Stocks in London were higher at midday on Wednesday, boosted by retailers ahead of a US consumer price inflation reading.Amongst individual stocks, Tesco led the charge, after unveiling a £1 billion share buyback programme. Other retailers also got a boost on the back of the results.The FTSE 100 index was up 47.65 points, 0.6%, at 7,982.44. The FTSE 250 was up 171.65 points, 0.9%, at 19,935.00, a

Stocks in London headed into the long weekend on the front foot, outperforming their European peers.Markets in London will now shut for two public holidays, Good Friday and Easter Monday. They will reopen on Tuesday.The FTSE 100 index closed up 20.64 points, 0.3%, at 7,952.62. The FTSE 250 ended up 74.07 points, 0.4%, at 19,884.73, and the AIM All-Share closed up 1.15 points, or 0.2%, at 743.26.Ov

Stocks in London were up on Thursday midday, with JD Sports shares in the FTSE 100 jumping as it outlined its financial 2025 profit forecast, while water utilities struggled.The FTSE 100 index was up 20.39 points, 0.3%, at 7,952.37. The FTSE 250 was up 52.23 points, 0.3%, at 19,862.89, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.29 points, 0.2%, at 743.40.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 794.61, the Cboe UK 250

Q4 sales return to growthFull year pre-tax profit to be at least top of rangeMedium-term margin guidance of 4%AO World (AO.) was one of the top FTSE 250 gainers rising as much as 13% after the online electricals retailer said it expects full year adjusted pre-tax profit to at least meet the top end of the guidance range.In November 2023, AO World upped pre-tax profit guidance from around £28 mill

New £80 million buybackJD Sports warning a recent overhangN Brown stake tops 20%Mike Ashley?s Frasers (FRAS) has launched a fresh £80 million share buyback to address a near-10% year-to-date share price pullback at the retail powerhouse behind sporting goods chain Sports Direct as well as House of Fraser and Flannels.Analysts at Liberum believe shares in the FTSE 100 conglomerate have suffered d

Stock prices in London returned from a Christmas break by posting solid gains on Wednesday, as the holiday-shortened final week of the year kicked off positively on US interest rate cut hope.Recent data, including Friday?s personal consumption expenditures print, has aided the ?soft-landing? narrative. There is an 87% chance that Fed cuts rates in March, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.The FTSE

While the present-day incarnation of Currys (CURY) is a technology products specialist selling everything from whizzy gadgets to white goods, the retailer's origins can be traced back to 1884 when one Henry Curry founded the Curry Cycle Co bicycle-building business.In 1984, Dixons Retail acquired Currys and thirty years later, 'Dixons Carphone' was formed through a complex merger between Dixons an

Biggest shareholder ups stake to 17.2%Ashley and Murray see a bargainShein files to go publicBoohoo?s (BOO:AIM) shares were bid up 4% to 35p on the revelation Mike Ashley-controlled conglomerate Frasers (FRAS) has raised its stake in the fast fashion retailer above 17% for the first time.Frasers? move comes at a crucial time for embattled Boohoo.Fierce competitor competitor Shein is growing ever m

Stocks in London retreated on Tuesday, with a stronger pound not helping the FTSE 100?s cause, with focus shifting to meeting minutes from the US Federal Reserve this evening.The FTSE 100 index was down 40.25 points, 0.5%, at 7,456.11. The FTSE 250 lost 90.31 points, 0.5%, at 18,508.74, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.18 points, 0.2%, at 720.77.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.5% at 743.94, the Cboe UK

Strategic pivot paying offAO World returned to profit in H1But annual sales now seen 10% lowerOnline electrical retailer AO World (AO.) has upgraded its year-to-March 2024 pre-tax profit guidance from ?around £28 million? to between £28 million and £33 million after stronger margins helped the white goods group deliver a first half return to profit with improved cash generation.This positive ne

Stock prices in London were mixed on Tuesday morning, as the FTSE 100 slid on a strong pound and investors remained cautious ahead of a statement from the UK chancellor of the exchequer on Wednesday.The FTSE 100 index opened down 22.11 points, 0.3%, at 7,474.25. The FTSE 250 was up 12.01 points, 0.1%, at 18,611.06, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.11 of a point at 722.06.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3

Soft drinks business Britvic (BVIC) serves up full-year results on 22 November, when investors will be thirsty to learn how volumes are holding up at the Fruit Shoot, Robinsons and Tango maker which also produces and sells brands including Pepsi and 7UP in Great Britain and Ireland under exclusive agreements with PepsiCo (PEP:NASDAQ).Price hikes and volume growth helped Britvic's revenues to bubbl

Frasers ups stake above 15%Billionaire Ashley spies a bargainBoohoo shares down 90% in five yearsMike Ashley-controlled Frasers (FRAS) has raised its stake in bombed-out Boohoo (BOO:AIM) above 15% for the first time as the retail conglomerate continues to build on its 'strategic investment' in the embattled online fashion seller.Sports Direct, House of Fraser and Flannels-owner Frasers has upped i

Retail powerhouse raises Boohoo stake again'Natural crossover' between Sports Direct and Boohoo customer baseScope for collaborations between Boohoo and MissguidedMike Ashley-controlled retail conglomerate Frasers (FRAS) has quietly increased its stake in Boohoo (BOO:AIM) from 7.8% to 9.1%, picking up more stock after shares in the online fast-fashion seller fell to their lowest level in eight yea

Severn Trent CEO Olivia Garfield sells over £800,000 sharesQinetiq CEO cashes in on positive trading updateAO World CFO sells over £100,000 share due to schemeQINETIQ CEO BANKS COOL MILLION Stephen Wadey, CEO of UK defence technology company Qinetiq Group (QQ.) has sold 300,000 shares in aggregate for a total value of £1.036 million.The sale comes not long after the company's first quarter trad

Profitable growth in core sports retail business'Further strong profit progress' expectedStrong cash generation bringing down net debtMike Ashley-controlled retail conglomerate Frasers (FRAS) shrugged off the impact of the cost-of-living pressures weighing on consumers to report forecast-beating full year results driven by a standout performance from Sports Direct.The FTSE 100 retail giant also up

Final dividend axed to protect balance sheetNordics division feeling pinchBaldock bemoans 'unforgiving competition'Investors hoping for a rally at unloved electricals retailer Currys (CURY) were left severely disappointed today as a cocktail of negatives in the full year results sent the shares plunging 13% to 46.6p.Not only did the white goods-to-electronics seller report a drop in sales and prof

Investors are looking hard at the stocks held in funds managed by Odey Asset Management for fear they will be dumped on the market as the hedge fund tries to raise cash. While some positions have already been cut, there remain plenty of stocks where its position has not changed (yet?).The firm is restructuring following a Financial Times investigation into alleged misconduct by founder Crispin Ode

Electricals retailer returns to profitFrasers has built 22% stakeBut shares cheapen as upgrades absence weighsAnnual results from AO World (AO.) showed the online electrical retailer swinging back into the black as its pivot towards profitability and cash generation began to pay off.Retail magnate Mike Ashley will be pleased with AO World's performance, since Frasers has amassed a 22% stake in the

UK blue chips edged lower on Tuesday in muted trade with the closure of US markets adding to the flat mood.Flagship food retailer J Sainsbury failed to excite investors despite backing full-year guidance, while in the FTSE 250, home furnishings firm Dunelm was knocked as RBC Capital Markets downgraded the stock to underperform.The FTSE 100 index closed down 7.54 points, or 0.1% at 7,519.72 on Tues