Shares News

UK interest rates have been left on hold at an all time low of 0.25% after Thursday's latest meeting of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). The vote was seven to stick, two to twist (for an increase). But the call for increases in interest rates is getting louder. Some City analysts are already calling for the first base rate rise in more than a decade. Number crunchers at ...

London’s blue-chip benchmark trades 10.8 points lower at 7,369 early on ahead of the monetary policy statement from the Bank of England, with interest rates widely expected to be kept on hold following the latest inflation figures. On a busy day for corporate reporting, clothing retailer Next (NXT) rebounds 8.6% to £47.95 on relief that first half results are in-line with forecasts, albeit ...

When considering an effective portfolio, investors can often overlook the looming threat of inflation on their returns, which is a growing concern as inflation hit 2.9% in August. If someone wants to maintain their standard of living, they need to get 2.9% return on their investment. Ideally, investors should aim to get a return of more than 2.9% or they risk inflation eroding the real ...

UK homewares leader Dunelm (DNLM) rallies 6.4% to 649.5p, investors comfort levels with the unloved stock increasing on in-line full year results and news of a positive start to the new financial year. Favourable cooler and wetter weather has given recent like-for-like sales a boost, while Dunelm also outlines ambitious top line targets and assures its search for a new CEO is ...

It’s a quiet day in terms of UK corporate news for investors on Wednesday with much attention focused across the pond to Cupertino and Apple’s latest iPhone X announcement. That news does little for the tech giants suppliers, certainty here in the UK. Shares in graphics chips designer Imagination Technologies (IMG), still stuck in litigation proceedings with Apple, radio frequency shielding ...

Restaurant operator Tasty (TAST:AIM) is struggling to whip up investor appetite after warning that the weak trading environment is continuing to impact sales and margins. Pre-tax profit before pre-opening costs and non-trade items has plummeted from approximately £1.6m to £210,000 in the 26 weeks to 2 July 2017. Sales increased 11.8% to approximately £24.4m, but that is only after ...

Equipment rental specialist Ashtead (AHT) is up 5.4% to £17.75 after releasing a strong set of first quarter to 31 July results. It also indicates that it could make hay from cleaning up the devastation left by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Ashtead rents equipment that lifts, powers, generates or moves to the US and UK construction market. The company is heavily skewed towards its US entity ...

After being heavily punished in the summer for only delivering in-line guidance for its current financial year, retailer JD Sports (JD.) is back in the market’s good books as it uses first half numbers to signal its full year will now be at the upper end of expectations. The shares shoot up 9.4% to 372.6p. The behaviour of the share price reflects JD’s status as a ‘growth stock’ which ...

The FTSE 100 opens in positive territory, up 8.8 points to 7,422.41 thanks in particular to gains in mining stocks and various financial services companies. At the top of the FTSE leaderboard is equipment rental firm Ashtead (AHT), rising 5.9% to £17.84 after releasing good results for its first quarter to 31 July and amid hopes it will benefit from hurricane clean-up work in the US. Its ...

Associated British Foods (ABF) continues to reap the rewards from shopping phenomenon Primark. Adjusted operating profit is expected to rise yet investors are focusing on the underperforming groceries division. Grocery revenues are expected to be level with last year, but adjusted operating profit is anticipated to be lower in the year to 30 September 2017. The news has acted as a drag on the ...