After well over 1,000 issues Shares' time as a weekly publication has come to an end. A new monthly version is in the works for customers of AJ Bell and, if that applies to you, remember to look out for that later this year. However, it is clearly a good time to take stock. Having worked for Shares for 18 of its 26 years it's been my privilege and pleasure to edit the magazine for the last 18...

European stocks closed higher on Friday after the on-year US core personal consumption expenditures price index for August matched the pace of growth in July, while the CME FedWatch tool puts an 86% chance of a quarter point rate cut by the Federal Reserve in October. The FTSE 100 index closed up 70.85 points, 0.8%, at 9,284.83. The FTSE 250 ended 93.71 points higher, 0.4%, at 21,681.48, and...

Stocks in London were mixed at midday on Friday after US President Donald Trump announced new levies on pharmaceuticals, ahead of US personal consumption expenditures data, the US Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge. The FTSE 100 index was up 30.23 points, 0.3%, at 9,244.21. The FTSE 250 was down 5.93 points at 21,581.84, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.92 points, 0.3%, at 775.54. The...

'Strong' return to profitability Pollution and storm overflow spills halved Search for new CEO underway Pennon (PNN) shares bubbled up 0.3% to 455p after the water utility said it was on track to deliver a 'strong return' to profitability for the year to March 2026, with EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) anticipated to increase by 60% year-on-year. Investors...

London stocks opened in the green on Friday, with investors weighing stronger-than-expected US economic growth and looming tariff plans from Washington, while digital ID reforms at home also drew attention. The FTSE 100 index opened up 26.32 points, 0.3%, at 9,240.30. The FTSE 250 was up 55.07 points, 0.3%, at 21,642.84, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.66 points, 0.3%, at 776.28. The Cboe UK...

Stocks in London closed mostly lower on Thursday amid a weaker sterling after figures showed the US economy grew at a stronger than expected pace in the second quarter, meanwhile the 10-year bond yield in the UK firmed amid chatter of a political challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The FTSE 100 index closed down 36.45 points, 0.4%, at 9,213.98. The FTSE 250 ended 102.75 points lower,...

The FTSE 100 followed European peers lower ahead of US data in the afternoon. Mining shares have been in focus this week, particularly those with a copper exposure, after a force majeure was declared at a major mine in Indonesia. The focus for the remainder of the week will be on US economic indicators. The latest gross domestic product reading is released Thursday at 1330 BST, alongside the...

In this our final big feature as a weekly publication, the Shares team has gone to the ideas well one last time to identify five stocks that individual members of our team really like. There is a pretty broad spread of ideas both by market value and by sector, read on to discover more about these conviction plays and why the authors are such big fans. AG Barr (BAG) Price : 685p Market cap :...

Among the investment trust sector's most storied trusts is RIT Capital Partners (RCP), the big beast of the Association of Investment Companies' (AIC) Flexible Investment sector in which the Rothschild family remains the largest shareholder. Boasting total assets north of £4.2 billion, the trust sits in the bottom half of the sector's five-year share price total return rankings, but RIT...

If the monthly Worldpanel grocery figures are anything to go by, the UK's biggest supermarket chain Tesco (TESCO) has had a good 2025, so investors will be keen to hear from chief executive Ken Murphy just how good the year has been when the group unveils its half-year results on 2 October. As of the start of September, Tesco's share of UK grocery spending stood at 28.4%, up 0.8% on the same...

After well over 1,000 issues Shares' time as a weekly publication is coming to an end. A new monthly version is in the works for customers of AJ Bell and, if that applies to you, remember to look out for that later this year. However, it is clearly a good time to take stock. Having worked for Shares for 18 of its 26 years it's been my privilege and pleasure to edit the magazine for the last 18...

London's blue chip index closed higher on Wednesday, after Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey suggested more rate cuts are ahead, while mining stocks performed well amid a climb in the price of copper. The FTSE 100 index closed up 27.11 points, 0.3%, at 9,250.43. It had earlier lower traded as low as 9,177.09. The FTSE 250 ended just 4.83 points lower at 21,690.52, and the AIM All-Share...

London stocks were mixed at midday on Wednesday, with investors cautious after the Federal Reserve struck a measured tone on interest rates. The FTSE 100 index was down 9.73 points, 0.1%, at 9,213.59. The FTSE 250 was down 6.06 points at 21,689.29, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.81 of a point, 0.1%, at 782.06. The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.2% at 923.90, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.1% at 18,984.25,...

£34.5m to £35.5m adjusted pre-tax full year profit now expected Winding down B2B business Classic Collection Further £25 million share buyback Shares in On The Beach (OTB) plunged 15% to 218p in morning trading as the online package holidays provider said it was winding down its non-core B2B (business-to-business) operations after a small loss in the year. In the trading update for the full...

H1 PBT down 13.5% Full-year guidance maintained Second-half weighting a risk Trainers-to-tracksuits seller JD Sports Fashion's (JD.) first-half results showed a disappointing profits plunge in a weaker athleisure market. However, shares in the FTSE 100 retailer ticked up 1.2% to 89.7p as it reiterated full-year guidance pointing to adjusted pre-tax profits of £878 million and said it expects...

London stocks opened mostly lower on Wednesday, though defence firms rose after Donald Trump struck a more optimistic tone on Ukraine at the UN. The FTSE 100 index opened down 36.45 points, 0.4%, at 9,186.87. The FTSE 250 was down 33.69 points, 0.2%, at 21,661.66, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.45 of a point, 0.1%, at 781.70. The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.5% at 921.10, the Cboe UK 250 was down...

London's blue chip index underperformed against its peers in Paris and Frankfurt on Tuesday, amid fresh concerns about UK inflation and the economy, following OECD forecasts. The FTSE 100 index closed down just 3.36 points at 9,223.32. The FTSE 250 ended 98.42 points higher, 0.5%, at 21,695.35, and the AIM All-Share closed up 3.72 points, 0.5%, at 781.25. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.1% at 925.79,...

London stocks were mixed at midday on Tuesday, as fresh warnings over slowing UK growth and weaker-than-expected flash PMI figures added pressure to sentiment. The FTSE 100 index was up 2.41 points at 9,229.09. The FTSE 250 was up 110.98 points, 0.5%, at 21,707.91, and the AIM All-Share was up 4.80 points, 0.6%, at 782.33. The Cboe UK 100 was marginally higher at 925.01, the Cboe UK 250 was up...

Full-year growth ahead of guidance Dividend hiked by 5.1% Planned separation on track Engineering group Smiths (SMIN) reported a strong full-year performance ahead of twice-raised growth guidance and operating profit margin expansion to the top of the range. The shares jumped as much as 5% in early trading to £25.46, marking a new all-time high, before slipping into negative territory by 10p...

Targeting upper end of guidance Free cash flow forecast improved Buyback programme accelerated Kingfisher (KGF) shares bounced 18% to 298.5p after the B&Q-to-Screwfix owner delivered a surprise profit guidance upgrade in the face of significant cost headwinds and subdued consumer spending on big-ticket purchases. Following a solid first-half showing, the home improvement giant is now targeting...