, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.33 of a point at 755.02.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.7% a

Investors in London bought at the open on Thursday, looking ahead to US GDP data this afternoon, while Anglo American shares jumped after it confirmed that it was ?reviewing? a takeover bid from its larger Australian rival BHP Group.The FTSE 100 index opened up 33.81 points, 0.4%, at 8,074.19. The FTSE 250 was down 98.85 points, 0.5%, at 19,620.52, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.60 of a point, 0

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

It must be maddening for analysts that every time they?ve put forecasts for Darktrace (DARK) into the market, they?re forced to tear them up and start again. It happened for the third time already this year earlier this month (11 April), in the wake of a surprisingly strong third fiscal quarter update (to 31 March) that the company predicts will mean an extra $2.4 million of ARR, or annual recurri

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

Signs of customer restockingFirst quarter tops forecastsShares up over 7% after-hoursAI (artificial intelligence) has dominated the chip conversation in recent months but from the sounds made by Texas Instruments (TXN:NASDAQ), the industry could be primed for a far more broadly-based demand bounce as the months roll forward.The Dallas-based business is the world?s biggest manufacturer of analog se

Lowest profit margins in four years predictedElectric vehicle maker appears to have ditched its low-cost model plansStock has fallen 42% this yearMega tech earnings kick-off this week with Tesla (TSLA:NASDAQ) set to get the ball rolling after the market close Tuesday (23 Apr), and the results and commentary are likely to be bleak.The electric vehicle giant earlier this month reported an 8.5% decli

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.Latin American economies welcomed 2024 with new economic vigour. They have shaken off a legacy of economic mismanagement, and now look set to play a new role in the global economy. The region?s e

European stocks declined on Friday morning after reports of explosions in Iran, fuelling worries of a conflict escalation.The FTSE 100 index opened 50.93 points lower, 0.7%, at 7,826.12. The FTSE 250 was down 178.53 points, 0.9%, at 19,272.14. The AIM All-Share was down 4.15 points, 0.6%, at 741.14.The Cboe UK 100 fell 0.7% to 781.46, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.8% at 16,706.81, and the Cboe Small

Investors in London were not deterred by continuing concerns of higher for longer US interest rates, as stocks were up heading into the afternoon.The FTSE 100 index was 14.38 points higher, 0.2%, at 7,862.37. The FTSE 250 was up 63.75 points, 0.3%, at 19,403.89. The AIM All-Share was up 0.59 of a point, 0.1%, at 743.71.The Cboe UK 100 was a touch higher at 785.28, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.1% at 16

iShares Automation & Robotics ETF(RBTX) £10.22Fund size: £2.77 billionIn scenes from the film I, Robot, androids can be seen doing all sorts of household tasks ? running errands, carry heavy shopping, cleaning the home, for example. In the real world most robots do repetitive, heavy-lifting, and dangerous tasks in places like car factories.Yet humans and robots are forming a close friendship lik

Q1 revenue misses by ?100 millionChip kit firm?s stock falls more than 4%Underlying market remains supportiveChip stocks have been gunning it this year thanks to booming demand for the most advanced AI (artificial intelligence) technology. The US SOX semiconductor index, which measures the world?s meaningful chips stocks, has rallied 15% since the start of January, so ASML?s (ASML:AMS) revenue mis

Stock prices in London closed lower on Tuesday as hopes continued fading for three US Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year, and as tensions between Iran and Israel added to investors? fears.The FTSE 100 index closed down 145.17 points, 1.8%, at 7,820.36. The FTSE 250 ended down 354.35 points, 1.8%, at 19,344.54, and the AIM All-Share closed down 12.00 points, down 1.6%, at 738.28.The Cboe

Equities in London were firmly in the red Tuesday afternoon, with market confidence knocked by geopolitical tensions and US interest rate concerns, as a hat-trick of cuts by the Federal Reserve this year looks an increasingly distant prospect.The interest rate picture in the UK was muddied by the latest batch of jobless data. The unemployment rate rose, though pay growth remained sticky, giving th

The FTSE 100 was lower on Monday at midday as the oil price declined despite high tensions between Iran and Israel, while the FTSE 250 was a tad higher.The FTSE 100 index was down 33.43 points, 0.4%, at 7,962.15. The FTSE 250 was up 12.21 points, 0.1%, at 19,733.45, and the AIM All-Share was down 4.01 points, 0.5%, at 751.90.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.5% at 795.86, the Cboe UK 250 was marginally d

£346 million sale agreedShare buyback worth £100 million plannedHigher margin distribution now the focusInchcape?s (INCH) shares revved up 4.5% to 730p on news the global automotive distributor has agreed to sell its UK car retail operations to a US rival for £346 million in cash.The disposal, which follows a strategic review launched in January, will allow Inchcape to focus on its higher margi

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE For roughly 80 years, rapid industrial production growth defined the U.S. economy. Starting in the early 2000s, however, the U.S. industrial production machine began a two-decade stagnation. But things are changing. Deglobalization and re-shoring are gaining momentum, and developed economies want to strengthen their supply chains. To mitigate economic and geopolitic

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics could revolutionize the industrial sector, leading to a significant increase in the use of automation. Automation is expected to transform production lines, likely elevating human workers to manage robots, boosting overall productivity and output. Capital investments spurred by government policies and corpor

Encouraging start for small caps trustHulse sees value opportunity in UK small capsWindward?s potential excitesShares in Onward Opportunities (ONWD:AIM) rose 1.5% to 111.5p after the smaller companies-focused trust reported an 11.3% NAV (net asset value) total return to 106.5p for the nine months from its March 2023 IPO (initial public offering) to the end of December.That performance compares to