Continuing momentum expected at BP and Shell as they ready first quarter updatesOil majors' commitment to energy transition and impact of windfall taxes will be in focusThe OPEC production cuts which helped drive a recent rally in oil prices will have come too late to be reflected in upcoming quarterly earnings numbers from BP (BP.) and Shell (SHEL), published on 2 and 4 May respectively, but inve

-Full year results ahead of expectations-Creating value through disposals-Strong cash position and interesting pipeline of new investmentsShares in AIM listed insurance and private equity investor B.P. Marsh (BPM:AIM) edged 0.3% higher on Monday following the announcement of full year results that were ahead of expectations.The group delivered a net asset value of £166.6 million, an increase of 1

UK stocks gave back earlier gains to finish in the red after the health secretary confirmed that London and parts of the South-East would enter Tier Three restrictions from Wednesday as a new strain of the virus may be driving an increase in cases.The switch to the highest-risk tier will see the forced closure of pubs, bars, restaurants and indoor entertainment venues.At 16:30 the FTSE 100 was dow

UK stocks traded higher on Monday as the pound rallied 1.5% higher against the US dollar to $1.34 on increased hopes for a breakthrough Brexit deal announcement this week.Banks and housebuilders led the gains while exporters were weighed down by the stronger pound.At 12:00, the FTSE 100 was 0.49% higher at 6,579 points.COMPANY NEWSIn a surprise announcement, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca (AZN)

UK stocks were becalmed on Monday following the news that yet another deadline for crucial talks on Britain's exit from the European Union had passed with no agreement on a definitive trade deal.At 8.15am the FTSE 100 index of leading stocks dipped 8 points or 0.1% to 6.539 points as gains for banks and housebuilders were offset by weakness in healthcare and consumer goods stocks.The pound continu

UK stocks saw deeper losses during the afternoon session influenced by weak European banks as European interest rates fell and investors eyed more stimulus measures from the European central bank. This was despite better than expected results from JP Morgan Chase as the US banks kicked off the US reporting season.At 16:30, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was 0.6% lower at 5,964.CORPORATE NEWSCar deal

UK stocks remained in negative territory at midday on Tuesday as investors digested rising unemployment statistics and disappointing news that US pharmaceutical form Johnson & Johnson had paused a Covid-19 vaccine trial after a participant became ill.At 12:00, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was 0.3% lower at 5,981 points.CORPORATE NEWSUtility group SSE (SSE) announced it had reached a deal to sell i

Shares in specialist insurance investor B.P. Marsh (BPM:AIM) climbed 9% to 256p after the firm posted a near-10% rise in net asset value (NAV) year-on-year to £142.6 million or 396.2p per share for the first half to the end of July.The company also reported a 16% rise in after-tax profits to £6.5 million, while the total shareholder return for the first six months was 4.5% including the 2.2p per

UK stocks opened unchanged despite strong gains overnight in US tech stocks such as Amazon, up 4.75% ahead of its Prime Day campaign, and Apple up 6.3% ahead of its 5G iPhone launch, as the Nasdaq 100 index posted its best daily performance since April, gaining over 4%.Later in the US session futures slipped back on news that Johnson & Johnson's Covid vaccine study had been paused due to an unexpl

Many people are prepared to pay a high price for growth in the current market. Indeed, Shares has been keen to extol the virtues of quality businesses capable of growing despite a troubled backdrop.However, we sense growing interest in the market for value opportunities and our research shows it is currently possible to find decent companies trading at attractive prices.Warren Buffett famously sai

Shares in AIM-listed insurance and private equity investor B.P. Marsh (BPM:AIM) gained 16% to 221p after the firm posted a healthy increase in net asset value (NAV) for the year to 31 January.Group NAV rose by 8.5% or £10.7m to £136.9m, net of dividends, meaning an increase of 29.8p in per-share NAV to 380.1p. Including the dividend paid last July, total shareholder returns increased by 9.8%.EXP

An investor in early stage financial services companies, B.P. Marsh (BPM:AIM) has a stellar record and should soon have greater firepower thanks to a forthcoming fundraising which should provide an extra £17m for the business to grow.The company's recent results show a 24.1% increase in net asset value to £98.4m for its year ending 31 January. The value of the portfolio increased by 31.3% driven

Insurance companies have been in the headlines recently due to a number of destructive forces of nature wrecking havoc across the US, the Caribbean and Mexico.BP Marsh (BPM:AIM) invests in the insurance sector so you might think it's one to avoid due to heavy payouts by the insurance sector. You'd be wrong, according to one analyst.The company invests in insurance brokers as well as other financia

The FTSE 100 opens up 26.57 points to 7,349.39 following a record close on Wall Street. The S&P 500 finished the day at a new all-time high of 2,510.06.On the UK market, troubled construction services company Carillion (CLLN) falls 13.6% to 56.50p as it reveals full year results will be lower than 'current' market expectations. The firm was subject to a takeover bid speculation earlier this week.L

Fiscal responsibility has become a focus for governments across the world after bank bail-outs and recession caused public sector debt loads to balloon.Delivering more with less has not historically been the forte of politicians but it is a mixture which outsourcing companies thrive on.Despite the challenge there is no shortage of willing bidders for a range of newly-created private sector opportu

A specific area of the value investing discipline, 'deep value' investing has been around for a long time and historically generated big returns for contrarians willing to stand apart from the herd. Yet many investors dismiss deep value as a dangerous, short-term investing methodology, akin to trying to sift for gold within a pile of trash.Though recovery investing can be a high-octane endeavour,

The stock market's smallest and riskiest companies have always held fascination for private investors. On the premise that 'elephants don't gallop, but fleas leap,' to borrow Jim Slater's often quoted phrase, it's easier for a tiny company to double its size, and investor's money, than for a big one. Let's face it, a blue chip company worth £1 billion will find it much harder to double or even tr

UK markets settle into modestly positive territory after initially bouncing about as investors generally welcome a flood of corporate earnings and trading updates. London's FTSE 100 index gains 38 points to 6,305 led by TUI Travel's (TT.) 3.5% rise to 360.9p, while the UK aero-engineering space is bolstered by upward moves by GKN (GKN) and Meggitt (MGGT).Fallen online fashion star ASOS (ASC:AIM) r