Shares in recruiter PageGroup (PAGE) jumped 11% to a post-pandemic high of 554p after the firm filed a positive first quarter trading update and predicted a strong rebound in full year operating profits. RAPID IMPROVEMENT For the first three months of 2021, gross profits – also referred to in the industry as net fee income – rose 1% on the first quarter of last year, but more ...

Mike Ashley’s Frasers (FRAS) has warned it may take a further accounting hit of over £200 million due to Covid restrictions, double its previous estimate provided in late February. While disappointing, shares in the Sports Direct-to-House of Fraser owner rose 0.9% to 501.5p on optimism over the reopening of vast swathes of its estate from 12 April, when non-essential retailers are allowed to ...

UK stocks have taken a breather following a strong week which saw a return to pre-pandemic levels for the FTSE 100 and a record high for the FTSE 250. The UK’s benchmark index fell 0.23% to 6,926 in early trading on Friday, while the midcap FTSE 250 traded almost flat at 22,261. It comes after Wall Street hit record highs overnight with the S&P 500 reaching an all-time high of ...

The FTSE 100 closed higher on Thursday as a decline in energy stocks was offset by broad based gains across many sectors, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 hit a record high despite weakness in some travel and leisure shares, such as Stagecoach (SGC) and Wizz Air (WIZZ). The FTSE 250 finished the session 0.4% higher at 22,247.54, while the benchmark FTSE 100 ended 0.8% higher at 6,942.22, although ...

The UK’s leading stocks clung on to gains at lunchtime as investors turn their attention to Wall Street’s opening. The benchmark FTSE 100 held on to the 0.4% rise earned through the morning session on Thursday buoyed by minutes from the US Federal Reserve meeting indicating that the central bank’s ‘accommodative stance’ to monetary policy will remain for now. At 12.30pm, the FTSE 100 ...

The IPO (initial public offering) of cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase could go off with a huge bang when it lists stock on Nasdaq next week (14 April), with some estimating the company will command a $100 billion valuation. The company won’t go public with a normal IPO. Rather than using brokers Coinbase is instead planning a direct listing, which will allow current investors to sell their ...

It’s been a quieter week for director deals given the Bank Holiday weekend, but a number of company bosses and non-executive directors have still been busy dealing in their companies’ shares. The most notable transaction comes from FTSE 100 chemicals company Croda International (CRDA), whose chief financial officer Jez Maiden sold around 10,600 shares this week at a price of £63.82 each in ...

Online fashion retailer ASOS (ASC:AIM) saw first half profits surge 275% higher to £112.9 million as youthful fashionistas starved of the opportunity to shop on the high street turned to the web instead. Yet the high-flying shares fell 2.8% to £56.26 after ASOS increased its full year expectations only ‘in line’ with its superb first half performance. A beneficiary of the consumer ...

Shares in car dealership group Lookers (LOOK:AIM) sped 13% higher to 71p on Thursday after the firm increased its full-year pre-tax profit expectations to 'materially' above the current analyst consensus, following a strong first quarter performance. Management believes consensus pre-tax profit forecasts for the year to 31 December 2021 to be £22.6 million. A 'material' beat usually indicates ...

Shares in homewares retailer Dunelm (DNLM) jumped 2.5% to £13.78, breaking above their February high, after the firm posted a resilient third quarter trading update and said full year earnings could beat market expectations. TOUGH CONDITIONS Trading in the three months to the end of March was ‘significantly impacted’ by the pandemic as all 174 of its stores had to shut on 5 ...