We said last week the market faced a test with the US CPI (consumer price index) report and that?s exactly how it turned out, with a third successive hotter-than-expected print sending the S&P 500 index down 2% on the week, its worst five-day performance since last October.As expected, it was the ?core? reading excluding food and energy prices which did the damage, with services inflation ? the Fe

Equity prices in London found some composure heading into Wednesday afternoon, recovering from an uncertain start following an unnerving UK inflation reading.International Distribution Services jumped, after a billionaire shareholder?s takeover proposal that was rebuffed by the Royal Mail parent.The FTSE 100 index rose 46.18 points, 0.6%, at 7,866.54. The FTSE 250 climbed 107.23 points, 0.6%, at 1

Stock prices in London closed lower on Tuesday as hopes continued fading for three US Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year, and as tensions between Iran and Israel added to investors? fears.The FTSE 100 index closed down 145.17 points, 1.8%, at 7,820.36. The FTSE 250 ended down 354.35 points, 1.8%, at 19,344.54, and the AIM All-Share closed down 12.00 points, down 1.6%, at 738.28.The Cboe

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE US equities: time to diversifyFran Radano, Manager, The North American Income TrustThe ?Magnificent Seven? has dwindled to just two stocksInvestors need to ensure their US equity exposure is diversifiedThe new economic environment requires greater cautionInvestors may need to rethink their approach to the US stock market. After a decade where a handful of technolo

London?s FTSE 100, the outperformer on Friday as investors fretted over a possible escalation in the Middle East, was the laggard on Monday in the wake of Iran?s strikes on Israel over the weekend, as the blue-chip index?s oil majors tracked crude prices lower.Large-cap benchmarks in Frankfurt and Paris, which fell on Friday, were on the up on Monday. Stocks in New York tumbled at the end of last

As investors gear up for the latest earnings season, stubbornly resistant inflation continues to dominant the mood music on US markets. After Wednesday?s (10 Apr) hotter-than-expected CPI data and the FOMC minutes, analysts at investment banks Citi, UBS, and Goldman Sachs all said they don?t see the Federal Reserve cutting rates in June, a blow to hopes that the interest rates down cycle will get

European stocks reversed course after Wednesday afternoon?s US inflation, but largely clung on to earlier gains, though it was a bearish start in New York as investors re-assessed the interest rate outlook on the back of the red-hot data.The Federal Reserve?s latest dot-plot suggested three rate cuts could materialise this year. Since the March meeting, however, data has been robust and the odds o

Stocks in Europe opened in the green on Wednesday, with FTSE 100?s Tesco edging up as it announced a new share buyback programme on the back of surging annual profit.The FTSE 100 index opened up 46.08 points, 0.6%, at 7,980.87. The FTSE 250 was up 130.70 points, 0.7%, at 19,894.05, and the AIM All-Share was up 3.15 points, 0.4%, at 754.13.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.6% at 797.85, the Cboe UK 250 was

Stocks in London opened mostly in the red on Tuesday, ahead of consumer price inflation data from the US on Wednesday and an interest rate decision from the European Central Bank on Thursday.The FTSE 100 index opened down 3.23 points at 7,940.24. The FTSE 250 was down 45.31 points, 0.2%, at 19,809.27, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.52 of a points, 0.1%, at 749.35.The Cboe UK 100 was down slightly

Stocks in London started the week on the front foot, picking up strength as Monday?s trading session wore on, to post healthy gains by the close.Gold hit a new high before fading, airlines and miners were in demand, while Entain prospered on bid speculation.The FTSE 100 index closed up 32.31 points, 0.4%, at 7,943.47. The FTSE 250 ended up 128.64 points, 0.7%, at 19,854.58, and the AIM All-Share c

London?s FTSE 100 was down a tad on Monday morning, with trade lacking in inspiration as investors moved with caution ahead of a US inflation print on Wednesday.The FTSE 100 index opened down 9.32 points, 0.1%, at 7,901.84. The FTSE 250 was down just 0.09 of a point at 19,725.85, while the AIM All-Share added 2.43 points, 0.3%, at 742.48.The Cboe UK 100 declined slightly to 789.88, the Cboe UK 250

Stocks prices in London fell into the red on Friday, as unexpectedly high US jobs growth squashed hopes of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve sooner rather than later.The FTSE 100 index closed 64.73 points, 0.8%, at 7,911.16. The FTSE 250 ended down 147.25 points, 0.7%, at 19,725.94, and the AIM All-Share closed down 2.53 points, or 0.3%, at 740.05.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.9% at 790.22,

European stocks closed lower on Tuesday, after the long Easter holiday weekend and a day full of economic data.The FTSE 100 index closed down 17.53 points, 0.2%, at 7,935.09. The FTSE 250 ended down 170.84 points, 0.9%, at 19,713.89, and the AIM All-Share closed down 0.86 of a point, 0.1%, at 742.40.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.3% at 793.40, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 1.1% at 17,147.56, and the C

London?s blue-chips went sideways, a mixed showing relative to European peers, as all eyes turned to the US with the interest rate decision imminent.The FTSE 100 index ended down just 0.92 of a point at 7,737.38. It had been 0.3% lower in morning trade, however.The FTSE 250 had a more stellar day, rising 51.59 points, 0.3%, to 19,484.40. The AIM All-Share rose just 0.03 of a point to 735.59.The Cb

Stocks in London trod a disparate path, ahead of UK inflation data, which could dictate events on Thursday when the Bank of England makes its latest decision on interest rates.The FTSE 100 index rose 15.75 points, 0.2%, at 7,738.30. But the FTSE 250 ended down 53.72 points, 0.3%, at 19,432.81, and the AIM All-Share fell 1.07 points, 0.2%, at 735.56.The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.2% to 774.76, the Cboe UK

London?s FTSE 100 grew in confidence as Friday morning wore on, but still underperformed peers in Europe, despite its heavyweight miners and oil majors trading higher.The FTSE 100 index rose 16.41 points, 0.2%, at 7,759.56. The blue-chip index is up 1.2% week-to-date. Though 0.3% higher for the year so far, weekly gains for the FTSE 100 have been rare.The FTSE 250 climbed 53.30 points, 0.3%, to 19

London?s FTSE 100 edged slightly lower going into Thursday afternoon, but trade in Paris and Frankfurt was more positive, ahead of a slew of US data.The FTSE 100 index fell just 3.77 points to 7,768.40. The FTSE 250 climbed 58.38 points, 0.3%, to 19,622.30, and the AIM All-Share was flat at 738.82.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.1% at 777.94, the Cboe UK 250 added 0.4% at 17,001.13, and the Cboe Small

London-listed stocks delivered a mixed performance on Monday in a big week for economic data, as the market prepared for Tuesday?s US inflation reading.The FTSE 100 index closed down 9.49 points, 0.1%, at 7,669.23. The FTSE 250 ended down 71.69 points, 0.4%, at 19,530.09, and the AIM All-Share closed down 2.29 points, 0.3%, at 738.27.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.1% at 767.93, the Cboe UK 250 closed

Stock prices in London were predominantly lower on Friday morning, as big news for several FTSE 100 and 250 constituents failed to adequately combat nervousness around the latest US jobs report.The FTSE 100 index opened down 18.03 points, 0.2%, at 7,674.43. The FTSE 250 was down 65.78 points, 0.3%, at 19,518.20, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.58 points, 0.2%, at 739.48.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3

NI cut by 2% as predictedFuel and alcohol duty frozenTobacco tax increaseWith the UK having recently experienced a technical recession after two quarters of negative growth to December last year, and the spectre of a general election looming, today?s Budget decisions are ?more critical than ever? says the AccountancyAge website.?This budget is anticipated to navigate the tightrope of stimulating e