There were several trends in the UK stock market this year which, if you managed to identify them, served you well.Most obviously, although it may not have seemed it at the index level, large-cap stocks generally performed better than small- and mid-caps, although for the lucky few the small-cap space has been rife with takeover activity.In terms of sectors, aerospace and defence topped the FTSE 3

The robots are coming. No, this is not a re-run of Orson Well's infamous 1938 'War of the Worlds' Halloween radio show prank, but it could be a solution to a productivity conundrum with which mature economies have been grappling for decades.Experts are calling automation an investment megatrend, including analysts at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and Pictet. And thanks to the emergence o

With engineering software company Aveva (AVV) poised to exit the stock market thanks to a takeover, it will mean losing the UK's largest 'tech' firm by market value, at £9.15 billion.Aveva has been majority owned by French industrial group Schneider Electric (SU:EPA) since 2017 and this shareholder now wants the whole business.That's a slightly different bid situation to most of the other tech ta

Are you looking for the next big thing? Rather than risk all your money on a single stock, intellectual property investor IP Group (IPO) will give you exposure to a portfolio of promising companies, each with a bright idea and the potential to make big money in the future.Not everything will be a success in its portfolio, but it only needs a handful of winners each year to make shareholders happy.

This year's new VCT (venture capital trust) offer season, where investors can apply for new shares and enjoy immediate tax benefits, is in full swing. Each year, VCTs seem to attract money faster than the previous year, meaning interested investors need to act fast once offers go live, although it is important to understand all the risks involved before making an investment decision.Experts believ

Constructed last December from shares in UK, European and US markets, Shares' 'Stock picks for 2021' portfolio was based on high conviction in 12 companies for the year ahead. While more than half of them have subsequently done well, there were a handful of disappointments.The net effect is a decent 8.6% return excluding dividends - that's higher the historical average 6% to 7% from equities inclu

UK stocks traded higher on Wednesday after free-to-air broadcaster ITV (ITV) and retailer Marks & Spencer (MKS) both reported upbeat earnings results.At midday the FTSE 100 traded 29 points or 0.4% higher at 7,303 points early on, while the FTSE 250 firmed 0.35% to 23,448.93.China continued to offer evidence of mounting inflationary pressures as factory gate prices saw their biggest increase since

UK stocks opened higher on Wednesday after free-to-air broadcaster ITV (ITV) and retailer Marks & Spencer (MKS) both reported upbeat earnings results ahead of the release of crucial US inflation data later in the day.The FTSE 100 traded 0.36% higher at 7,299.87 points early on, while the FTSE 250 firmed 0.35% to 23,448.93.China continued to offer evidence of mounting inflationary pressures as fact

Despite a fuel crisis, ongoing inflation worries and the end to the furlough scheme, Shares' top picks for 2021 continue to outperform the wider stock market.But while the FTSE All-Share index ultimately did very little during the third quarter, adding just 44 points, or about 1.1%, our 12-stock selection continued to present us with successes and challenges aplenty.Half a dozen of our picks have

TRACSIS (TRCS:AIM) 988pGain to date: 56.8%Original entry point: Buy at 630p, 23 December 2020Investors who followed our Tracsis (TRCS:AIM) pick for 2021 at the end of last year should be sitting pleased, with the share price setting new records in recent days and the stock now up 57% since we said to buy.We predicted last December that 2021 could be a big one for the transport infrastructure and a

UK stocks represent a 'once in a generation' opportunity for investors, say fund managers. After years dogged by political and economic uncertainty, and soggy stock market performance, this is a welcome change of mood music.'UK equities are on a 30 year low versus peers, and we see this as a once in a generation opportunity to get involved in some fantastic businesses,' said Rory Bateman, manager

Every December Shares selects a group of stocks to own for the year ahead. The selection for 2021 have performed well with an average share price gain of 15.2% over the past six months compared with a return of 11.9% for the FTSE-All Share index.Although the list isn't intended to be a portfolio, to calculate the return we have assumed that each holding has an equal weighting.The hit rate or numbe

The UK's major shares closed Friday fractionally in the red but held above 7,000 in a relatively quiet end to the trading week.The benchmark FTSE 100 nudged 0.02% lower to close at 7,018.05 after strong UK retail sales data and a preliminary reading of the UK Composite Purchasing Managers' Index hit its highest level since it was launched in 1998 at 62.0, matching the forecast in a Reuters poll of

The UK's major shares drifted into the red by midday on Friday on profit taking and more inflation worries after a gauge of British economic growth hit its highest level on record in May.The benchmark FTSE 100 nudged 0.09% lower to 7,013.61 after a preliminary reading of the UK Composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) hit its highest level since it was launched in 1998 at 62.0, matching the fore

London's FTSE 100 was broadly flat on Friday, the blue chip benchmark off 0.22% to 7,004.45 points early doors despite news of very strong UK retail sales last month, boosted by non-essential retailers being allowed to reopen on 12 April.Bitcoin's extreme volatility this week has only added to existing worries like inflation and the pandemic, which have impeded the progress of equity markets so fa

Tracsis (TRCS:AIM) 820pGain to date: 30.2%Original entry point: Buy at 630p, 23 December 2020Investors are getting far more confident that big events will get back going again this summer as the UK's vaccine rollout filters through the population, and investors have been snapping up Tracsis (TRCS:AIM) stock in anticipation. About half of the Leeds-based transport infrastructure and analytics softw

Major UK stocks ended the day in the green, lifted for a second day by companies that should benefit from a reopening of the economy. The rally comes after the UK Prime Minister Johnson sounded cautiously optimistic on Monday, with hopes that lockdown restrictions will start to take effect from 8 March and could come to a complete end by June.Travel and leisure stocks jumped nearly 2.5% in Tuesday

UK markets were flat in early trade on Tuesday as gains from rising commodity prices, mining and energy stocks and a firm reopening trade were neutralised by weakness from banking giant HSBC (HSBA), which ditched its long-term profitability targets.At lunchtime, the commodity-heavy FTSE 100 benchmark was struggling to make any ground, slipping 0.14% at 6,602.71. Mid-caps were stronger but lost som

UK markets were flat in early trade on Tuesday as gains from rising commodity prices, mining and energy stocks and a firm reopening trade were neutralised by weakness from banking giant HSBC (HSBA), which ditched its long-term profitability targets.At 9am, the commodity-heavy FTSE 100 benchmark was struggling to make any ground, clawing single point gains at 6,613.56. Mid-caps were much stronger,

The new venture capital trust (VCT) offer season is now in full swing where investors can apply for new shares and enjoy immediate tax benefits.Recent offers from Amati AIM VCT and Octopus AIM VCT have already closed, having hit their subscription target. Others are filling up quickly.Each year VCTs seem to attract money faster than the previous year, meaning interested investors need to act fast