The shrinking UK stock market is a worry for fund managers and has wider implications for the UK as a listing venue as well as the UK?s economic growth, say analysts at Peel Hunt.This article explores the so-called de-equitisation of the UK stock market, or plainly put the substitution of debt for equity via share buybacks and cash acquisitions.More than 45 companies exited the UK market in 2023 d

The world of fantasy is clearly having a moment. The rise of ?romantasy? authors like Sarah J Maas, who has been a big part of UK publishing outfit Bloomsbury?s (BMY) recent success, have taken the genre out of its previous male-dominated realm to a whole new audience.Bloomsbury?s surging sales and the ongoing phenomenon that is Games Workshop (GAW) are two examples on the UK market which show the

We are weeks away from the end of the tax year and inevitably there is plenty of focus on ISAs ? whether that relates opening an account or using up existing allowances.In all the hoo-hah it?s easy to lose sight of just what a compelling vehicle this is for investors. Whatever you are investing for, whether it?s the cost of the kids? education, to supplement your income in retirement or to fund ho

More and more UK companies are buying back their own shares. Data collected by Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, shows share buybacks at FTSE 100 companies are running at an aggregate value of £18.3 billion so far in 2024.Despite being only two months into the year, the value of buybacks already equates to 35% of the whole value of buybacks in 2023.This isn?t just a UK phenomenon either

Shares in publishing outfit Bloomsbury Publishing (BMY) hit a record level on 14 February after the firm raised its guidance for the year ending 29 February 2024.Over the past year, Bloomsbury shares have gained 22% and over five years 137% to sit at 536p. The publisher has clearly benefited from the revival of reading which started during the pandemic and the ability to tap into popular genres li

Buybacks are heavily in fashion with UK companies right now. The latest names to declare sizeable share buybacks include Barclays (BARC) and InterContinental Hotels (IHG), which between them plan to repurchase more than £1.5 billion worth of stock this year. Notably, Shell (SHEL), which cut its dividend for the first time since the Second World War in 2020, has shifted towards large buybacks in r

The last two years have seen unprecedented levels of outflows from funds invested in UK equities.Across the course of 2022 and 2023, around £25 billion was withdrawn from these funds by retail investors. This isn?t a new phenomenon. UK funds have seen outflows every year since 2016, to the tune of £46 billion in total. This feels like a significant and longstanding shift in consumer behaviour, s

Fantasy and sci-fi demand lift salesRevenue of £291.4 million expectedShares gain 7% to new life-highShares in Bloomsbury Publishing (BMY) were up over 7% to a new all-time high of 527p in morning trading as the book publisher said it expected revenue and pre-tax profit to be ?significantly ahead' of upgraded market expectations for the year ending 29 February 2024.The book publishers? board expe

Terry Smith delivered disappointing news last week (9 January) after he revealed his flagship equity fund Fundsmith Equity Fund (B41YBW7) had underperformed the MSCI World Index for a third successive year.Moreover, the fund?s cumulative total return now lags the global benchmark over five years. As Smith points out in his annual letter, outperforming the market or even making a positive return ev

Militants target traffic using Suez CanalBP and other companies reroute tankersPanama Canal drought adds to disruptionA rising number of attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea is threatening to send oil and gas prices higher, undoing some of the progress in taming inflation this year.There are already reports of shipping in the area ?grinding to a halt? on the approach to the Suez Canal, an a

As we move into another year there is plenty for investors to consider. Are we on the other side of inflationary pressures? Will rates be cut in 2024? What will happen with the US presidential election? In this article we address these and some other big questions for the year to come.IS THE BATTLE AGAINST INFLATION OVER, WILL RATES BE CUT IN 2024 AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE DOLLAR?A big question

Occasionally, funds can become victims of their own success, becoming so popular and attracting such inflows that they become harder to manage and their size begins to impact on the investment process and performance.One way asset management companies seek to dampen down investor demand in such instances is to 'soft close' such a collective, which means the fund is technically still open for sales

Obesity is one of the fastest growing public health issues facing the world. The World Health Organisation estimates there are two billion overweight adults, of which around 650 million are technically obese.Having a body mass index over 30 means someone is obese, while anyone with a score over 25 is classified under this system as being overweight. Experts predict almost half of US adults will be

Are you an Emerging Markets Guru?10 quick questions - some amazing answers. Take the quiz and see how you score.1. Foreign institutional investor (FII) flows into India: Investor flows turned positive in March following a recovery in the equity market, with $15 billion in inflows year-to-date through the end of July. India's ability to capture an increasing share of foreign institutional flows int

Investors will be looking for confirmation of continued like-for-like sales growth, progress in reducing inventories and raised guidance when discount apparel-to-home fashions seller TJX Companies (TJX:NYSE) delivers second quarter results (16 August). The consumer spending squeeze from high inflation should supporting market share gains.Trading as T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods in the US and

1. Broadening market breadth. During the first half of 2023, 72% of the gains and six out of the 10 largest contributors to the gains in the MSCI Emerging Markets index were technology-related. This is a trend repeated in global equity indices, as 53% of the gains and nine of the 10 largest contributors to gains in the MSCI All Country World index came from technology-related companies. Looking ah

Franchise agreement inked for Middle EastMarks 'pivotal move' in JD's push into 'underpenetrated' marketsDeal follows news of North America softnessRetailer JD Sports Fashion (JD.) has struck its first-ever franchise agreement as the trainers-to-tracksuits seller looks to tap into bumper demand for athleisure in the increasingly sports-mad Middle East.Struck with Dubai-based well-being company GMG

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

British retail giant Next (NTX) is a barometer of the health of the high street so when it puts out an unscheduled trading update, markets pay attention.It implied recent warm weather had encouraged to consumers to update wardrobes, a phenomenon that rival H&M (HM-B:STO) has also enjoyed as summer finally hit the continent in earnest at the start of June.But what really captured the attention of a

The El Niño weather effect promises to have an inflationary impact as it shakes a global food production apparatus still recovering from the shock associated with Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than 12 months ago.The weather phenomenon could, depending on its severity, have a significant impact on growing conditions in some of the world's key agricultural regions. According to a blog on