The end of the tax year is fast approaching and with it the opportunity to maximise your £20,000 ISA allowance for the year.In this article we have identified six names from a list of some of the most consistent funds and fund managers in the UK which could be a good fit for your tax wrapper. While we have aimed for a balance across different investment styles and asset classes this is not intend

Bunzl raises profit target againCapita and Serco orders growDriver the day?s star turnOn a good day for markets in general, UK business services firms were feeling the love after posting positive trading updates.Half a dozen firms, from FTSE 100 distributor Bunzl (BNZL) to FTSE 250 outsourcer Serco (SRP) and staffing firm SThree (STEM) all the way down to tiddlers Capita (CPI), Driver (DRV) and RM

First half bolstered by organic growth and acquisitionsDefence and immigration services drive upgradeFull year earnings now seen risingInvestors in unloved outsourcing specialist Serco Group (SRP) were jumping for joy on news the firm was increasing its full year profit guidance after a stronger-than-expected first half.The shares, which earlier this week were plumbing 12-month lows around 135p, l

- Lok'nStore director cashes in on strong performance- IHG chair increases stake- Serco CEO sells shares to meet Australian tax liabilitiesAndrew Jacobs, chairman of self-storage firm Lok'nStore (LOK:AIM), has sold £10 million worth of shares to meet demand for stock from institutional investors. He is still left with nearly 4.4 million shares, equal to 14.5% of the company.The disposal follows h

Optimism that the UK economy may not be as weak as once feared has lifted numerous UK stocks so far in 2023. Yet many investment trusts continue to trade at wide discounts to their net asset values - both relating to UK stocks and overseas ones. It means their share prices are worth less than the value of the investments in their portfolios.According to Winterflood data, the average investment tru

Achieving decent returns has been difficult in 2022 as shareholders in many investment trusts have found to their cost. According to data from the Association of Investment Companies, the average one-year share price total return from all trusts (excluding venture capital trusts) is -13.7%.However, several trusts have really stood out from their sector peers this year. In this article we highlight

There is no question this year has been an extraordinarily difficult one for many companies, who have had to cope with a sharp rise in both operating and financial costs as energy and labour prices have jumped and interest rates have gone up.It is therefore not such a surprise that FTSE 100 chief executives are leaving in record numbers, with over a dozen either having moved already this year or d

It is one thing for analysts to forecast which stocks and sectors will do well in a rising-rate or inflationary environment, but when it actually comes to pass it's always fascinating to see what works in practice.Judging by the list of stocks making 12-month highs over the past week, those who favoured real assets were on the money.Standing tall are 3i Infrastructure (3IN), AEW UK REIT (AEWU), GC

UK stocks regained some of their earlier losses on Thursday but closed in the red as the debate around the potential economic damage caused by Omicron intensified.US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen weighed in on the debate by saying the new variant could slow the global economy and cause significant problems.Meanwhile oil prices rallied around 1.5% after the OPEC+ oil producers' cartel said they w

UK stocks remained in deep negative territory at midday Thursday as investment sentiment continued to suffer from worries over the Omicron variant and US central bank plans to increase its pace of tapering. Investors were also watching energy prices ahead of a meeting of OPEC+ oil producers, which it is hoped will lead to an increase in supplies after the U.S. and others released crude from their

Support services firm Serco (SRP) gained 1.6% to 135.9p as it stuck with its 2021 forecasts and issued 2022 guidance in line with analysts' consensus estimates.The company updated the market ahead of a capital markets day at which it will outline expectations to deliver revenue growth of 4% to 6% from 2022 onwards, improve its margins by as much as 1% to 6% and convert at least 80% of its operatin

UK stocks dropped in early trading after a selloff in overseas markets following the first case of the Omicron variant in the U.S. and a warning from technology firm Apple that demand for its latest iPhone had weakened.Meanwhile, investors were also watching energy prices ahead of an meeting of OPEC+ oil producers, which it is hoped will lead to an increase in supplies after the U.S. and others re

UK stocks recovered from their intraday weakness to close marginally higher, despite a rise in sterling as expectations grow of a rise in official interest rates at next month's Bank of England meeting.At the close on Monday the FTSE 100 index was 4 points to the good at 7,352 points with financial stocks offsetting a sluggish mining sector following the COP26 climate conference.Brent crude prices

UK stocks were slightly weaker on Monday as investors eyed Wednesday's inflation report and expectations grew of a rise in official interest rates at next month's Bank of England meeting.At midday the FTSE 100 index was 14 points or 0.2% lower at 7,335 points with mining stocks lagging in the wake of the COP26 climate conference.Overnight trading in Asia was mixed with China's SE Composite up 0.6%

The FTSE 100 index was flat in early trading as weakness in mining shares offset gains in oil and bank stocks. At 9am the index of leading shares was up 0.2% to 7,358 points.Overnight trading in Asia was mixed with China's SE Composite up 0.6% after retail sales and industrial output beat expectations, while Japan's Nikkei 225 index was down 0.2%.Brent crude prices were down 0.7% to $91.12 per bar

Risk-averse investors wary about rising rates and their potential to roil long-duration assets including highly rated growth stocks should look at Fidelity Special Values (FSV), the investment trust with stakes in cheap UK stocks that boast significant recovery potential.While the shares have swung from a net asset value discount to a modest premium, this reflects the fund's strong performance and

'Form is temporary, class is permanent' runs the old adage often used to describe sportsmen and sportswomen, though the maxim can also be applied in the investment industry, where you'll find a cohort of collectives that consistently do the business for their holders.Funds that routinely outperform over economic and stock market cycles must be pursuing a winning process that should pique the inter

Rising inflation expectations means that growth-hungry investors will need to be increasingly discerning and disciplined in terms of their stock picking in the months ahead.One sensible solution is to invest in a fund where the manager has pedigree in backing dynamic growth companies without overpaying to own the shares. Step forward Mark Slater, who has managed Slater Growth Fund (B7T0G90) since

UK stocks pulled back from their recent highs on Wednesday as first quarter GDP fell 1.6%, revised down from 1.5% reflecting the most recent lockdown, and oil prices retreated.Brent crude futures gave up 0.3% to $74 per barrel while precious metals were also weaker, with gold down 0.2% at $1,758 per ounce, capping its worst monthly performance for a couple of years, down 8% since the start of June

UK stocks pulled back on Wednesday as first quarter GDP fell 1.6%, revised down from 1.5% reflecting the most recent lockdown, and oil prices retreated.Brent crude futures gave up 0.3% to $74 per barrel while precious metals were also weaker, with gold down 0.2% at $1,758 per ounce, capping its worst monthly performance for a couple of years, down 8% since the start of June.At 12.15pm, the FTSE 10