Meningitis vaccine recommended in US 5-in-1 vaccine should increase adoption Extended age group for RSV vaccine GSK (GSK) announced the advisory committee of the US CDC (Centre for Disease Control and prevention) had voted to recommend its 5-in-1 meningococcal vaccine Penmenvy to help protect persons over 10-years of age against different strains of meningitidis. Broad coverage against the...

London stocks drifted lower on Thursday, with investor sentiment weighed down by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's warning that US tariffs could stoke inflation and put the central bank's mandate under pressure. Also, investors are waiting for the fast-approaching European Central Bank interest rate call in the afternoon, followed by a press conference. The FTSE 100 index was down 62.02...

Strong Q3 digital sales Gross margin gains Conservative outlook Dunelm (DNLM) shares rallied 6.5% to £10.11 after the homewares retailer reported 'strong' third quarter sales growth which came as a relief to investors following a softer second quarter showing from the rugs-to-pillows purveyor. The retailer also held firm on its full-year 2025 guidance, with consensus calling for pre-tax...

London stocks fell on Thursday morning after US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's warning that tariffs could generate increased inflation, while updates from Sainsbury and Dunelm offered bright spots. Lloyds Bank analyst meanwhile commented: 'Powell's comments after the London close, warning of an essentially stagflationary outlook, roiled markets further as his message emphasised the...

Together, BP (BP.) and Shell (SHEL) accounted for more than 10% of the FTSE 100 index at the end of the first quarter, meaning their fortunes matter to anyone with exposure to the UK market through a tracker fund. Both firms are finding life difficult thanks to slumping commodity prices, although BP gave investors a rare bit of good news on 14 April as it unveiled a major oil discovery at its...

Shares in Gloucester-based social housing and care provider Mears (MER) surged 10% to a new five-year high last week after the firm posted strong full-year 2024 earnings and raised its 2025 outlook. Revenue at the FTSE 250 group increased to £1.13 billion, helped by around £220 million in new contracts awarded last year, while pre-tax profit jumped 37% to £64 million. Chief executive Lucas...

When a presidential social media post is capable of sending stock, bond, currency and commodity markets spinning, up or down, there is a danger that any article, podcast or comment has a limited shelf life. Even this is of value in some ways, as it makes it clear that no-one ? but not one ? knows what is coming next. It may, therefore, be worth bearing in mind legendary investor Warren...

These days it seems as though every company and their dog are buying back shares, if the morning flood of RNS (regulatory news service) announcements is anything to go by. Out of 300-odd news stories each day from 7am, by our reckoning over a third are 'transaction in own shares'. Although it remains to be seen whether that trend will continue in the face of market turbulence. Notably Tesco...

Investors have flocked to money market funds in recent years, attracted by the high rates on offer, reflecting the sharp rise in official interest rates since 2022. Despite the Bank of England cutting base rates from a peak of 5.25% in August 2024, the current 4.5% rate is relatively high compared to the 0.5% which prevailed during the Covid era and, indeed, the relatively low rates seen ever...

London's FTSE 100 remained in the green on Wednesday after a last-minute rally, in the wake of a softened domestic inflation reading and further updates to the US-China trade war. The FTSE 100 index rose 26.48 points, 0.3%, at 8,275.60. The FTSE 250 fell just 2.13 points to 19,265.81, and the AIM All-Share advanced 3.87 points, 0.6%, at 669.88. The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.3% at 823.85, the Cboe UK...

London stocks slipped on Wednesday as investors digested cautious updates from WH Smith and Bunzl, while fresh US probes into Chinese imports and semiconductor controls reignited trade war fears. The FTSE 100 index was down 29.39 points, 0.4%, at 8,219.73. The FTSE 250 was down 107.02 points, 0.6%, at 19,160.92, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.73 points, 0.1%, at 665.28. The Cboe UK 100 was...

Firm blames soft trading in US Worst one-day drop in a decade £2.3 billion wiped off market cap Investors in global distribution and outsourcing group Bunzl (BNZL) received an uncharacteristic negative surprise as the FTSE 100 firm cut its earnings outlook and suspended its share buyback. The shares slumped as much as 826p or 27% before steadying to sit at a three-year low of £23.76, a loss...

Raised full-year profit guidance Record revenue of £5.1 billion New £125 million share buyback Mitie (MTO) was one of the top mid cap gainers on Wednesday (16 April), with the shares jumping 5% to a new three-year high of 128p after the facilities transformation specialist upgraded its full-year profit guidance and announced a new £125 million share buyback. The shares have handsomely...

UK stocks edged lower on Wednesday morning as inflation eased more than forecast and Bunzl slumped on a downbeat trading update. Meanwhile, trade disputes between the US and China continue. Bloomberg previously reported that Beijing has ordered airlines not to take further deliveries of jets from US aviation major Boeing. More recently, Trump ordered a probe that may result in tariffs on...

London stocks closed in the green for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, as investors remain hopeful for a potential trade deal with the US and the pound rises amid a slow-down in wage growth. The FTSE 100 index rose 114.78 points, 1.4%, at 8,249.12. The FTSE 250 jumped 277.52 points, 1.5%, at 19,256.03, and the AIM All-Share advanced 6.99 points, 1.1%, at 666.01. The Cboe UK 100 rose 1.5%...

London equities were higher at midday on Tuesday, lifted in part by suggestions of tariff flexibility for the motor sector. The US, meanwhile, is 'certainly working very hard with Starmer's government' on negotiating a trade deal, Vice President JD Vance has said. Vance told website UnHerd: 'The President really loves the UK. He loved the Queen. He admires and loves the King. It is a very...

Recommended 130p cash offer Rival bid considered Proposal has 40% backing Shares in Bank of England bank note printer De La Rue (DLAR) climbed 17% to a new three-year high of 130.7p after agreeing an all-cash takeover by US private equity group Atlas at 130p per share. This follows the announcement by De La Rue on 4 February that it was launching a formal sale process. > More detailed chart...

London stocks opened higher on Tuesday, with UK unemployment holding steady in the latest quarter. The FTSE 100 index opened up 37.85 points, 0.5%, at 8,172.19. The FTSE 250 was up 97.15 points, 0.5%, at 19,075.66, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.01 points, 0.3%, at 661.03. The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.6% at 814.10, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.9% at 16,642.96, and the Cboe Small Companies was flat at...

London stocks closed in the green on Monday, while the pound rose, in the wake of a partial reprieve to the US tariff chaos of prior weeks. The FTSE 100 index rose 170.16 points, 2.1%, at 8,134.34. The FTSE 250 jumped 463.66 points, 2.5%, at 18,978.51, and the AIM All-Share advanced 11.19 points, 1.7%, at 659.02. The Cboe UK 100 rose 2.1% at 809.34, the Cboe UK 250 firmed 2.7% at 16,489.66,...

London stocks were up at midday on Monday as news that US tariffs will exempt smartphones and other electronics lifted tech sentiment globally, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and mixed signals from Washington. AJ Bell's Russ Mould commented: 'An announcement slipped out quietly late on Friday exempting smartphones and other electronic goods and components from reciprocal tariffs is...