Despite gains for index heavyweights including Lloyds Banking (LLOY) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the FTSE fell on Thursday due to negative movements from both Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and HSBC (HSBA). The blue chip benchmark traded 0.36% lower at 7,227.24 points on a busy day of corporate results. The European Central Bank was set to update the market later in the day and investors will be ...

London’s FTSE 100 was 0.5% firmer at 7,050.56 points early on Thursday following after a rebound in the US and another dip for Asian equities overnight. A flurry of positive corporate news and decent US data overnight outweighed lingering concerns about the Chinese economy, which dragged down the miners and other companies with links to China such as luxury brand Burberry (BRBY), off 2.75% to ...

It’s been relatively quiet in terms of director deals over the past week, but two deals that caught the eye involve major stakes traded by bosses at two technology companies. The biggest transaction over the last week involves Jonathan Satchell, chief executive of Learning Technologies (LTG:AIM), and his wife who, via The Satchell Trust, yesterday sold 2.1 million shares at a price of 170p ...

In the second part of our two-part feature we get another fascinating range of responses on what did and didn’t work out for top fund managers during a tumultuous 2020 and which stocks they are most excited about now. Interestingly computer games firm Codemasters (CDM:AIM) features as both a success story in the eyes of one manager and a disappointment in the eyes of another. Read on to ...

The FTSE 100 dropped 58 points or 1% to 5,832 points at lunchtime on Wednesday as markets awaited signs of progress on talks over further US stimulus. Sentiment also took a hit as Netflix disappointed the market after the market close and the shares traded down 7% in after-hours dealing. Even companies which have beaten forecasts, such as Johnson & Johnson and Lockheed Martin, have failed ...

Cider, beer, wine and soft drinks company C&C (CCR) returned to profit generation in July through to September, encouraging news that nudged the shares up 0.5% to 178p on Wednesday. However, the Irish brewer behind brands such as Tennent’s, Bulmers and Magners, as well as drinks distributor Matthew Clark, warned the near term outlook for the on-trade sector ‘remains challenging and ...

The FTSE 100 opened 1% lower Wednesday to 5,838 points following comments on Tuesday by deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam that tighter restrictions were needed to stop the spread of coronavirus. Sentiment also took a hit in the US with Netflix disappointing the market after the market close, reporting fewer new subscribers than analysts’ expected with the shares off 7% in ...

The FTSE 100 was down 0.1% to 6,149.04 early on amid continuing negative news on Covid-19 from the US and as chancellor Rishi Sunak warned of 'difficult times ahead'. Aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce (RR.) has tumbled 8.4% to 263.6p after it reported a free cash outflow of £3bn in the first half as widebody engine flying hours fell by approximately 75% in the second quarter. In a trading ...

London’s FTSE 100 opened higher on Wednesday, up 0.96% to 6,279.16 early on, after positive Chinese services data stoked hopes of an economic rebound as lockdowns are eased. Oil giants Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) and BP (BP.) both caught a bid amid expectations that a softening of COVID-19 restrictions would spark more demand for transport fuels. Travel food outlet operator SSP ...

As the environmental, social and governance (ESG) juggernaut has rolled on, forcing institutional investors to put more and more money into companies with the best socially-responsible credentials, old-fashioned ‘sin’ sectors such as alcohol, tobacco and gaming have fallen out of favour. Yet given their relative resilience when the global economy slows, which it is likely to do at some ...

London’s FTSE 100 firmed 44 points to 7,305 on Thursday as strong US earnings overnight helped to boost markets across Europe and the blue chip benchmark drew support from index heavyweight AstraZeneca’s (AZN) strong third quarter update. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) cheapened 3.1% to 226.5p as third quarter results came up short of expectations and the banking group slipped back into a ...

C&C (CCR) €3.19 Loss to date: 4.5% Original entry point: Buy at €3.34, 8 Nov 2018 Our positive call on Irish brewer C&C (CCR) continues to sit at a small loss, despite a positive update on 7 March from the Dublin-headquartered Bulmers and Magners maker. We’re calling time on the trade as life could get a lot harder from here for the business. At face value there are ...

C&C (CCR) €3.19 Loss to date: 4.5% Original entry point: Buy at €3.34, 8 Nov 2018 Our bullish call on Irish brewer C&C (CCR) may be 4.5% underwater, but we’re optimistic a recent share price rebound has further to go. The premium drinks company behind Bulmers, Tennent’s and Magners issued a positive update (10 Jan) covering the four months to 31 December, with C&C ...

Irish brewer C&C (CCR), the premium drinks company which makes and distributes brands including Bulmers, Tennent’s and Magners, looks an appealing pre-Christmas value tipple at €3.34. Shares has previously been lukewarm on the beverages stock, but C&C is at a turning point following the acquisition of Matthew Clark and Bibendum (MCB) out of the ashes of Conviviality and with other ...

A washout Easter and the collapse of a major industry supplier look set to cause further headaches to the already-bruised retail and leisure sectors. The long Easter weekend has traditionally been a strong sales driver for consumer-facing companies. However, the past weekend’s terrible weather may have deterred people from going out to eat, drink or enjoy leisure activities. Easter can ...

Irish beer and cider maker C&C (CCR) froths up 10.5% to €2.84 on news it is in ‘advanced discussions’ to buy Matthew Clark and Bibendum from collapsed drinks distributor Conviviality (CVR:AIM) for ‘a nominal sum’. While that is positive for employees, customers and suppliers of the affected businesses, C&C’s swoop will be scant consolation for Conviviality shareholders whose ...

The FTSE 100 opens down by 27 points to 7003.66 despite a Wall Street rally overnight. The market seems to be wary over US president Donald Trump’s continued tariff war rhetoric with China as both countries continue to add to their list of tariff targets. Advertising giant WPP (WPP) sheds 3.2% to £10.82 on news it's appointing an independent council to investigate an allegation of misconduct ...

Shares in housebuilders fell after the Budget announcement which failed to deliver the kind of radical changes to planning or extended financial support desired by the market. Although Chancellor Philip Hammond pledged £44bn to help build 300,000 homes a year by 2020, a lack of detail has gone down poorly with investors. In particular, there was no comment on extending Help to Buy. There ...

Shares in housebuilders are in retreat as the Budget fails to deliver the kind of radical changes to planning or extended financial support desired by the market. Although Chancellor Philip Hammond pledged £44bn to help build 300,000 homes a year by 2020, a lack of detail has gone down poorly with investors. In particular, there was no comment on extending Help to Buy. There was also ...

A contrarian investor can be categorised as someone who does the opposite to everyone else. In general, they are looking to buy shares when no one else is interested in a certain stock; and sell when a stock is racing ahead and everyone is buying it with no thought to valuation or risk. Knowing what to buy or sell isn’t always simple. You shouldn’t just buy the shares which have fallen the ...