Equities on both sides of the Atlantic registered record highs on Wednesday, as a slowdown in US inflation prompted stocks to move higher as Federal Reserve interest rate cut hopes strengthened.Aside from the US data, there was a slew of M&A developments threatening to steal some of the spotlight in London. The owner of the Royal Mail backed a possible bid, while Wood Group said no to a suitor aga

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

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

Stocks in London ended in the red on Wednesday, despite the FTSE 100 hitting another record high earlier in the day, while Tesla was the star in New York, where wider markets mixed.The FTSE 100 index gave back 4.43 points, 0.1%, at 8,040.38. The blue-chip index traded as high as 8,092.19 earlier Wednesday, its best-ever level. Selling pressure in the afternoon prevented it from achieving another c

Investors in London continued to show confidence, as stocks at the open on Tuesday added to Monday?s gains, boosted by the prospect of interest rate cuts.The FTSE 100 index opened up 33.06 points, 0.4%, at 8,056.93. The FTSE 250 was up 54.48 points, 0.3%, at 19,653.87, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.14 points, 0.3%, at 751.32.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.3% at 804.24, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.2% at 17

London?s FTSE 100 achieved a record close on Monday, as sabre-rattling in the Middle East began to die down, while the pound struggled on renewed hope that the Bank of England is taming UK inflation.Among individual shares, there was some M&A impetus for Tyman and Hipgnosis Songs Fund. A bullish broker note lifted some UK high street and grocer stalwarts, though model train maker Hornby went off t

Investors in London showed confidence on Monday, as Ocado boosted the FTSE 100 despite shareholder pressure to move its listing to the US, while takeover talks drove Hipgnosis Songs Fund and Tyman in the FTSE 250.Amongst individual stocks, Ocado boosted the FTSE 100 on pressure to move to the US. The FTSE 250 got a boost from takeover talks for both Hipgnosis Songs Fund and Tyman.The FTSE 100 inde

Stock prices in London improved at the open on Monday, with FTSE 250 stocks Hipgnosis and Tyman rising on news of prospective takeovers for both firms, while investors more widely shook off nerves ahead of a key US inflation reading later this week.The FTSE 100 index opened up 96.75 points, 1.2%, at 7,992.60. The FTSE 250 was up 152.32 points, 0.8%, at 19,543.62, and the AIM All-Share was up 3.13

Equity prices in London found some composure heading into Wednesday afternoon, recovering from an uncertain start following an unnerving UK inflation reading.International Distribution Services jumped, after a billionaire shareholder?s takeover proposal that was rebuffed by the Royal Mail parent.The FTSE 100 index rose 46.18 points, 0.6%, at 7,866.54. The FTSE 250 climbed 107.23 points, 0.6%, at 1

Stocks in London were higher at midday on Wednesday, boosted by retailers ahead of a US consumer price inflation reading.Amongst individual stocks, Tesco led the charge, after unveiling a £1 billion share buyback programme. Other retailers also got a boost on the back of the results.The FTSE 100 index was up 47.65 points, 0.6%, at 7,982.44. The FTSE 250 was up 171.65 points, 0.9%, at 19,935.00, a

Supermarket Income REIT (SUPR) 76pMarket cap: £950 millionAlong with healthcare REITs (real estate investment trusts), Supermarket Income REIT (SUPR) must have one of the most secure revenue streams of any property company.It owns and leases 55 supermarkets up and down the country, with the two leading operators Tesco (TSCO) and Sainsbury?s (SBRY) accounting for over three quarters of its rental

The FTSE 100 was lower on Wednesday at midday despite UK inflation cooling more than expected, ahead of interest rate decisions in the US on Wednesday and in the UK on Thursday.Stocks in Paris were weighed down by a disappoint profit warning from Kering, which also had an impact on Burberry in London. Prudential shares sunk on the back of its results.The FTSE 100 index was down 9.75 points, 0.1%,

French conglomerate flags slowdownAsia Pacific disappointsGucci turnaround remains uncertainEuropean luxury stocks were marked down on Wednesday after French conglomerate Kering (KER:EPA) warned its first-quarter sales were expected to tumble by 10%, dragged down by its flagship brand Gucci which is in the early stages of a turnaround.Kering shares plunged 15% to ?362.3 in early Paris trading on t

Stocks in London opened in the red on Tuesday morning, after the Bank of Japan decided to end its negative interest rate policy.Amongst individual stocks, Unilever jumped after it announced job cuts, as well as the split off of its ice cream division.The FTSE 100 index opened down 1.42 points at 7,721.13. The FTSE 250 was down 12.40 points, 0.1%, at 19,474.13, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.13 o

Stock prices in Europe were mixed on Tuesday midday, as investors await US data that could be indicative of future interest rates.The FTSE 100 index was down 10.79 points, 0.1%, at 7,673.51. The FTSE 250 was down 19.91 points, 0.1%, at 19,107.01, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.02 points, 0.1%, at 744.79.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 768.73, the Cboe UK 250 was flat at 16,487.42, and the Cboe

Investors looking for continued sales momentumConsensus earnings estimates have been revised upLooking for signs of improving marginsInvestors will be interested to see if sales momentum has continued into the final quarter at global medical technology company Smith & Nephew (SN.) when it reports next week (27 Feb).Running into the Q4 and full-year numbers the shares have started to outperform the

I have only recently started thinking seriously about my retirement. However, I am paying the maximum I can into my employer?s pension to get matching contributions, and I also pay into my SIPP each month.I am 48 years old and am trying to figure out how much more I need to pay into my SIPP to retire. I have also built up investment ISAs and I have 10 years more to pay off the mortgage on my house

Is $11 billion US firm MicroStrategy (MSTR:NASDAQ) really the largest independent business intelligence company listed anywhere, as it claims, or merely a proxy for cryptocurrency Bitcoin, as many investors perceive it to be?On its website, MicroStrategy says it provides modern analytics on an open, enterprise platform used by many of the world?s most admired brands in the Fortune Global 500. It o

Stocks in London lacked direction at midday on Friday, as markets ?paused for breath? across Europe.The FTSE 100 index was up 8.94 points, 0.1%, at 7,604.42. The FTSE 250 was up 12.99 points, 0.1%, at 19,115.71, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.71 of a point, 0.1%, at 750.39.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.1% at 760.46, the Cboe UK 250 was flat at 16,537.56, and the Cboe Small Companies was flat at 14,58

Stock prices were mutedly up in London at the open on Friday, while inflation in Germany cooled and Barclays announced plans to buy Tesco Bank?s retail banking business.The FTSE 100 index opened up 5.17 points, 0.1%, at 7,600.65. The FTSE 250 was marginally up 2.72 points at 19,105.44, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.52 of a point, 0.1%, at 751.62.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.1% at 760.08, the Cboe UK