First-quarter sales top estimatesCRH lime acquisition to boost growthAnalysts see nearly 50% upsideRaw materials group SigmaRoc (SRC:AIM) signaled a positive start to 2024 ahead of its AGM (annual general meeting) and said the board was ?confident in the firm?s ability to make further progress in the current year and beyond?.The shares gained 0.6p or 1% to 64.4p in line with other mining and mater

This year has brought some tentative optimism from investors linked to easing inflation and Chinese reopening. Corporate confidence is gradually recovering after the invasion of Ukraine brought fundraisings to a halt, with businesses beginning to tap the market for growth capital again.In this article, we outline why the year ahead should see a rebound in equity fundraisings and explain how retail

As 2022 draws to a close amid continuing market volatility Shares has canvassed leading fund managers to find out where they have been finding the best opportunities.Jamie Ross - Henderson Eurotrust (Hne)LOOKING OUT FOR BOMBED-OUT GROWTH STOCKSWe have spent the last 12 months trying to find opportunities within the growthier area of the market - our favoured part of the market and the part of the

- Strong underlying growth boosted by acquisitions- Shares more than halved this year- Significant new venture with global leaderConstruction and industrial materials firm SigmaRoc (SRC:AIM) released an upbeat first half trading statement and announced a major joint venture with one of the world's leading steel makers.Investors warmed to the shares, which have more than halved in value this year,

Look at the investment trust space if you want to outperform the market when it comes to investing in UK smaller companies.Using data from FE Fundinfo, Shares compared the sector performance to the FTSE All-Share and the Numis Smaller Companies indices.Only seven out of 17 open-ended funds in the UK Smaller Companies sector have beaten the market over the past five years, according to analysis by

Over the last decade UK shares have lagged their global counterparts, in part thanks to the disruption from Brexit, and that is reflected in the performance of the UK All Companies funds sector. A recent shift in the market towards value suggests it could be time for this space to play catch up.Funds in the category have a pretty broad remit, beyond having 80% of their assets in UK stocks and a pr

Major UK shares enjoyed a strong start on day one of 2022 trading as investors anticipate a brighter outlook for the global economy in the New Year as fears of the Omicron variant fade.At the close, the UK benchmark FTSE 100 rose more than 1.6% to finish above the 7,5000 mark at 7,505.15, with a reopening trade firmly in effect. BA-owner International Consolidated Airlines' (IAG) led the FTSE 100

London's leading shares continued their strong start to the New Year at lunchtime, showing little reaction to this morning's UK manufacturing purchasing managers' index, which was little changed from November's reading.The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS PMI was 57.9 in December, little changed from November's three-month high of 58.1. A value above 50 indicates expansion and the PMI has now r

Shares in AIM-listed building materials firm SigmaRoc (SRC:AIM) jumped 5% to 88p after the group announced the acquisition of privately-owned Johnston Quarry Group for £35.5 million.Johnston owns and operates eight quarries and two processing sites in Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire and the South West, supplying Cotswold Ironstone and Bath Stone for upmarket new-build residential housing as well as agr

London's FTSE 100 started 2022 on the front foot, led by travel, leisure and energy stocks as investors attempted to move on from worries about the economic impact of the Omicron variant.Gains for oil firms, airlines and hotel, pub and restaurant plays reflected diminishing concerns over the latest Covid variant amid hopes it is milder, if more transmissible, and therefore may have a limited impac

UK stocks eked out small but unconvincing gains on Wednesday as investors weighed the impact of rising Covid-19 cases and the threat of an interest rate rise against ongoing economic recovery.Despite UK consumer prices for September climbing less than expected inflation remains well above the Bank of England's 2% target rate.At the close the FTSE index of leading shares was 5 points higher at 7,22

Leading UK stocks were trading largely flat in early afternoon on Wednesday after Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng ruled out a fresh lockdown amid fears over rising Covid-19 infections.UK consumer prices for September climbed 3.1% against expectations of a 3.2% rise, briefly easing fears of an early rate rise, although inflation remains well above the Bank of England's 2% target rate.Yet UK stoc

UK stocks edged lower on Wednesday in line with most European markets despite another positive session in the US overnight and a slightly better than expected domestic inflation print.UK consumer prices for September climbed 3.1% against expectations of a 3.2% rise, briefly easing fears of an early rate rise, although inflation still remains well above the Bank of England's 2% target rate.Both the

London's FTSE 100 finished Friday's trading session just 0.07% higher at 7,029.2 points after US markets turned lower on a PPI inflation reading of 8.3%, which highlighted the risk of inflation-driven monetary tightening.Worries over the spread of the delta variant and weaker than expected UK GDP growth also weighed on sentiment, with the more domestically-focused FTSE 250 ended 0.28% lower at 23,

London's FTSE 100 was up 0.4% to 7,051.64 by midday on Friday with sterling also higher despite weaker than expected UK GDP growth.Growth of 0.1% in July compared to a consensus estimate of 0.6%, inhibited by the proliferation of the Delta variant that prevented many workers from being able to participate in the labour market.Significantly the largest sector of the British economy, the services se

Shares in buy-and-build quarried materials company SigmaRoc (SRC:AIM) gained 3.6% to trade at 114.5p after it announced a collaboration with paving slabs-to-bollards maker Marshalls (MSLH) to develop ultra-low carbon products for the concrete building materials sector.For SigmaRoc, whose institutional backers include BlackRock, M&G and Janus Henderson Investors, the collaboration represents a furt

After a strong start opening on the back of gains in Asian markets and bid stories, the FTSE 100 index trod water for most of the day to close 21 points or 0.3% higher at 7,109 points. Gains in consumer and mining stocks were offset by losses for healthcare and utility names.One stock which managed to extend its morning gains was supermarket group Sainsbury (SBRY), which finished up 15% to 340p ha

After a strong start to the week on the back of gains in Asian market, the FTSE 100 index ebbed back on Monday lunchtime to sit 20 points or 0.3% higher at 7,109 points. Gains in consumer and mining stocks were offset by losses for healthcare and utility names.One stock consolidating on its morning gains was supermarket group Sainsbury (SBRY), which gained 15% to 340p having opened up around 10% a

Major UK stock made a strong start to the new trading week, taking its cue from Asia's main markets. At 8:50 UK time, the benchmark FTSE 100 was trading higher by 0.3% at 7,108.45. The midcap FTSE 250 was 0.2% higher at 23,798.23.Top riser early on was Sainsbury (SBRY), jumping more than 10% to 325p after weekend reports it is in the cross-hairs of private equity. This as the battle continues for

The FTSE 100 index finished the day firmly lower on Monday as sentiment on both sides of the Atlantic was hit by weak Chinese data and mounting geopolitical concerns, sparked by the Taliban's swift resurgence in Afghanistan.The UK's benchmark closed 0.9% down at 7,153, off the session peak of 7,218 but off lows of 7,117.Unsurprisingly, commodity giants were among the big losers. Evraz (EVR) fell a