Shares News

Shares in Dixons Carphone (DC.) have fallen by 8% to 139p after the company unveiled a pre-tax loss of £440m for the first half of the year and a cut in the dividend. The loss is due to charges of £490m, most of which is a goodwill write-off on the UK and Irish mobile business acquired when it took over Carphone Warehouse. The rest of the charges are for reorganisation costs and losses on ...

As yesterday’s strategy update at WPP (WPP) shows times are tough in the advertising and marketing world, which faces a tricky combination of structural and cyclical challenges. However, today’s 11-month trading update from Huntsworth (HNT), demonstrates in turn that companies operating in the right niches of the market can thrive. The healthcare focused marketing and communications play ...

Growth is back on the menu at Franco Manca and The Real Greek owner Fulham Shore (FUL:AIM) as the company is expecting to more than double its rollout from four to 10 openings over the next year. The company is confident of finding the right sites for new openings, flagging an increasing availability of restaurant space as its competitors come under pressure and close sites. Restaurants ...

Shares in fashion outfit Superdry (SDRY) crash 34% to 377.6p as the Cheltenham-headquartered retailer coughs up worse than feared first half figures, and another profit warning. The company is blaming unseasonably warm weather for crimping demand for jackets and sweatshirts on which it makes better profits. Analysts are pushing through further material earnings downgrades and with Superdry ...

Political events continue to dominate the news agenda even for investors with the pound plunging back below $1.25 as confirmation filters through that Theresa May faces a no confidence vote from her own party. Conservative MPs will vote this evening, either backing the Prime Minister or hoping to shunt her aside for new leadership. Yet UK stock markets take that news in their stride, with ...

Investment manager SQN Asset Management (SQN) is embracing political and market instability by re-launching and refreshing one of its funds. The SQN Secured Income Fund (SSIF) aims to deliver attractive returns by offering alternative lending to strong businesses. The fund invests in a range of small and medium-sized firms by buying a mixture of loans, receivables, tax credits, property ...

Betting websites operator 888 (888) is accelerating its US gaming expansion by taking full control of All American Poker Network (AAPN). The company set-up AAPN in 2013 alongside US partner Avenue OLG Entertainment as a way of extending the reach of its popular 888poker and 888casino online businesses in the highly regulated online gambling market across the pond. The original deal left 888 ...

Construction and industrial equipment rental firm Ashtead (AHT) sees its shares climb 3% to £16.60 as it delivers strong first half results and raises profit guidance for the second time in three months. Rental revenues in the six months to the end of October are up 18% to £1.77bn, driving pre-tax profits up 19% to £537m and earnings per share up a staggering 42% to 98.8p. Thanks to ...

Shares in advertising giant WPP (WPP) have risen by 3.5% to 833.4p after it unveiled details of its future strategy under new chief executive Mark Read (pictured below). Read, an internal appointment to replace founder Martin Sorrell after his controversial exit earlier this year, started at the helm in September and has seen the shares steadily slide (against a weak market backdrop) under ...

UK markets are starting to bounce back after yesterday’s Brexit calamity. The FTSE 250, which is considered the benchmark index for UK-focused companies, nudges up 0.2 points to 17,493, although that still leaves it trading well below the 21,324 year-to-date high. The FTSE 100 achieves a stronger lift, advancing 24 points to 6,746 off the back of gains in the mining and oil sectors, plus support ...