Markets are steady at the start of the new week with sterling rising against the euro and US dollar. The FTSE 100 advances 19 points higher to 7,039.2 led by Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and BP (BP.), which are lifted by a stronger oil price.Belfast-based IT business Kainos (KNOS) sparks up 7.8% to 458p on the very welcome news results for the year to March will be ahead of market expectations. The Br

The FTSE 100 is firmly in positive territory after gains in Asia and the US overnight and ahead of the US Federal Reserve's latest decision on interest rates tonight.Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) slumps 1.5% to 180.9p as Santander pulls out of talks to buy 315 branches. RBS was asked to spin off the branches by the EU following its rescue by taxpayers in 2008.Wine specialist Majestic Wine (WINE) fa

The FTSE 100 is up 42.89 points to 6,712.13 as it is buoyed by M&A activity and a continued settling of post Brexit nerves.UK chip designer ARM (ARM) is the top riser on the index, up 46.9% to £17.47, as it confirms it is to be bought by Japan's Softbank (9984:TYO) for £24 billion. The £17 per share deal represents a 43% premium to its closing price last week.Fellow chip play Imagination Techno

Stock markets across Europe suffer steep falls in early trade on Monday as the Greece debt crisis intensifies amid a swathe of capital controls imposed by Greek leaders and calls for a referendum on bailout terms. French, German and Spanish stock markets all start the week's trading deep in the red, while the EU-wide Euro Stoxx 50 index slumps close to 3.5%, just about keeping its head above the 3

A recent burst of activity at Transense Technologies (TRT:AIM) suggests the stock is ready to cast aside last year's weakness and embark upon a fresh upward run.In January the shares slid back toward the 5p mark which had called the bottom twice in the preceding two years. A surge in dealing volumes was suggestive of a selling climax and Transense has since motored higher. The key moving averages

Tour operator Thomas Cook (TCG) falls 1.4% to 182.5p despite the group reportinga £10 million reduction in losses to £56 million in its first quarter trading update. A 1% reduction in revenue is being blamed on disruptions caused by ongoing political uncertainty in Egypt. These headwinds were offset by the group's ongoing cost reduction programme which delivered £28 million in the first quarter

A ugly picture of the jobs market was painted by SThree (STHR) as it reported a 9% drop in second-quarter gross profit, far worse than the 3% decline in the first period. Fees are falling from contractors in more mature markets and the banking sector. The service group is also suffering margin compression as it prioritises work for larger multinational clients, where it places greater emphasis on

Global markets continued to roar with optimism on Tuesday, with the FTSE 100 flying 120 points higher to 6,774.32 as UK investors returned from the long weekend in buying mood. News from the CBI of rising confidence in the UK service sector helped lift sentiment towards the leisure industry, with holiday operator TUI Travel (TT.) putting on 10p at 368.6p and Holiday Inn-owner InterContinental Hote