Stocks in London finished in the green on Friday, after PCE data from the US came in hotter than expected.Investors are also eyeing interest rate decisions from the US Federal Reserve and Bank of England next week.The FTSE 100 index closed up 99.36 points, 1.2%, at 8,285.71. The FTSE 250 ended up 471.95 points, 2.3%, at 21,356.30, and the AIM All-Share closed up 6.64 points, 0.9%, at 779.67.Over t

Stocks in London were in the green going into Friday afternoon, as investors kept their eyes on US inflation data due out this afternoon.The FTSE 100 index traded up 58.40 points, or 0.7%, at 8,244.06. The FTSE 250 was up 221.33 points, 1.1%, at 21,105.17, while the AIM All-Share rose 3.17 points, 0.4%, at 776.20.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.8% at 823.02, the Cboe UK 250 rose 1.1% to 18,493.38, and th

London's FTSE 100 was on the up in early trade on Friday, and it looks set to register a weekly gain despite what has been a tricky few days for global counterparts.US tech sell-offs and poorly-received earnings in Europe have kept investors on their toes this week, but the FTSE 100 has been resilient and is up around 1% so far this week.Focus in the afternoon turns to US data, with the release of

It has been a very mixed week for US stocks as the big tech names which had led indices to fresh records in 2024 were on the retreat.The catalyst for the sell-off was concern about AI and, notably, Alphabet's (GOOG:NASDAQ) plans to spend heavily in this area without much indication of when this investment might pay off.Notably, outside of tech it was a happier picture for Wall Street with the Russ

Stock prices in London were a mixed bag at the close on Thursday, ahead of PCE data from the world's largest economy.On Friday, the core personal consumption expenditures inflation reading for June, the Federal Reserve's preferred measure, is scheduled for release.The FTSE 100 index closed up 32.66 points, 0.4%, at 8,186.35. The FTSE 250 ended down 66.49 points, 0.3%, at 20,884.35, and the AIM All

Stocks in Europe took a hit on Thursday, with eyes on US economic data due out this afternoon and on Friday.The FTSE 100 index traded down 59.21 points, or 0.7%, at 8,094.48. The FTSE 250 was down 224.81 points, 1.1%, at 20,726.03, while the AIM All-Share fell 7.50 points, 1.0%, at 769.14.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 807.67, the Cboe UK 250 dropped 1.2% to 18,129.36, and the Cboe Small Compani

H1 organic growth of 4.1%Power Brands spearheading growthMargin guidance upgrade boosts stockAnother quarter of improving volumes, positive progress with its cost-cutting drive and a massive upgrade to full year margin guidance were key reasons why consumer goods goliath Unilever (ULVR) led the FTSE 100 higher today.The planned sale of its ice cream division, which could fetch as much of £15 bill

European equities nursed heavy losses at the open on Thursday, as investors weighed a mixed bag of earnings and hefty losses in US markets.Still, the FTSE 100 index traded down 60.56 points, or 0.7%, at 8,093.13. The FTSE 250 was down 201.65 points, 1.0%, at 20,749.19, while the AIM All-Share fell 5.35 points, 0.7%, at 771.29.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.7% at 807.72, the Cboe UK 250 dropped 1.1% to

There has never been a better time to be an income investor in UK equities, as payouts for the period from April to June hit an all-time quarterly record of £36.7 billion according to the latest Dividend Monitor from Computershare.Most of the increase was thanks to one-off special dividends, leaving the underlying growth rate at just 1%, but for those clipping the coupons or reinvesting the incom

I am earning above the £50,000 tax threshold and want to pay money into a SIPP to avoid paying 40% tax. I also have existing shares and want to avoid paying dividend tax so am also keen to put these into a SIPP.Can I transfer existing shares into a SIPP using 'Bed & SIPP' and also claim tax relief? Or do I need to put cash into the SIPP from my bank account in order to claim tax relief?'Another r

Pretty much all investors are tech investors. Whether you like the space or not, it is almost impossible to avoid owning exposure to the technology sector. More than a few analysts have referred to tech as a utility, as vital to modern everyday life as water, electricity, steel, and oil.For example, of the top 10 holdings of the £60.4 billion iShares Core MSCI World ETF (SWDA) ? the biggest world

Whatever the occasion, audience, or setting, I'm always asked the same question: how have I balanced being a mother of nine with a big City career?Looking back, especially over those years when my children were very young, it's hard to fathom it myself ? but certain things have helped, both practically and emotionally. I hope that some of those lessons learned might be of help to other mothers ? a

The summer holidays are nearing, and many people will be excited to head abroad for a break ? and hopefully more reliable weather. There's no getting away from the cost of a holiday ? it can often be a family's biggest lump-sum expense each year.But you can cut the overall cost if you avoid unnecessary charges, transaction fees or interest costs by using the right type of holiday money.Whether you

On 17 July, Sir Keir Starmer's new Labour government announced its plans for the first year of the new parliament, with growth and wealth creation the priority.King Charles' speech at the State Opening of Parliament included a total of 39 bills under a new legislative agenda which includes speeding up the delivery of 'high-quality infrastructure and housing' and nationalising railway operators.Sta

Last week, investors were given a reminder that stocks can go down as well as up, as the disclaimer says, but also what goes up, i.e. central bank interest rates, doesn't necessarily come down as quickly as they might like.The European Central Bank's rate-setting meeting was a case in point ? despite a clearly-weakening economic backdrop, the bank held rates steady but as Ann-Katrin Petersen of th

Now that the dust has settled after the UK elections and attention has turned back to markets, we have updated the performance stats on our tips for 2024. Overall, our picks have gained 8.7% year-to-date compared with an 8.3% rise in the FTSE All-Share. That's not to say it has been plain sailing ? our returns range from a gain of almost 60% to a loss of more than 40%, the latter is in a US tech s

Abrdn Asian Income Fund (AAIF) 213pMarket cap: £338.2 millionDollar fluctuations could create volatility for emerging markets assets as the US presidential election draws near, but one region income-hungry investors cannot afford to ignore is Asia Pacific, home to many high-quality companies with the cash flow generation and balance sheet strength to reward shareholders with attractive dividend

As fund management legend and Vanguard founder John Bogle once noted: 'The stock market is a giant distraction from the business of investing. In the long run, investing is about the returns earned by businesses not the stock market.' In other words, sentiment may drive prices in the near term but in the end it is profits and cash flows which drive valuation.From the point of view of investors wi

So far 2024 has been a decent year for investors ? most major global indices are in positive territory as inflationary pressures have eased and some central banks have pulled the trigger on rate cuts.KEY DATES FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2024Bank of England meetings: 1 August, 19 September, 7 November, 19 DecemberFederal Reserve meetings: 31 July, 18 September, 7 November, 18 DecemberUK Budget: September

Porsche AG (P911:ETR) €69.98Market cap: €31.3 billionAt first glance it may look like an odd time to pitch Porsche AG (P911:ETR) to readers, but we have seen many times that fundamentally good companies can be picked up on the relative cheap during testing times, and that's the scenario we now believe is in front of investors.The shares trade under the name of Dr ING F Porsche AG, which