Like-for-like sales up 7.3%Cash generation cuts net debtSales growth continues in 2HPubs group Marston?s (MARS) revealed continued outperformance of the wider market with like-for-like sales up 7.3% in the first half and underlying pub operating profit 22% higher at £52.7 million.The shares have performed strongly over the last week ahead of the results, inviting some profit taking today with a f

London stocks were mixed at midday on Monday, ahead of Wednesday?s US consumer price reading, though analysts believe potential London floats by Shein and Raspberry Pi could be a game-changer for UK-listed equities.The FTSE 100 index was up 7.05 points, 0.1%, at 8,440.61. The FTSE 250 was down 33.65 points, 0.2%, at 20,611.59, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.45 points, 0.1%, at 789.42.The Cboe UK

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

Stock prices in London surged on Thursday afternoon, shaking off a muted morning, as a dovish tilt to the Bank of England?s latest rate hold supported equities.Threadneedle Street maintained bank rate at a 16-year high of 5.25% for the sixth meeting in-a-row. However, two members of its Monetary Policy Committee backed a 25 basis point cut. Seven, Governor Andrew Bailey included, supported the hol

Annual return of 23%Action the main driverShares up over 50%The UK?s largest private equity trust, 3i Group (III), delivered another outstanding return for investors in the year to the end of March despite adverse foreign exchange movements which trimmed NAV (net asset value) growth.However, with the stock price having risen more than 50% over the past 12 months there was an element of profit-taki

Investors in the high-profile Royal London Global Equity Select (BF93W97) fund face a dilemma following the surprise resignation of star manager Peter Rutter from RLAM (Royal London Asset Management) alongside several of the firm?s global equities team.The managers are expected to set up their own company, having secured financial backing from Australia?s Pinnacle Investment Management. The news r

One of the most compelling reasons for investing through a Junior ISA is to help provide your offspring with the necessary funds to leave university without the burden of onerous debts.If you invested the whole allowance of £9,000 every year from birth until your child reached 18 they would inherit a pot worth £229,000 based on an annual return of 4.5% and with charges of 0.75% factored in. Best

Stock prices in London were higher at midday on Wednesday, ahead of the next interest rate decision from the Bank of England on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index was up 41.39 points, 0.5%, at 8,355.06, having reached another record at 8364.04 at around 1100 BST. The FTSE 250 was up 33.45 points, 0.2%, at 20,446.53, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.99 points, 0.3%, at 778.41.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.5% at

Stock prices in London opened higher on Wednesday, beating Asian peers which trended lower over night, and following a flatter session in the US.The FTSE 100 index opened up 34.20 points, 0.4%, at 8,347.87. The FTSE 250 was up 30.83 points, 0.2%, at 20,443.91, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.94 points, 0.3%, at 778.36.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 833.39, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.3% at 17,713.33,

Pre-market data shows 3% share price decline on the cardsRecovering from ?major inventory correction?Dividend up 18% despite lower salesTalk of a chips industry recovery looks a little premature based on what Microchip Technology (MCHP:NASDAQ) laid before investors overnight. Pre-market data has the stock down more than 3% to around $91 after the company issued fiscal first quarter 2025 guidance b

Weaker oil and gas prices weigh$1.75 billion buyback maintained$2 billion-plus cost-saving targetShares in BP (BP.) fell 0.75% to 506.6p in a rising market after the energy producer?s first-quarter results missed expectations with weaker oil and gas prices and an unplanned US refinery outage curbing profits.However, the FTSE 100 energy titan?s shareholder-friendly focus helped limit the price dama

Better than expected Q1 sales and narrower lossCovid vaccine sales plunged 90% year on yearRSV vaccine expected to be approvedUS biotechnology firm Moderna (MRNA:NASDAQ) surged 13% after reporting a smaller than expected quarterly loss and reaffirming the timeline for expected regulatory approval of its RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine.Management said it expects the regulator to announce

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

Stock prices in London opened in the green on Friday, with investors confident of a softer US jobs report, which take some sting out of hawkish Federal Reserve interest rate expectations.The FTSE 100 index rose 20.31 points, 0.2%, at 8,192.46. The FTSE 250 edged up 14.81 points, 0.1%, to 20,067.14, and the AIM All-Share rose 1.54 points, 0.2%, at 769.65.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 818.09, the C

London?s FTSE 100 made a bright start to trading on Thursday, after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell played down fears of an interest rate increase, although cuts remain on the back-burner.The FTSE 100 index rose 18.12 points, 0.2%, at 8,139.36. The FTSE 250 edged up just 4.56 points to 19,931.15, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.19 points, 0.2%, at 766.17.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 812.66, t

With around 40% of S&P 500 constituents reporting earnings last week including heavyweights Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) and Alphabet (GOOG:NASDAQ), the micro picture was widely expected to be the main investor focus.As things turned out, a surprisingly weak first quarter GDP (gross domestic product) print and higher-than-anticipated March inflation gave investors and the Federal Reserve further pause

Premier Foods (PFD) 159.6pMarket cap: £1.39 billion Ownership of some of Britain?s best-loved brands including Mr. Kipling, Batchelors and Bisto, appetising growth potential and a transformed financial position that should support double-digit dividend growth are reasons to buy cooking sauces, cakes and custards maker Premier Foods (PFD). Admittedly, the stock has already rallied 350% over the pa

Scottish American Investment Company (SAIN) 503pMarket cap: £898 millionBallie Gifford-managed Scottish American (SAIN), also referred to as ?SAINTS?, is trading at an 8% discount to net asset value which offers a great opportunity to buy high-quality assets on the cheap.The fund is steered by co-managers James Dow and Ross Mathison, after Toby Ross stepped away from co-managing the fund in Febru

Equities in London made a bright start to trading, led by lender HSBC, as the recent bullish run continued.Trade was more cautious in mainland Europe, however, ahead of key eurozone data later.The FTSE 100 index rose 26.28 points, 0.3%, at 8,173.31. The FTSE 250 was up 51.07 points, 0.3%, at 20,135.86, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.36 points, 0.2%, at 764.69.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 817.04,

After last week?s market spasm over hints from Fed officials that rates may need to rise rather than fall due to the resilience of the US economy, this week the focus moved on to earnings with around one third of S&P 500 companies posting first-quarter updates.So far most firms have beaten estimates, leading to slim gains for the indices, but an increasing number have tempered their guidance for t