The world?s second largest economy and most dominant emerging market remains China and to get a window into the prospects for growth investors often look to PMI (purchasing managers? index) data.One influential reading is the Caixin/S&P Global China General Manufacturing PMI. Manufacturing accounts for a big chunk of Chinese GDP and PMI surveys are used globally as a leading indicator of economic

1. China?Signs of a rebound: Purchasing manager indexes in China rebounded in March, with the Caixin/S&P Global index reaching its highest level in over a year. Drivers of the rebound included rising raw material purchases and inventories. Chinese industrial companies may be restocking ahead of the government?s planned 20% increase in special bond issuance this year to $680 billion. The increase i

I?m going to be 50 next year, and so far, I have saved about £18,000 in a workplace pension. I have been automatically enrolled since 2016.My question is should I stick with it and get a SIPP pension as well? Or should I just put more in the workplace one until retirement?I hadn?t really thought about a pension until I hit 50.FranRachel Vahey, AJ Bell Head of Public Policy, says:Generally, for th

Followers of Bitcoin will have been closely watching the latest ?halving event? in the cryptocurrency which took place on 19 April.For the fourth time, the number of new Bitcoin entering the market has been slashed by cutting the rewards earned by Bitcoin miners by 50%.Mining Bitcoin involves using powerful computers to solve extremely complicated mathematical problems in order to verify transacti

Interest rates are expected to stay higher for longer to combat the sticky inflation which remains a threat to investors? hard-earned wealth and purchasing power. During periods of high inflation, it is crucial to invest in companies that possess pricing power, because these firms can pass on increased costs to customers, enabling them to maintain profit margins and generate the robust cash flows

Stock prices in London rose on Tuesday heading into the afternoon, as UK economic data buoyed investors with ?fresh optimism? and helped the FTSE 100 hit another intraday high.Amongst individual stocks, AB Foods was the star of the morning, thanks to a jump in its interim profit. JD Sports also rose, after agreed to buy US sports fashion retailer Hibbett for just over $1 billion.The FTSE 100 index

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.Latin American economies welcomed 2024 with new economic vigour. They have shaken off a legacy of economic mismanagement, and now look set to play a new role in the global economy. The region?s e

Third quarter revenue up 6%Strong showing in Mecca BingoFull year outlook affirmedCasino and bingo operator Rank (RNK) said like-for-like net gaming revenue for the third quarter to 31 March increased by 6% to £182.3 million, with trading continuing to improve in April.Shares in the Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo operator increased 2.6% to 72.9p and sit around 4% lower than the start of the ye

Investors in Carex and Imperial Leather maker PZ Cussons (PZC) must be wringing their hands as they see the firm?s share price disappearing slowly down the plughole.Year-to-date the stock has lost over 40% of its value, while over one year it is down 53% and last week the price hit its lowest level in more than two decades.The root cause of the problem seems to be challenges in Nigeria where the n

Ultimate Products (ULTP) 156pMarket cap: £142.9 millionStrong brands, a resilient business model and multiple growth opportunities ahead are among the investment attractions the market is missing at Ultimate Products (ULTP). This company is the owner of homeware brands including Salter and Beldray. The Oldham-headquartered firm is well placed to profit with UK and international retailers starting

A classic example of a superb business with staying power, The Coca-Cola Company (KO:NYSE) is blessed with iconic brands spearheaded by Coca-Cola or ?Coke?, the world?s most recognised soft drink synonymous with its red cans.Coca-Cola?s brands resonate with consumers around the world, making the New York-listed group?s products the beverage of choice for billions when at home or on the move.Powerf

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

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE The mining sector is not homogenous. On the BlackRock World Mining Trust, we believe this year its fortunes may be particularly disparate, as a range of factors weigh on individual commodities and regions. As we see it, there are three key factors that will determine the performance of mining companies for the remainder of 2024: geopolitics, global growth and infras

The FTSE 100 achieved a solid gain and almost hit its best-ever level on Friday, with its mining and oil producing contingent sparing it from declines seen in equities elsewhere.Shares in Frankfurt and New York failed to find their feet as investors fretted over rising tensions and US interest rate worries.The FTSE 100 index ended up 71.78 points, 0.9%, at 7,995.58, closing below the 8,000 point m

I have been taking a fixed income of £500 a month from my pension drawdown pot. I have not changed this amount, yet this month?s income is a lot lower. Why is that?FlorenceRachel Vahey, AJ Bell Head of Public Policy, says:Let?s start by looking at how pension income is taxed.When first taking pension benefits, usually you are able to take up to 25% of your pension pot as a tax-free cash lump sum

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATUREThe remainder of 2024 looks set to be volatile, with geopolitical tensions and a major election in the US likely to create noise. The energy sector is always vulnerable to short-term shifts in sentiment and changing views on the outlook for global growth, but the long-term trends are strong, as demand expands and supply remains constrained. Capital at risk. The value

THIS IS AN ADVERTISING FEATURE Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.As developed markets see higher interest rates feeding through into the real economy, activity is likely to slow. But there are stronger prospects for investment growth in many emerging markets,

Mercadolibre (MELI:NASDAQ) $1,528.95Market cap: $77.5 billionReaders that have come across MercadoLibre (MELI:NASDAQ) before will likely be familiar with the badge some pin on it ? the ?Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ) of Latin America?. And just like its US peer, the Uruguay-based business has spent the past couple of decades emerging as one of the region?s ecommerce leaders.It may have started out as a mark

At the centre of the current boom in generative AI (artificial intelligence) is chip maker Nvidia (NVDA:NASDAQ).It designs some of the fastest computer chips in the world which are needed to run data hungry LLMs (large language models) capable of understanding natural language.Readers may be familiar with Nvidia?s historical link to the gaming industry, but less familiar with the US giant?s connec

Capital preservation funds are positioned to help investors avoid large losses while growing their wealth too, albeit more slowly than more risk-tolerant funds. In the investment trusts patch, the three main wealth preservers are Ruffer Investment Company (RICA), Capital Gearing Trust (CGT) and Personal Assets Trust (PNL), while RIT Capital Partners (RCP) also has a capital preservation bent.Durin