Full year revenue up 13% to £206.4 million£450 million special dividend expectedShares up 18% over the past yearShares in Ascential (ASCL) were up nearly 3% to 307p in morning trading as the events outfit and information provider reported a 13% rise in revenue to £206.4 million for the year ending 31 December.Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest taxation depreciation and amortisation) was

Stocks in London closed predominantly lower on Thursday, in parallel with peers across Europe, as nervous sentiment prevailed ahead of US jobs data on Friday.The FTSE 100 index closed down 1.66 points at 7,513.72. The FTSE 250 ended down 47.99 points, 0.3%, at 18,618.74, and the AIM All-Share closed up 2.74 points, or 0.4%, at 720.86.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.2% at 750.42, the Cboe UK 250 close

The FTSE 100 sat marginally lower on Thursday afternoon, with share price falls for some of its larger constituents, on the back of broker rating downgrades, almost completely offset by strength in housebuilding shares and packaging firm DS Smith.Housebuilders climbed after reassuring data for the sector from Halifax. DS Smith said volume trends have improved recently, though its half-year earning

The FTSE 100 suffered a slow start on Thursday, with broker downgrades hitting some of its more influential constituents, though there was some impetus from M&A action elsewhere in London.JPMorgan cut British Airways parent IAG to ?underweight? from ?neutral?, sending that stock 3.3% lower. Vodafone fell 1.3% as Exane BNP lowered its rating for the telecommunications firm to ?underperform?.Underwh

The market is reacting extremely positively to news of events outfit and information provider Ascential's (ASCL) sale of its digital commerce and product design businesses for a combined £1.4 billion.The digital commerce unit is being offloaded to Omnicom (OMC:NYSE) for £741 million and WGSN - its product design arm - to Apax Partners for £700 million. Group CEO Duncan Painter is leaving to joi

Shares in Marks & Spencer (MKS) have rallied the best part of 70% year-to-date and investors are expecting confirmation of continued market share gains and a return to the dividend list when the British retail institution reports first-half results (8 November).Guided by CEO Stuart Machin, Marks & Spencer will also stage a capital markets event on the day, where management should set out medium-te

Stocks in London started the week on the front foot ahead a week dominated by central bank meetings, before ending with a US jobs report.Among individual shares, Pearson and Airtel Africa impressed, though HSBC ensured it would be a tepid end to the earnings seasons for the FTSE 100-listed banking sector.The FTSE 100 index closed up 36.11 points, 0.5%, at 7,327.39. The FTSE 250 ended up 151.36 poi

Combined value of disposals £1.4 billion£850 million to be returned to shareholdersAscential to focus on events onlyShares in Ascential (ASCL) were initially up 35% to 292p in morning trading as the specialist information, analytics, and ecommerce optimisation company said it was selling its digital commerce and product design business for a total of £1.4 billion to advertising group Omnicom (O

Stock prices in London were up at midday on Monday ahead of this week's central bank decisions in Japan, the US and the UK, and amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The FTSE 100 index was up 62.88 points, 0.9%, at 7,354.16. The FTSE 250 was up 165.83 points, 1.0%, at 17,032.25, and the AIM All-Share was up 4.97 points, 0.7%, at 679.43.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.8% at 733.40, the Cboe UK 250

Stock prices in London rose on Monday morning, ahead of meetings of central banks from Japan, the US and the UK, as investors weighed up developments in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The FTSE 100 index opened up 50.75 points, 0.7%, at 7,342.03. The FTSE 250 was up 139.01 points, 0.8%, at 17,005.24, and the AIM All-Share was up 5.10 points, 0.8%, at 679.56.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.7% at 7

Stocks in London closed firmly in the red on Wednesday, as investors continue to nervously digest fresh tensions in the Middle East.Also hurting sentiment was some hotter-than-expected UK inflation data, which supports a higher for longer narrative around interest rates.The FTSE 100 index closed down 87.21 points, 1.1%, at 7,588.00. The FTSE 250 slumped 286.00 points, 1.6%, at 17,403.46, and the A

Stock prices in London opened lower on Wednesday, as inflation in the UK remained stubbornly high, while heightened tensions in the Middle East also weighed on sentiment.The FTSE 100 index opened down 23.28 points, 0.3%, at 7,651.93. The FTSE 250 was down 130.79 points, 0.7%, at 17,558.67, and the AIM All-Share was down 1.63 points, 0.2%, at 688.95.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.4% at 764.11, the Cboe

Construction equipment rental specialist Ashtead (AHT) has setitself quite a high bar when it comes to its first-quarter earnings report on 5 September.The firm has beaten revenue forecasts in nine out of the last 10 quarters. Moreover, the comparison with the same quarter last year is a tough one as rental revenue was up 26% to just over $2 billion and adjusted pre-tax profit was up 29% to $555 m

Stocks in London were broadly higher at the close on Thursday, as a boost from oil majors more than compensated for several financial stocks going ex-dividend.The FTSE 100 index closed up 26.10 points, or 0.35%, at 7,541.85. The FTSE 250 ended up 109.61 points, or 0.6%, at 20,136.65, but the AIM All-Share, however, closed down 2.11 points, or 0.3%, at 924.56..The Cboe UK 100 closed up 0.3% at 753.

Stocks in London closed firmly in the red on Friday following the highest US inflation reading since 1981, fuelling fresh fears over central bank tightening and consumer confidence.The FTSE 100 index closed down 158.69 points, or 2.1%, at 7,317.52. The FTSE 250 ended down 400.08 points, or 2.0%, at 19,673.32, and the AIM All-Share closed down 14.30 points, or 1.5%, at 950.92.The Cboe UK 100 ended

Market focus as the end of the week was on a key inflation reading in the US, as the Federal Reserve leads central banks around the world in raising interest rates.Not boding well for price pressure, the Brent crude oil price edged above $124 a barrel on Friday.The US consumer price index report is at 1330 BST.The FTSE 100 index was down 87.83 points, or 1.2%, at 7,388.48 midday Friday in London.

The private equity sector has been the standout performer this year, according to a new research report by broker Stifel. The study highlighted the best and worst performing investment trusts in a third quarter sector review, and the results show that investors have increasingly been drawn to private equity for net asset value (NAV) growth.UK small caps and UK real estate also performed well, whil

UK stocks began the week on a positive mood with the FTSE 100 index hitting a new post-pandemic high of 7,188 in early trading, lifted by gains in oil majors Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and BP (BP.) which more than offset losses for airlines and hotel firms.By the close the benchmark had retraced to 7,147, up 13 points or 0.2%, ahead of a government press conference which was widely expected to signa

UK stocks began the week with new highs for the FTSE 100, helped by gains in oil majors Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and BP (BP.) which more than offset losses for airlines and hotel firms.By midday the FTSE 100 was up 30 points or 0.4% to 7,165, just shy of its mid-morning print of 7,188, a new 12-month post-pandemic high.Brent crude prices traded 1% higher to $73.4 a barrel, near the year's highs as

UK stocks made a positive start to the week on Monday helped by solid gains in oil shares Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and BP (BP.) which lifted the FTSE 100 by 48 points or 0.7% to a new 12-month post-pandemic high of 7,182 points.Brent crude prices traded 1% higher to $73.4 a barrel, near the year's highs as the global economic recovery boosted prices. Last week Goldman Sachs raised its target price