Shares in trading platform CMC Markets (CMCX), jumped 8.4% to 262p following the announcement of a scheduled pre-close trading update. Net operating income for the year to March 2022 is expected to be £280 million, which is considerably ahead of analysts’ expectations. This has prompted a series of upgrades to earnings forecasts. During the last month the stock has risen 16.5%, but on a ...

For now, the escalating conflict in Ukraine shows no signs of easing. After the initial shock, markets were hopeful the economic impact of the war might be contained as the West’s opening salvo of sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion (24 Feb) were weaker than some had anticipated. However, any relief soon dissipated as Ukraine put up stiff resistance against the Russian invaders and ...

Leading UK shares have shrugged-off concerns currently upsetting Wall Street as expectations grow that the Federal Reserve will act more swiftly than previously predicted to try and tame rampant inflation. At the same time, tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to grow, adding another volatile factor into the mix. At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 is close on 1.5% ahead at 7,479.13, not far ...

London’s major stocks opened modestly lower as the inflation genie continues to work its way out of the bottle, although banks defied the gravitational pull. At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 was 0.13% down at 7,317.61 after UK inflation rose to its highest in almost a decade. But there was plenty of demand for bank stocks, seen as benefitting from an increasingly likely rise in interest ...

An easing of energy crisis fears and a positive start to trading on Wall Street helped the FTSE 100 to a solid finish on Thursday. By the close, the blue chip benchmark was up 1.2% at 7,078.04 points, while the FTSE 250 finished 0.77% higher at 22,559.22. In the US the S&P 500 was up 1.35% to 4,422.55 by 4.30pm UK time. Wall Street’s indices pushed higher after a temporary agreement ...

Hopes that Russia will pump more gas to Europe to address the current energy crisis helped boost sentiment on Thursday. Concerns over elevated gas prices started to ease after Russia offered to increase supplies while house prices rose by 1.7% in September according to the Halifax building society, the biggest monthly increase since February 2007. By noon, the FTSE 100 traded 1.1% higher at ...

A late move higher saw the FTSE 100 close Thursday’s session up 0.26% at 7,168.55 points, the blue chip benchmark taking its cue from a strong start on Wall Street where the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 4,541.62 by 4.30pm UK time. MELROSE ON THE MOVE Engineering firm Melrose Industries (MRO) gained 7.1% to 184.1p to top the risers on the FTSE 100 after it confirmed alongside first half ...

London’s FTSE 100 remained flat at midday on Thursday at 7,145.94 points, with shares in mining titan BHP (BHP) down 6.3% at £20.91 as it traded without the rights to its dividend. The high-flying FTSE 250 was 0.25% lower at 24,189.71 points by lunch. CORPORATE NEWS Engineering firm Melrose Industries (MRO) gained 4% to 179p to top the risers on the FTSE 100 after it confirmed ...

The FTSE 100 index opened Thursday’s trading session on a slightly firmer note, trading up by 0.07% at 7154.8, but lacking any real momentum or direction. This partly reflected the mixed performance of American equity markets. The S&P 500 index ended the session marginally higher at 4524.09, with the NASDAQ Composite also closing 0.33% firmer at 15,309.38. The Dow Jones Industrial ...

Investors who want to tap into the rich seam of UK small cap opportunities will struggle to find a more passionate advocate than Georgina Brittain. The seasoned fund manager has been running the JPMorgan UK Smaller Companies Investment Trust (JMI) since 1998, and alongside co-manager Katen Patel since 2017. The smaller companies space has always struggled for analyst coverage yet the ...

UK stocks edged higher in opening trade on Thursday as investors wait for the European Central Bank’s policy meeting and US inflation data later in the day for cues on whether global central banks could start tightening monetary policy. The UK’s benchmark FTSE 100 index gained 0.18% to 7,093.59, while the midcap FTSE 250 index was down 0.27% to 22,697.95. The relatively subdued start ...

Despite all the upheaval of the past year, anyone glancing at the financial markets today might find it hard to believe investors were in the throes of despair 12 months ago. Following the global markets crash in February 2020, the recovery has been spectacular. The US Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 indices are at all-time highs, Japan’s Nikkei index is at a multi-decade high, China’s Shanghai ...

UK stocks made modest gains in early trade on Tuesday as tougher restrictions were imposed across London and other parts of the south-east to curb a rise in Covid-19 infections. Investors continue to cling on to fading hopes of a Brexit trade deal with the European Union before a year-end deadline, while latest UK jobless data made for gloomy reading. Official data showed the unemployment ...

This year may be one that people wish to forget and instead look to next year when some sense of normality might return. However, it wasn’t all bad news with a few global stock markets and investment themes notching up stellar returns. Heightened volatility has meant that the divergence between the winners and losers has been especially wide so far in 2020, with the best almost doubling and ...

London’s FTSE traded lower on Thursday, the blue chip benchmark down 0.97% at 6,323.56 points following a soft session on Wall Street and in spite of positive vaccine updates. Investors remained concerned by the continuing spread of coronavirus, worried that Covid-19 restrictions will slow the economic recovery, as well as by the lack of progress on a new stimulus aid package across the ...

London’s FTSE 100 finished in positive territory on Thursday as hopes for a US stimulus package lifted sentiment and higher oil prices provided a boost for heavyweights BP (BP.) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB). The blue chip benchmark ended Thursday’s session 0.53% higher at 5,978.03, while the FTSE 250 closed up 0.81% at 17,946.16. EASYJET WARNS OF HEAVY LOSS In company news, budget ...

Having failed to join the global rally early on, skittish investors seemingly concerned about a lack of progress in Brexit negotiations a week out from the deadline to get a deal done, London’s FTSE 100 was back in positive territory by lunchtime. Housebuilders provided support as an increase in the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors’ (RICS) house price balance to its highest level ...

UK shares failed to join the global rally on Thursday morning with investors seemingly concerned about a lack of progress in Brexit negotiations a week out from the deadline to get a deal done. Most other major stock markets saw sizeable gains following comments from US president Donald Trump that Congress should immediately approve support for airlines and the Paycheck Protection ...

UK shares turned down sharply on Thursday afternoon, following US stocks lower on the biggest tech stock weakness seen since March with the Nasdaq 100 falling more than 5%. After strong gains over the last few months, investors are finally questioning the baked-in expectations of a V-shaped economic recovery. The benchmark FTSE 100 lost 1.6% to 5,846. The mid-cap FTSE 250 index also ...

UK shares pressed ahead on Thursday as investors bet on new stimulus measures to drive a faster post-pandemic economic rebound, while a sustained recovery in China's services sector also lifted sentiment. The benchmark FTSE 100 rose 0.4% to 5,966, climbing for the second straight session, with industrials and consumer cyclicals in demand. The mid-cap FTSE 250 index also advanced, adding 0.5% to ...