UK stocks closed higher on Tuesday after global markets regained some poise after steep falls on Monday. The continuation of merger activity also lifted investor sentiment. At the close the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was 1% higher at 6,981. MERGER MANIA Shares in gambling group Entain (ENT) leapt 18% to £22.54 this afternoon after the company confirmed it had received a bid ...

UK stocks were higher at midday on Tuesday, reversing yesterday’s losses as merger activity and strong UK factory orders in September helped lift investor sentiment. Meanwhile US futures indicate that equity markets will open around 1% higher. At 12pm the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was 1.2% higher at 6,985 points. COMPANY NEWS The biggest story of the day was the confirmation ...

The UK government’s relaxation of international travel restrictions and news that vaccinated passengers from the UK and the EU can now travel to the US has set a light under the shares of British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), which are up 21% over the last four trading days. Transatlantic travel between London and New York is a key route for the airline ...

Home improvement retailer Kingfisher (KGF) fell 5% to 349.7p as investors reacted to an anticipated slowdown in demand in the second half of its financial year. More positively the company, owner of the B&Q chain, outlined plans to return £300 million to shareholders after guiding for a shallower than previously forecast drop-off in sales following a jump in first-half profit. The ...

National Express (NEX) has made an all-share takeover approach for Stagecoach (SGC), triggering an 8% rise in the former's share price and a 22% rise in the latter. It wants to buy the business to increase its position in growth areas such as private coach hire and corporate transport. Running the businesses as one would also create operational synergies and economies of scale benefits, with ...

Shares in building materials distributor Travis Perkins (TPK) gained 0.5% to £16.98 after the company confirmed the long-awaited sale of its Plumbing & Heating business and the return of capital to shareholders. The sale of the unit to an affiliate of US private equity firm HIG Capital for £325 million is expected to complete at the end of this month, after which Travis Perkins will ...

UK stocks rallied at the open on Tuesday, reversing much of Monday's losses, thanks to positive corporate news. At 8.45am the FTSE 100 index was up 58 points or 0.8% to 6,961 points, led by energy, mining and industrial stocks, while the FTSE 250 mid-cap index gained 159 points to 23,561. Overnight US stocks fell heavily with the S&P 500 index falling 1.7% and the Nasdaq 100 falling ...

UK stocks ended Monday deeply in the red on a toxic mix of growth concerns and contagion risks from the implosion of Evergrande, China’s biggest property lender. Investor skittishness will likely remain ahead of Wednesday’s monetary policy meeting of the Federal Reserve where the US central bank will give its latest views on the economy and its emergency stimulus programme. At the close ...

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UK stocks extended losses during the morning session on Monday on fears of global economic slowdown, stubborn inflationary pressures and increasing worries of contagion from the implosion of Evergrande, China’s biggest property lender. At midday the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was down 1.7% at 6,848 points, led by steep losses in mining and banking shares, while ...