London stocks were up at midday on Friday, on the back of an interest rate hold from the Bank of England and a better-than-expected gross domestic product reading from the Office for National Statistics.The FTSE 100 index was up 66.70 points, 0.8%, at 8,448.05, after hitting a record high 8,455.77 earlier. The FTSE 250 was up 163.86 points, 0.8%, at 20,695.16, and the AIM All-Share was up 5.05 poi

Stocks in London started strong on Friday following the Bank of England?s dovish hold on interest rates on Thursday, as new data showed UK gross domestic product reached a stronger-than-expected level in March.The FTSE 100 index opened up 43.05 points, 0.5%, at 8,424.40. The FTSE 250 was up 68.41 points, 0.3%, at 20,599.71, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.06 points, 0.3%, at 785.76.The Cboe UK 100

European equities went into Friday afternoon in the green, on the hope that the US jobs report will be softer than the prior month and help calm some hawkish Federal Reserve interest rate expectations.Every batch of hotter US data takes some conviction out of Federal Reserve rate cut bets. Earlier this year, investors hoped the Fed would cut three times in 2024.The FTSE 100 index was up 39.24 poin

In the last few weeks, the drumbeat of companies complaining about the lowly valuation of their shares and floating the idea of moving to the US market has grown steadily louder.First there was miner Glencore (GLEN), then oil major Shell (SHEL) started making noises and most recently online retailer Ocado (OCDO) has come under shareholder pressure to move its listing.What is significant is these a

London equities finished in the green on Monday, outpacing its European peers, ahead of the Federal Reserve?s eagerly awaited interest rate decision on Wednesday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 7.20 points, 0.1%, at 8,147.03. The FTSE 250 ended up 260.63 points, 1.3%, at 20,084.79, and the AIM All-Share closed up 8.05 points, 1.1%, at 763.33.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.1% at 814.08, the Cboe UK 250 cl

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

The FTSE 100 hit an all-time high on Tuesday, before returning some gains after somewhat hawkish words from a UK monetary policymaker.The FTSE 100 index closed up 20.94 points, 0.2%, at 8,044.81. The FTSE 250 shot up 200.33 points, 1.0%, at 19,799.72, and the AIM All-Share ended up 5.69 points, 0.8%, at 754.87.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.2% at 803.32, the Cboe UK 250 rose 0.9% to 17,156.66, and the

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Abby Glennie and Amanda Yeaman, managers of abrdn UK Smaller Companies Growth TrustThe long-awaited turnaround in smaller companies is unlikely to happen just because shares are lowly-valuedHowever, an improving economic and interest rate backdrop could spark renewed interest in the sectorM&A activity is also providing support for the smaller companies sectorInvest

The FTSE 100 achieved a solid gain and almost hit its best-ever level on Friday, with its mining and oil producing contingent sparing it from declines seen in equities elsewhere.Shares in Frankfurt and New York failed to find their feet as investors fretted over rising tensions and US interest rate worries.The FTSE 100 index ended up 71.78 points, 0.9%, at 7,995.58, closing below the 8,000 point m

Stocks in London were higher on midday Friday with miners, housebuilders and oil majors rising amid news that the UK is exiting a mild and short recession.The FTSE 100 index was up 96.05 points, 1.2%, at 8,019.85. The FTSE 250 was up 125.41 points, 0.6%, at 19,912.28, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.87 points, 0.4%, at 761.70.The Cboe UK 100 was up 1.3% at 802.07, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.6% at 17,

Stocks in London started the week on the front foot, picking up strength as Monday?s trading session wore on, to post healthy gains by the close.Gold hit a new high before fading, airlines and miners were in demand, while Entain prospered on bid speculation.The FTSE 100 index closed up 32.31 points, 0.4%, at 7,943.47. The FTSE 250 ended up 128.64 points, 0.7%, at 19,854.58, and the AIM All-Share c

European stocks closed lower on Tuesday, after the long Easter holiday weekend and a day full of economic data.The FTSE 100 index closed down 17.53 points, 0.2%, at 7,935.09. The FTSE 250 ended down 170.84 points, 0.9%, at 19,713.89, and the AIM All-Share closed down 0.86 of a point, 0.1%, at 742.40.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.3% at 793.40, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 1.1% at 17,147.56, and the C

London?s FTSE 100 grew in confidence as Friday morning wore on, but still underperformed peers in Europe, despite its heavyweight miners and oil majors trading higher.The FTSE 100 index rose 16.41 points, 0.2%, at 7,759.56. The blue-chip index is up 1.2% week-to-date. Though 0.3% higher for the year so far, weekly gains for the FTSE 100 have been rare.The FTSE 250 climbed 53.30 points, 0.3%, to 19

European stocks ended up largely in the green on Wednesday, as the FTSE 100 was given a leg-up by hopes of an imminent end to the UK recession.The FTSE 100 index closed up 24.36 points, 0.3%, at 7,772.17. The FTSE 250 ended down 1.29 points at 19,563.92, and the AIM All-Share closed up 0.78 of a point, or 0.1%, at 738.82.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.3% at 778.45, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 0.2% at

Stock prices in London opened in the red on Monday, despite a favourable inflation reading from China, as investors nervously await Tuesday?s US data.While a hotter-than-forecast Chinese consumer price index print reassured, stock market investors will be hoping the US data shows inflation is cooling, however.The FTSE 100 index fell 3.85 points, 0.1%, to 7,655.89. The FTSE 250 was down only 9.60 p

Stock prices in London were mixed at midday Wednesday as the FTSE 100 was dragged down by HSBC and Glencore, ahead of minutes from the January Federal Open Market Committee meeting in the US.The FTSE 100 index was down 66.87 points, 0.9%, at 7,652.34. The FTSE 250 was up 14.84 points, 0.1%, at 19,124.47, and the AIM All-Share was down 2.14 points, 0.3%, at 750.91.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.8% at 7

Stocks in London opened mixed on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 dragged down by soft earnings from HSBC and Glencore, two of its largest constituents by market cap.The FTSE 100 index opened down 50.16 points, 0.7%, at 7,669.05. The FTSE 250 was up 3.10 points at 19,112.73, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.28 points, 0.2%, at 751.77.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.6% at 768.27, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.2%

The pound recovered on Tuesday after the Bank of England?s Andrew Bailey discussed possible interest rate cuts, but stock prices still closed down in London.The FTSE 100 index closed down 9.29 points, 0.1%, at 7,719.21. The FTSE 250 ended down 107.27 points, 0.6%, at 19,109.63, and the AIM All-Share closed down 3.28 points, 0.4%, at 753.05.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.1% at 772.61, the Cboe UK 250

Investors in FTSE 100 stocks on Monday held their nerve before key inflation data in the US tomorrow, while mid-cap stocks rose strongly ahead.The FTSE 100 index closed up 1.11 points at 7,573.69. The FTSE 250 ended up 141.61 points, 0.7%, at 19,203.93, and the AIM All-Share closed up 2.77 points, 0.4%, at 750.18.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.1% at 757.21, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 1.0% at 16,622.23,

Stocks in London faded into the close losing momentum ahead of the first interest rate decision by the US central bank this year.The FTSE 100 index closed down 35.74 points, 0.5%, at 7,630.57. The FTSE 250 ended up 8.45 points, marginally up, at 19,357.95 and the AIM All-Share closed down 0.14 of a point, marginally lower, at 754.75.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.3% at 763.97, the Cboe UK 250 closed